Some games, you buy just for the sheer irony of the concept. Puppet War FPS, a game which sees you gun down Muppet-like hordes of animated dolls inside a children's television studio, happens to be one of them. In the game, you play a janitor trapped in the set of The Friendly Puppet Show, when, all of a sudden, the puppets come to life, deciding to take over the world. Fortunately, the novelty of the premise isn't the only selling point here: it happens to be a wildly satisfying arena-style FPS.
Puppet War is a great-looking title. The game world is extremely colorful and fun, with just the kinds of things you'll find in a puppet show set: cut-outs of rainbows and round trees and flowers and all that. Paired with the kind of music children can spend hours listening to, it makes for a unique and compelling setting.
Gameplay is actually quite addicting. The puppets generally look the same, save for differences in color and size, so they're quite easy to recognize when they come into a scene. As such, you can focus on blasting them down (and avoiding their attacks) instead of trying to make them out from your phone's small display.
The puppets come with a good variety of attacks in their arsenal, so there's no single way to beat everyone you cross paths with. Fortunately, they threw in a wide array of weapons in your arsenal too, some of which you will unlock as you progress through the game. You get to carry two at a time - one firearm and one melee, both of which vary from the traditional (guns, baseball bats, chainsaws) to the hilarious ( a crossbow plunger, nose-twisting pliers).
Controls are good, but offer no options apart from the default. We also didn't like the fact that there's only one map, making the setting a little tiring after a few levels.
Despite a few drawbacks, Puppet War FPS remains a unique and enjoyable game that strikes a perfect balance between humor and murderous rage. A great purchase for your 99 cents.
