So Many Me

Developer: Extend Studio | Publisher: ORiGO Games |Release Date: 2014 | Genre: Action / Indie / Strategy | Website: Official Website | Purchase: Steam

Filo is a little green blob who runs into a giant, floating, disembodied head named Asimov one day while out searching for food. After being told by Asimov that he is the chosen one, Filo leaps into action to save the world but ends up with a bunch of clones in the process. Unable to shake the conga line of clones following in his footsteps, Filo instead uses their powers to aid him in his quest.

So Many Me doesn’t have the most profound or original storyline, but the game’s characters know it, providing some lighthearted moments. Our time with a development build of the game during its Kickstarter campaign already demonstrated that it was shaping up to be something special, so it was pretty sad to see that it didn’t make its funding goals. Thankfully, Extend Studio could complete the game despite this setback, even though not all the stretch goals could be implemented.

In case you are in the dark about the gameplay of So Many Me, it is a platform title with a heavy emphasis on puzzle-solving. The levels are spread across four distinct worlds, and your goal for each is simply to reach the exit. After beating the guardians of the four areas, it is on to the volcano level for the final showdown. Apart from the boss battles, which we will discuss in a bit, the levels are relatively easy, and reaching the exits shouldn’t pose too much of a problem for fans of the genre. The real challenge comes from the three hidden items tucked away on each level. While some exploration is involved, the levels are straightforward, and the “hidden” objects are usually in plain sight. Getting to them is entirely different, though, and usually involves solving a puzzle.

Filo’s clones, or the “Me’s” as he refers to them, does exactly as he does and they do not really have any special powers of their own. Just like Filo, they can turn into platform blocks, which are used as stepping stones, among other things, but using any powers requires consuming special food found throughout the levels. The powers are vital as certain enemies and areas on each level prevent the use of your block transformations. This means that to reach certain areas or bypass enemies, you will have to turn clones into trampolines, floating boxing gloves, or shining blocks to solve the puzzles. Three powers don’t sound like much, but each can only be used once, and the order in which they are used is often vital to solving a puzzle correctly. It is hard to explain just how clever some of the puzzles involving these abilities are, but you will experience them firsthand when playing the game. A few times, we thought we had figured out how to reach an item that seemed inaccessible, only to discover something else thwarting us at the last step. It can be frustrating, of course, but it is also gratifying when you finally make the breakthrough. Most of the items are optional, though, so if you are stuck, you can just keep going toward the exit and return after you have given your brain a rest.

The items you collect include “Ark Seeds,” which increases the number of clones you have following you, as well as artifacts that must be crafted back at the hub world to use their enhancements and costumes. The costumes only offer aesthetic changes to your clones instead of bestowing any abilities. Still, they are so adorable that you will find yourself actively trying to unlock new ones. A few of the costumes are based on other Indie game characters and look extra adorable on the Me’s.

Speaking of visuals, So Many Me features some beautiful 2-D artwork and great character designs. The game’s whole mood is cheerful and upbeat, with vivid colors and cute animations. Even the enemy designs are more adorable than threatening, so if you are looking for blood and gore, you won’t find it here. The levels are themed around a dark forest, mine, skyraft, outskirts, and a volcano. While these are all themes we have seen in platform titles, So Many Me uses its charming visual style to give each a unique look. The music is also perfect for the visuals, with some catchy tunes and cute sound effects.

We tried playing So Many Me using a keyboard but quickly found that a decent controller is a far better option. The controls can be tricky at first until you master the skill of transforming a clone into a stone block, performing a jump, recalling the clone, and then repeating the process in rapid succession. Don’t worry, though, as the game is quite forgiving, and dying only places you back a few steps at the most. The only place it becomes an issue is during the boss battles, where dying usually requires you to start from scratch. Since Filo can only take one hit before dying, this can become quite frustrating and feels a bit out of place compared to the challenge in the rest of the game. Figuring out the patterns of the bosses is relatively easy, but you have to hit them a few times in succession to defeat them, which is a pain if you keep dying while trying to get in the last hit. The last boss, in particular, was a real pain and soured the experience a bit.

If you like a challenge, you will appreciate “Chronos Castle,” which contains some bonus levels and is accessible from the hub world. The castle has no checkpoints, and the platforming is much more challenging than in the regular gaming levels. It’s completely optional but worth the effort and adds some longevity to the game. Completing all the achievements and finding all the hidden items will keep you busy for ages, so the game offers good value for money.

The only complaint we have about So Many Me is the boss battles, which are subjective. The rest of the game is brilliant, and we would have loved to see some of the stretch goals from the Kickstarter, such as the level editor, added to it. Nevertheless, if you are a fan of the genre, you can’t afford to pass up on So Many Me, as it manages to impress even in the face of stiff competition.

*Review originally published in 2014.