Developer: Double Fine Productions
Platform: PC
I’m going to tell you why I fell in love
with Double Fine Productions’ Stacking: This is one of the cutest and unique
approaches to the puzzle genre in quite a while. Presented in a vintage style reminiscent of
the 1930s, Stacking’s simple storyline coupled with its fun game play creates
an extremely enjoyable experience.
Story
Stacking begins with a short cut scene
showing the Blackmore family who are Russian dolls. The father is excitedly telling his family
about his new position working for The Baron.
Unfortunately, the father never returns to his family and the mother
sells off all of their remaining possessions to survive. Eventually, the children are taken by the
Baron to repay the debt the family has incurred. Charlie Blackmore is deemed too small to be
of any use and is left alone with his mother.
Charlie realizes he will never see his siblings again and sets out to
save them from The Baron.

Game Play
Controlling Charlie is exceptionally easy
in Stacking. The controls are very
straight forward and allow players to have fluid movement throughout the game. Playing as Charlie, players move through the
world and are able to “stack” into other dolls by moving behind them. Players are then able to control the doll and
gain access to the doll’s special action.
These actions provide Charlie the means to solve the fantastic puzzles
throughout the game.
In order to rescue his family, Charlie must
complete puzzles in each section of the game to free a family member. These puzzles can be simple in nature or exceedingly
complicated; however only one solution is required to progress the
storyline. Players can revisit any
previous puzzle to find additional solutions as there are multiple solutions for
each puzzle. The puzzles are wacky,
challenging, aloof, and often have Charlie completing comedic tasks to reach
his objective.
Visuals/Audio
Visually, Stacking can be described as
cute. The dolls are richly detailed and
are set in environments with just enough detail to create an immersive
experience. The sound effects in
Stacking complement the environments and create an ambiance during the cut
scenes that emphasizes the time frame of Stacking. Overall, Stacking is visually adorable with excellent
sound effects.
Summary
Double Fine Production’s Stacking is a
great adventure puzzle game that allows players to play with dolls no matter
their age. The serious undertone,
comedic encounters, and beautiful dolls combine to create an excellent addition
to the puzzle genre. Stacking is a fun,
quirky, and unique puzzle experience that every gamer should encounter at least
once.
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