Reminding me aesthetically of early Popcap games, SwayBods is a flashback to simpler times. With a clean, colourful and bold graphical style and a simple game mechanic that’s explored and riffed on across 100 levels, SwayBods hits a refreshingly straightforward approach to puzzle games – with a rhythm twist.
Each level has multiple bubble monsters in it and they all want to sway in a clockwise first direction. The goal of each level is to get all the monsters swaying but as each has their own trajectory marked out, you’ll see that they often cross paths. Its up to you to set them in motion in such a way that they never crash into each other. Doing so fails the level and you’ll need to try again. Adding immediate nuance to SwayBods is that each monster covers their path in a single rhythm beat so if its a short distance to cover, it’ll move slowly whereas some cross the screen in a whizz. What might look and feel like an easy level can require you to click things slightly off beat to ensure a slower monster gets out the way of a faster one flying through.
It is a simple premise that mixes both puzzle and rhythm elements because counting or tapping out beats really helps you line up when to click a monster to make it sway. You’ll also get caught out by the clockwise first movement so you must pay attention to which direction a monster will head in first. As you uncover more levels cloud monsters that vanish and spiked monsters that will hurt any monsters not swaying after a time limit start to appear too. Beyond that, if you get stuck you can earn help every few levels by unlocking a token to slow things down to half speed, make one monster have an unbreakable bubble or to skip a level. You’ll rarely need them but its handy to have. The stretch goals across the 100 levels revolve around triggering monsters in specific orders to collect three stars in a level. Outside of their Steam achievements, this won’t be a barrier for progression but it’ll add a few quick time moments to ensure things line up nicely.
There is nothing wrong with SwayBods at all. It is a focused game on a single gameplay mechanic that doesn’t outstay its welcome or squeeze so much juice out the single mechanic that you become bored of it. This is a really well presented, simple budget puzzler that many may overlook for coming across as unassuming. I was pleasantly surprised at how well it all comes together and therefore its a thumbs up from me.
Review copy provided by developer. Out on Steam.
Higher Plain Games is part of the Higher Plain Network. If you like what I do, please consider supporting me via Patreon for as little as $1/£1 a month. There are additional perks for supporting me, such as behind-the-scenes content and downloads. You can also share the website or use the affiliate buy now links on reviews. Buying credit from CD Keys using my affiliate link means I get a couple of pence per sale. All your support will enable me to produce better content, more often. Thank you.
