Seeing Double early access is a retro 2D platformer in which you control two lovebirds simultaneously in a quest to reunite. You heard that right: you control two separate characters in perfect sync, but their worlds couldn’t be any more different. You’ll have to switch between the lovers’ perspectives to overcome increasingly difficult obstacles and more.
Seeing Double early access features two completed levels, with more on the way, each with unique mechanics. These two levels will get you around five hours of gameplay, and none of it is spent dawdling. Of course, it wouldn’t be an early access title without needing improvements, so let’s take a look at what it does right and what could use some work.
What Seeing Double Early Access Does Right And What It Could Do Better
To start, let’s take a look at what Seeing Double early access does right, because I’d hate to make people think that this isn’t a good game. The game does many things well, as I had plenty of fun playing Seeing Double in its current 0.3.5 build. I’ve completed its current build in its entirety, so let’s see what it does right, what needs improvement, and what’s flawed.
The Good
The Art Style
Seeing Double early access has a very simple retro art style that’s easy on anyone’s eyes. Additionally, the simple art style makes the various platforms and level elements easier to discern, as the playable characters stand out considerably. It also has the bonus of attracting retro game lovers all over the world.
The Story
Another simple thing that the game does is its story: the story of two lost lovers, Pitter and Patter. It’s so simple, in fact, that you basically understand all you need to know within a minute of opening the game. You understand that the two playable characters are lovers upon seeing the main menu, and only seconds later do you find out their predicament.
The Gameplay
After realizing the couple’s goal, you’ll quickly jump into the meat and potatoes of the game, the bi-dimensional platforming. This in and of itself is an amazing way to shake up the gameplay of the standard 2D platforming affair. However, this mechanic requires some quick reflexes in some platforming sequences.
Seeing Double early access also features occasional puzzles to slow your roll and relax a bit, providing a nice break. And these puzzles aren’t Einstein-level enigma codes; they’re relatively simple and only need a few attempts to get down. These puzzles are also accompanied by a charming NPC that explains what the puzzle does.
One thing the speedrunning community will appreciate is that this game features an optional speedrun timer toggle. Additionally, the game features a coin and cherry collectable counter, with the cherry collectable featuring a total amount alongside your current amount. This will allow speedrunners to keep track without needing an external system.
Lastly, Seeing Double early access regularly introduces game mechanics to players, giving them fresh gameplay when things start to grow stale. Yet again, these mechanics are all easy to understand and get the hang of shortly after meeting them. Slight spoiler, but I absolutely love the finale chase sequence of the current early access release.
The Honorable Mentions
I wanted to mention a few things that I really liked while playing this game that didn’t quite fit into a category. The first thing I’d like to mention is the Rock and Stone DRG reference and meme sound effects for the scammer that make me giggle. The second thing I’d like to mention is the heart-stopping introduction of the ghost.
While this technically counts as gameplay, its introduction provides little to no gameplay besides hiding from the wrathful wraith. So, I thought I’d put it in here, because my god, did my heart stop when the wraith first appeared. The game has no horror elements, so imagine my horrified face when my screen began to glitch, and the screams got louder.
The Needed Improvements
The Collectables
Certain cherry collectables rest in dangerous spots, which isn’t unusual to see in platformer games. What is unusual is that you don’t have to get back to safety to claim these collectables; you can grab them and die to skip getting back to safety. I felt that this didn’t fit with the challenging platforming of Seeing Double early access.
It’s perfectly possible to get back to safety after grabbing cherry collectables, but if you fail once, you won’t be able to reattempt it. I’d understand if this is to make collecting collectibles easier, but it feels like it doesn’t fit the game’s challenging nature. I feel that you should have to return safely or have a harder time acquiring them.
The Hidden Areas
Another familiar feature of platformer games is hidden areas, which secret hunters will greatly appreciate. But there is one gripe I have about Seeing Double’s hidden areas: there are few to no indicators for secret areas. Now hear me out for a moment, because I know how oxymoronic I sound when I say secret areas should have an indicator.
In games with secret areas, they usually feature a slight tell to indicate there’s a secret area. This comes in the form of a cracked surface, wind coming from a surface, a slight difference in look compared to surrounding areas, etc. I feel that the Seeing Double early access needs these indicators, as its visual style is starkly black-and-white.
The Long Platforming Sections
Seeing Double early access features a few platforming sections that are quite long. And while the game is liberal with its respawn locations, it’s still frustrating to have to figure out how a section is structured through trial and error. Now, this is very different from attempting to complete it through trial and error, as you already know how the section is laid out.
I think a system that lets you look ahead of your starting point would solve this issue, similar to Celeste’s binoculars. Additionally, each binocular could cost a small coin fine to unlock, which makes coins more than just a collectable. But that’s the only idea I have with my very limited knowledge of 2D platformers.
The Flawed
The Coins
While I don’t have anything to say about the coins in Seeing Double early access, I do have a few things to say about how they’re placed. Some coins are placed in areas where you need to rush through a time limit, areas you can’t backtrack, or sometimes both. This leads you to restart the entire section from a checkpoint to try and grab the coins you missed.
Another issue I have involving coins is the rare sections of invisible coins that you need to activate a block to collect. You have a brief time to collect these coins before the block runs out and they turn invisible again. However, you can exit the room and return to reset the block, rendering the block’s gimmick a nuisance and the process a chore.
Lastly, I feel that coins have no real purpose, but I’m presuming this is due to the game’s early access nature. But according to what I can currently see and experience, coins feel useless in most instances and frustrating to collect in certain areas.
My Final Verdict On The Seeing Double Early Access
The current Seeing Double early access build that I played is a fun platformer that made me audibly chuckle on a couple of occasions. It features easy-to-understand mechanics and story, along with a simple art style. While I wouldn’t say it’s exactly meant for rookie platformer players, it is rather easy to pick up, especially with its liberal respawn points.
I finished Seeing Double early access in 4.8 hours, and I was devasted to find out that there wasn’t anything after the caves. But that does mean I’m very excited for what comes next in this game, especially what the developer can do with the split-screen gameplay. With that said, I wholeheartedly recommend this game.
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