I tend to follow my itch whenever I want to try out something new and exciting, and tonight, my itch was telling me to play this short and sweet indie puzzler from 2017 that I got in a Humble Bundle from who knows when, as a nice little diversion during a rainy evening. Needless to say, She Remembered Caterpillars was not quite that, because this game definitely tested my patience, but I found the whole experience quite fruitful and touching regardless.
The game's layout and concept are quite simple; you must guide all the colored "Gammies" into ending white seed slots, traversing past color coded caterpillars, bouncy reed barriers, and various switches slowly introduced through new acts. While color coding is crucial to figure out how each Gammie will react to obstacles, color-blind players need not worry because Gammies are also marked with unique combinations of shapes & symbols. I suppose the main gimmick besides the color coded caterpillars is the ability to temporarily couple and decouple Gammies to mix colors/integrate shapes to transport other Gammies past obstacles that they usually would not be able to traverse (i.e. combining a Red and Blue Gammie to create a Purple, and allowing the combination to cross over a Blue caterpillar when normally the Red Gammie would be blocked); it's a simple concept, but the game very quickly ramps up in difficulty despite optimized solutions often taking less than 2 minutes to solve. Nevertheless, I found that the levels were simple & tough, but fair; if you can keep in mind the parameters by which your Gammies can get past each obstacle, and figure out which goes where using the same set of rules, then having a set gameplan and being willing to experiment with slowly progressing Gammies past obstacles together goes a long way towards tinkering with the mechanics and figuring out the solution for yourself.
Presented alongside the 40 levels is the game's narrative, told simply through short blurbs before each level plays out; this disjointed story telling (with the full manuscript written out here if you're interested, obvious story spoilers from the link) doesn't quite stand out since it's really easy to lose yourself in the challenge and spend all your brainpower trying to trial & error through the level elements, forgetting about the spurts of text in-between. but it's fortunately not intrusive in the least bit and when put together, is honestly a very heartwarming and contemplative tale. While I think the overarching plot could have been better integrated with the game mechanics (maybe some voice acting as you progress through levels, or more direct references strewn through the level elements and triggers as you progress? Just spitballing a couple of ideas here), I do think it's at least worthwhile to revisit all the short segments once you've finished the main game; it's fortunately not intrusive in the least bit and when put together, is honestly a very heartwarming and contemplative tale. Of more noteworthy mention are the game's hand drawn surreal environments, as well as a brooding and haunting ambient soundtrack that get more and more abstract yet uplifting as you progress through, mirroring the hero's journey and catharsis of the little girl whose tale is being told. The melancholic dreamscapes of She Remembered Caterpillars alongside the mysterious ambience definitely enriched the overall experience, and soothed my soul from ever getting too angry or frustrated as I puzzled my way through the simple yet formidable brainteasers.
Take your time if you choose to play through She Remembered Caterpillars, and just soak in the atmosphere while carefully maneuvering through the clever and logical problems woven into the dreamy and detailed landscapes. If you put your mind to the test, I think you'll find a real gem in all this.
The game's layout and concept are quite simple; you must guide all the colored "Gammies" into ending white seed slots, traversing past color coded caterpillars, bouncy reed barriers, and various switches slowly introduced through new acts. While color coding is crucial to figure out how each Gammie will react to obstacles, color-blind players need not worry because Gammies are also marked with unique combinations of shapes & symbols. I suppose the main gimmick besides the color coded caterpillars is the ability to temporarily couple and decouple Gammies to mix colors/integrate shapes to transport other Gammies past obstacles that they usually would not be able to traverse (i.e. combining a Red and Blue Gammie to create a Purple, and allowing the combination to cross over a Blue caterpillar when normally the Red Gammie would be blocked); it's a simple concept, but the game very quickly ramps up in difficulty despite optimized solutions often taking less than 2 minutes to solve. Nevertheless, I found that the levels were simple & tough, but fair; if you can keep in mind the parameters by which your Gammies can get past each obstacle, and figure out which goes where using the same set of rules, then having a set gameplan and being willing to experiment with slowly progressing Gammies past obstacles together goes a long way towards tinkering with the mechanics and figuring out the solution for yourself.
Presented alongside the 40 levels is the game's narrative, told simply through short blurbs before each level plays out; this disjointed story telling (with the full manuscript written out here if you're interested, obvious story spoilers from the link) doesn't quite stand out since it's really easy to lose yourself in the challenge and spend all your brainpower trying to trial & error through the level elements, forgetting about the spurts of text in-between. but it's fortunately not intrusive in the least bit and when put together, is honestly a very heartwarming and contemplative tale. While I think the overarching plot could have been better integrated with the game mechanics (maybe some voice acting as you progress through levels, or more direct references strewn through the level elements and triggers as you progress? Just spitballing a couple of ideas here), I do think it's at least worthwhile to revisit all the short segments once you've finished the main game; it's fortunately not intrusive in the least bit and when put together, is honestly a very heartwarming and contemplative tale. Of more noteworthy mention are the game's hand drawn surreal environments, as well as a brooding and haunting ambient soundtrack that get more and more abstract yet uplifting as you progress through, mirroring the hero's journey and catharsis of the little girl whose tale is being told. The melancholic dreamscapes of She Remembered Caterpillars alongside the mysterious ambience definitely enriched the overall experience, and soothed my soul from ever getting too angry or frustrated as I puzzled my way through the simple yet formidable brainteasers.
Take your time if you choose to play through She Remembered Caterpillars, and just soak in the atmosphere while carefully maneuvering through the clever and logical problems woven into the dreamy and detailed landscapes. If you put your mind to the test, I think you'll find a real gem in all this.