Monowave is a charming puzzle platformer that can’t help but give you the feels in more ways than one.
Players take on the role of Mono, a newborn guardian spirit thrust into a world in turmoil after the four core emotions that govern it, contained in the beautiful Prism Tree, have gone walkies. Leaving the colourful critters of this once wholesome world at the mercy of their feelings.
So Mono sets off to return the wayward Prism Shards containing happiness, sorrow, anger, and anxiety to the tree in the hopes of restoring some semblance of emotional regulation to this out-of-whack world. That’s the plan anyway; it might not work, but at least it’s cheaper than therapy.
Ultimately, Monowave is a game that replicates your average counseling session by having Mono navigate the difficulties in his life by sharing and acknowledging his changing emotional state, including feelings that many may feel are negative aspects of their being, but Monowave treats all of its critters, and even its boss battles, with the same sense of unconditional positive regard.
It’s a striking game, as Mono makes his way through more than 40 levels that look like living doodles on scratch paper. Its bright, colourful lines against a stark black background not only give Monowave a childlike charm, but also help bring its clever emotion-based mechanics to the fore.
Each of the four emotions, represented by a different colour, affects Mono’s abilities and disposition as well as the menagerie of emotional animals he encounters throughout his adventure. Happiness has Mono literally jumping for joy, sadness has them slink and sink through cracks, Anger has them bouncing off the walls with rage, and anxiety protects them from harm.
Mono can also transfer his current emotion to those around him by whistling, yelling, or sobbing in their general direction. I’m not entirely sure what he’s doing when he’s anxious, muttering perhaps.
It’s a clever system that lets the player easily read the environment and predict how the 18 different creatures Mono encounters will act. An anxious green alligator will toss Mono into the air, while an angry red gator will attack them.
Other animals interact with the environment in one of four ways depending on their mood. A happy yellow mole will help Mono reach new areas by tunneling. While a sad blue mole, both literally and figuratively, will create cracks in the rock that an upset Mono can slink into.
The fun, and most of Monowave’s more puzzling moments, come from Mono effectively altering the mood of the animals around him to open new paths and overcome obstacles. In case you can’t remember what each does, there’s also a useful guide to remind you.
Making your way from one side of the game’s fairly compact but cleverly constructed levels never ceases to feel satisfying, especially when the correct way forward doesn’t seem clear to begin with, or you’ve successfully overcome one of Monowave’s numerous little challenges to grab another collectable (which are used to unlock some adorable cosmetic items).
Some levels feel far more hostile than others, but never insurmountable. Thanks in part to a strong suite of accessibility options, including a helpful guide that shows you exactly where to go if you get stuck and an invincibility switch in the pause menu. There is also a hard mode that increases the number of obstacles and reduces your hit points for those that want a little extra challenge. I think Normal is perfectly pitched, though. Tricky, but not frustrating.
There is also an asymmetric multiplayer mode where a second player takes on the role of Prism, a floating crystal who aids Mono by holding an additional emotion to use, shielding Mono from harm, and creating platforms for them to jump on. It’s a clever idea because although the levels are the same, adding a second helper player recontextualises each stage and changes how both players approach the puzzles and obstacles they face.
This clever design makes the single and multiplayer modes feel distinct even though you are still working through the same series of stages.
VERDICT
Monowave is a delightful puzzle platformer whether you’re playing alone or with a friend. Its simple, yet beguiling art style and upbeat soundtrack do a great job of pulling you in, while its heartwarming tale about accepting your emotions and learning to share your feelings honestly and openly is worthwhile.