Swim Out kind of reminds me of Rush Hour. I mean, you kind of have to tilt your head and squint just right to see it, but I maintain that the overarching principles of both games — you have to help a specific object (a swimmer, in Swim Out?s case) from the starting point to the exit — makes the comparison not totally insane.
No? All me? Whatever. Swim Out is still a decent enough puzzler that you could do worse than check it out.
Like any good puzzle game, what makes Swim Out interesting and worthwhile is how it takes a simple premise — that is, get your swimmer out of the pool — and adds all kinds of twists that demonstrate how flexible that premise in. What seems simple at first becomes a lot more complex when you have to account for, say, synchronized swimmers, or kickboards, or sudden bursts of water. The variety is a nice touch, and prevents the gameplay from getting too stale.
Also, I?ve got to mention the game?s rather pretty graphics. Everything here, from the clear blue water, to the shining white deck, and all the red and blue bathing suits around the pool, is crisp and clean-looking. There are times when a minimal aesthetic works, and times when it doesn?t, and Swim Out is definitely an example of the former.
This isn?t a perfect game, to be sure. For one thing, even if it?s impressive to see all the little wrinkles the game adds, with 100+ levels, I have to admit that my interest waned well before the game was over. Further, Swim Out falls short when it comes to scoring. It?s not totally transparent on how you achieve a perfect level, and the scoring varies from level to level — sometimes you just need to earn one gold circle, while other levels offer more. I know that the three star concept is kind of clich?d at this point, but that doesn?t mean that it doesn?t serve a purpose.
Still, if you?re looking for a solidly-made puzzle game, you could do a lot worse than checking out Swim Out. It?s got more than enough content to keep you entertained for a good amount of time, and it?s relaxing enough that you can pick it up and play whenever you want without feeling like you?re going to get sucked in and lose a day. There are definitely better games out there, but, for any puzzle aficionado, Swim Out is worth a look.
Lozange Lab provided us with a Swim Out Nintendo Switch code for review purposes.
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