Suicide Guy Deluxe Edition

Developer: Chubby Pixel | Publisher: Chubby Pixel Publishing | Release Date: 2021 | Genre: Action / Adventure / Indie | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam

Dying in your dreams is not a pleasant experience, but thankfully, it also doesn’t cause death in real life, as urban legends would like you to believe. You might wake up with a start, but except for people with severe heart conditions, you can shrug off the nightmare and go back to sleep. Suicide Guy Deluxe Edition by Chubby Pixel is a game that takes this concept to the extreme. The protagonist is a large, bearded man who falls asleep on his couch while clutching a beer bottle. As the beer slips out of his hands, he experiences a series of nightmares from which he attempts to wake up by killing himself so that he can save his beverage. However, with 31 levels of dreams standing between him and reality, he has his work cut out for him.

As the name suggests, Suicide Guy Deluxe Edition is an improved and upgraded version of the original game. The premise remains the same, but the game now features three new exclusive levels. In addition, the Chubby Pixel has also made some enhancements to the visuals and improved the performance of the game, along with polishing the physics interactions. Last but not least is the addition of some new languages and the support of cloud saves. These changes are probably not enough to draw back players who already completed the original game but mean that players new to the game are in for a better experience.

As most of the game is set in the surreal dreams of the protagonist, it allows for not just unique levels but also creative puzzles. Unlike traditional games where you need to be on your guard against danger at all times, Suicide Guy Deluxe Edition has you actively seeking out harm. Unfortunately, while most of the levels look very dangerous, it actually takes a lot of effort to put yourself in harm’s way. We also really like how the game subverts your expectations with the manner in which the protagonist dies. For example, the last thing you would expect on the top floor of a skyscraper is drowning! Half the fun is seeing the unusual ways your protagonist can kick the bucket, so we won’t spoil any other surprises in the game. There’s plenty of variety, though, as Suicide Guy Deluxe Edition draws inspiration from other games and movies for its levels. From Portal and Super Mario to Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones, you never know what to expect from one level to the next. All of these are accessible from a hub level, which is styled around a diner strangely enough.

Visually, Suicide Guy Deluxe Edition features a very bright, colorful, and minimalist design. Levels are played from a first-person viewpoint, and players can adjust the field of view anywhere between 60 and 80 degrees. Players can also change the resolution of the game and select a quality preset to match their hardware. The levels start relatively small but later become large enough to drive a vehicle around in them. The amount of objects that players can interact with is fairly limited, though, which helps to focus the attention on useful stuff for solving the puzzles.

The music in the game is as varied as the level themes. For example, a wild west style tune plays during the train level while the level set onboard a UFO has more of a science fiction theme. These tunes actually play through radios that are physically present on each level, so players can switch off the music by interacting with the radios. Interestingly enough, for a game of this type, Suicide Guy Deluxe Edition even supports 5.1 sound. The sound effects match the cartoony style of the game, but there’s not much in the way of voice acting.

Since Suicide Guy Deluxe Edition is played in the first person, it features the standard WASD controls on keyboard. The game can also be played with a controller, but looking around the environment works better with a keyboard and mouse. The exception is one of the new levels, which involves controlling a rat in the third person while navigating a gauntlet of traps and hazards. Here the slippery controls can become quite frustrating, and we had to switch to a controller for more precise movement. Your character can push and pull blocks and crates as well as activate buttons and pull levers. In addition, some levels require you to pick up and throw items. There are even dedicated buttons for burping and punching, but these are more humorous than helpful.

In total, it took us about six hours to complete all the levels in the game, but it was a lot of fun while it lasted. New levels are only unlocked after completing the previous one, but players can return to old levels to search for the secret statues hidden on each one. These are generally not very difficult to find, so the game’s replay value isn’t that high. Nevertheless, considering the low asking price, Suicide Guy Deluxe Edition offers plenty of value for money. It’s not the type of game you’ll want to complete in one sitting, but playing through a couple of levels each evening is quite enjoyable and keeps things fresh. Some of the levels are better than others, and the controls could have been tighter, but Suicide Guy Deluxe Edition delivers when it comes to exciting challenges.