Pizza Possum (Computer)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): September 28, 2023
- Release Date (EU): September 28, 2023
- Publisher: Raw Fury
- Developer: Cosy Computer
- Genres: Stealth
- Also For: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Game Features:
Being on an island filled with delicious food waiting to be eaten at every corner isn’t far from heaven for a possum and this is exactly the position you find yourself in in Pizza Possum. Only caveat: the island is also under heavy surveillance by patrolling guard dogs who will chase you at first sight.
As your inner possum knows, the rewards outweigh the risks here; especially considering that at the top of the island, where dog leader Bella Chonki resides, is a massive and tantalising pizza. So the aim is clear for the ravenous possum that you are: get to that king-sized pizza without getting caught (and steal Bella Chonki’s crown while you’re at it).
Possum symphony in sweet havoc
Pizza Possum packs a loveable presentation with its colourful and lively depiction of the gastronomic island. From its seaside and graveyard to the village houses and Bella Chonki’s HQ, the island exudes an aesthetic that is easily associated with cosy and casual games; and the chilled jazz-y soundtrack adds to the atmosphere.
But Pizza Possum isn’t exactly a stress-free experience as you’ll inevitably get detected or chased by the guards. When you do, the “possum symphony” kicks in which include screams, giggles, and taunts from NPCs along with a more up-beat track in the background. Even if you’ll be on the run in these situations, the “symphony” supplements the lighthearted aspect of the game.
While the island features a handful of different areas, the island as a map is the only one you’ll be sneaking around in. This can feel quite limiting in terms of presentation as you will inevitably backtrack after you get caught. And if you also decide to replay, you’ll come across the same enemy types and locations.
All for a possum’s snack high
Being outnumbered, your main MO in Pizza Possum is stealth. To hammer in this gameplay aspect, your movesets are limited. At the start, you can basically only move around and hide in bushes. Areas are usually gated shut and you’ll be able to unlock them with keys which are obtained when a key metre is filled by gobbling up food from your surroundings.
When you inevitably get caught, your food points (obtained by - you guessed it - eating) will serve as your session’s score and also help you unlock items which can assist you in sneaking through the island. These items range from smoke bombs to speed boosts that you can obtain from crates in a session and can really give you an edge in your progress. You’ll still need to take a stealth approach, rely on hiding in bushes and walk outside of the guards’ line of sight but these items can help you outsmart Bella Chonki’s minions and eventually reach the leader herself.
However, you can only hold one item at a time. Even if you find different items from crates, you will have to drop whichever you are holding and swap to the new one. This, in addition to the limited movesets, adds a welcome layer of challenge. You’ll have to carefully consider the guards’ patrolling patterns and make judicious use of your assistive items.
Developer Cosy Computer also added a local co-op feature to Pizza Possum, with Player 2 taking the role of a racoon. This might be the best way to enjoy the game as with a partner, you can collect more food, unlock areas faster and if one player gets caught, the other can save them by knocking out the guard.
Bite-sized game
While the minimalist stealth gameplay adds a welcome layer of challenge, the same approach to the overall game might not be for the best. Pizza Possum is a really short game, and it took me around 2 hours to navigate through the island, reach Bella Chonki’s HQ, eat her pizza and steal her crown. In order to experience the Tasty Ending, you’ll have to repeat the process three times but if you get caught, you’ll lose a crown and have to do a rerun.
Even if this adds to the challenge and can be fun to tackle in co-op, it is a testing premise as the map is the same. This means running through the same locales and sneaking past the same enemies. Some diversity in setting would add to the lasting appeal and entice more reruns.
More diversity in the movesets would also be welcome. Even if they do add to the stealth challenge, just being able to run around and use one item at a time can feel restrictive, especially considering the frequent backtracking involved.
Indeed, backtracking is quite common in each run. When you get caught, you’ll be sent to the last checkpoint and have to tread your way back up. However, some checkpoints can be quite far apart and treading the same path can be trying. It does force the player to think of alternative ways to progress but only for so long, as you’ll eventually develop some muscle memory to navigate across the island.
While a first run can offer a fun, casual experience, Pizza Possum feels like the starter to a main course that is never served. It would have delivered a more palatable experience with more maps as the game encourages you to replay it but doesn’t do enough to entice reruns. But for the asking price of 6.99 USD | 6.99 EUR | 5.79 GBP, you could do worse and Pizza Possum is better considered as a snackable experience.
Pizza Possum Snackable Launch Trailer
Verdict
- Adorable presentation
- Minimalist stealth gameplay
- Fun local co-op feature
- Game is limited to a single map
- Limited moveset can feel restrictive
- Frequent need to backtrack
