Platypus Reclayed Review | Clay is the Way

Platypus Reclayed has emerged after a twenty-three year hiatus from the franchise. Originally released in 2002, the original Platypus came onto the indie sheet as a fun shoot-em-up game by solo dev Anthony Flack. In this reimagined version, Platypus Reclayed is an eye-catching upgrade with lots of charm, love, and arcade fun.

Platypus Reclayed opens up immediately into its gameplay. Within seconds, I was controlling my ship and laying waste to the enemies crowding my airspace. At the start, I was given 3 level difficulties (Easy, Normal, Hard) and opted for the standard Normal. Unfortunately, I was summarily swatted out of the sky after a few minutes of gameplay. Since Platypus Reclayed focuses on its point system and arcade-like experience, I noticed I wasn’t going to have enough lives to beat out the first level. With that, I jumped into Easy mode and the fun really began.

Since I lowered the difficulty, I was able to focus my attention on learning how the game operates. At the start screen of each new run, you also have the ability to choose from one of three ships, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Though the variety was scarce, I was glad to see one that was balanced, a second that was defense-focused (but weaker attacks), and another that was attack-focused (but weaker defense). In true form, I went with the balanced approach and began learning each level and enemy movement.

At first, I was happy to see a gradual variety in enemy types, allowing for forced adjustment of strategies and ensuring I wasn’t falling prey to enemy attacks. Learning the patterns, how each enemy obstructed my path, and formulating pathways to avoid demise became an enjoyable dance every level. This ended up becoming a great way to build up my skills in Easy mode, since the levels are not significantly different within each level difficulty. Instead, you’re given more leeway in the amount of lives you can have, giving me more opportunities to just push through a level and have it unlocked on the home screen. This was especially useful with the longer boss fights and various enemies I couldn’t quite pinpoint exactly how they maneuvered. This was also a great time to figure out all the power-ups and abilities that you can temporarily get, including guided missiles, fireball, and several that were so goofy that I audibly chuckled at the screen.

It is worth noting though that Easy mode does not include all the unlockable levels within the Normal difficulty. Initially I was a bit taken aback by this choice, but it encouraged me to use my new skills and knowledge towards the Normal mode. Happily, it was less of a hurdle to complete thanks to the 1-2 hours I spent enjoying the lower difficulty. 

There is also a 2-player mode where you can work together to complete the levels. I wasn’t able to test out this portion of the game, unfortunately. However with that said, Platypus Reclayed seems to be an ideal game for anyone, regardless of their gaming experience can certainly have an enjoyable time with the game, further adding to its charm.

In addition to the fun arcade shoot-em-up gameplay, I was utterly in love with the visuals. In the newer version, essentially everything in the game is created in stunning clay artwork that has been scanned into its programming. The bright visuals and adorable attention to detail really captured the joy I had for this game, though the overlying gameplay was a bit simplified. The game also has a feature where you can see plenty of behind the scenes photos of the creation of several items, including the ship, fonts, and more. This was a wonderful touch to see, especially because it allows players (myself included) to see how something like this is made and how much attention to details it takes to create this work. Players also have access to the original game within the features of the reclayed version, another fun touch for players to reflect on older games.

With all this, the story is essentially non-existent. I did, however, enjoy the environmental storytelling that occurred throughout the levels without anything explicitly stated. This game though, focuses heavily on gameplay and visual creativity, so I was never really looking for a big looming story anyway.

Breakdown

Game: Platypus Reclayed

Developer: Claymatic Games

Publisher: Claymatic Games

Availability: PC, Mac, PlayStation 4|5, Xbox X|S, and Nintendo Switch

Game Length: 2-6 hours

Reviewed on PC (Steam Deck)

Final Thoughts

Platypus Reclayed is a fun reimagining of a game that stands on its own. With its easy to pick up gameplay, along with its stunning visuals, I had a lovely time throughout my playthroughs. Add in all the little touches with behind the scenes and the original game and you have a wonderful package made with care and love. If you have any inkling for a fun arcade-like game where you can play some co-op, then Platypus Reclayed is for you.