My heart aches for so many different reasons every time I solve a puzzle in The Swapper. The first time I softened what would've been a fatal fall by creating a copy of myself at the last minute and swapping my consciousness into it was absolutely revelatory. Watching the body that I’d inhabited just moments before crumble onto a lifeless heap as it hit the ground gave me pause in a way that few games ever do. Were these copies simply lifeless tools with the sole purpose of helping me overcome a challenge? Or was I actively murdering countless versions of myself in cold blood? Or is it suicide?

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That’s the big question that arose as I spent about four hours (excluding the time I got stuck) solving a series of puzzles and piecing together the profound and well-told story of a derelict space station. Though The Swapper’s cloning mechanic brings to mind games like Braid and Closure, it differentiates itself by giving you your one and only puzzle-solving tool right at the start. The titular gun that allows you to create copies of yourself and swap places with them is relatively simplistic in its singular function, but developer Facepalm Games' uncanny ability to continually put us in foreign predicaments vaults The Swapper into the ranks of the elite puzzlers.

While the challenges themselves start out simple enough -- spawn a clone in an inaccessible place and swap into it -- they eventually evolve into machinations of sheer wonder. Learning how to utilize gravity, timing, inertia, and ultimately merciless clone murder for your own personal gain becomes paramount in completing its suite of clever challenges.

Though I was mostly mesmerized by the thought and foresight required to overcome the puzzles, I hit a wall right at the end. I confess, with only two puzzles left between me and the finale, I simply could not wrap my head around the solutions. I spent a few hours chipping away at them with no avail. Eventually I resorted to outside help, but as is the mark of a truly fantastic puzzle game, the solutions caused me to slap my forehead (perhaps where the developer Facepalm got its name?) and ask why I hadn’t thought of that. These puzzles are as well designed as the rest, and had I taken a day off and come back to them with a fresh set of eyes, I'm sure the solutions would've come to me. The Swapper is rich with this kind of impeccably designed challenge, and the act of finally discovering a solution to one brings the same bittersweet realization that I'll never be able to experience the joy of solving that puzzle with a fresh mind again I got from Portal.

These fantastic obstacles exist within a stunning 2D world that rewards patient and observant players with one of the most emotional and thought-provoking stories I've experienced in quite some time. Making it seem effortless, The Swapper's atmosphere tells the story of a crumbled civilization aboard an abandoned space station primarily through subtle cues spread across locations ranging from the foliage of a botany dome to the sofas of an abandoned rec room. Only a few bits of well-written prose are spread around. As the story unravels, fans of some particularly heady science fiction will be able to spot The Swapper's influences. Without giving too much away, it's clear that the folks at Facepalm are big fans of classic films like 2001, Moon, and Solaris. It's the rare game that dares to ask some tough questions, and is then fearless enough leave to the player alone to come up with their own answers. Loading

Through exploration, a beautifully crafted melancholy tone reveals itself with the same sad grace that exists throughout Super Metroid, and that this mood is strengthened by the striking and unusual art style. Created from photographed clay models, each piece of the environment has a satisfyingly tangible quality to it, and taking a moment to soak in your surroundings is akin to marveling over an expertly crafted diorama.

Never before has a game forced me to question my every single move. Each time I created a copy of myself in order to progress through the world, I cringed at my actions in the best possible way.

Quick note: the PS4, PS3, and Vita versions of The Swapper are cross-buy as well as cross-save.The PS4 version of The Swapper is every bit as gorgeous, smart, and emotional as its PC predecessor. However, by big question going in to the console and handheld versions was whether or not the transition from mouse to analogue stick would negatively impact the experience. After all, many of The Swapper's puzzles demand quick reactions and pin-point aiming accuracy. Thankfully, the Sony versions include the ability to rise and lower sensitivity to help find your sweet spot, and the presence of a reticle on screen helps make movement and puzzle-solving every bit as enjoyable.

Couldn't really spot any differences between the PS3 and the PS4 version. It looks and controls the same as its big brother.

Being able to play through The Swapper on the go is fantastic, but I do have one minor gripe. A few of the rooms zoom the camera out and leave your character as a relatively small blip on screen. This isn't a problem on a television or monitor, but I found myself losing my character a few times on the Vita in these larger chambers. Definitely not a huge problem, but something to keep in mind.