Typoman is an independent video game developed by German indie studio Brainseed Factory for Nintendo Switch, Wii U, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC, and mobile. The game follows a hero named HERO who crafts words to alter the environment around him.
Gameplay Typoman features a number of environmental puzzles that are solved by crafting words that are relevant to the situation. For example, players can spell "up" to activate an elevator, or "open" to open a door. Situations become increasingly complicated as the game progresses, requiring the player to come up with puns to manipulate items.
Development The idea of Typoman was born out of a desire to experiment with typography and gameplay. Brainseed Factory founder Bilal Chbib explained that the original plan was to have objects and monsters shaped out of letters. As development continued the team eventually decided to implement puzzle based gameplay using letters and words.
The game was originally a Wii U exclusive, and Nintendo showcased the game at the Nindies@Home program during E3 2015. The game launched for Wii U in the same year.
A year after release, Brainseed Factory published an updated version of the game called Typoman: Revised for PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. The revised version implements several design and graphical improvements. The PC version launched in 2016, with the Xbox One and PS4 versions following in February 2017 and the Switch version in February 2018.
Reception
The original Wii U version of Typoman received mixed reviews from critics, with a score on review aggregator Metacritic of 57/100. Typoman: Revised for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 was better received, scoring 73/100 and 75/100 respectively.
Critics generally praised the game's concept, atmosphere and art style, but directed criticism towards the game's length.
Accolades Year Award Category Result Ref 2015 Game Connection America Awards, San Francisco Best Console / PC Hardcore Best Casual Most Promising IP Deutscher Entwicklerpreis Cologne Best Game Best Indie Game Best Sound Best Game Design Best Console Game Gaming Trend's E3 Awards, Los Angeles Best Art Style Quo Vadis 2015, Berlin Best of Quo Vadis Show 2016 Deutscher Computerspielpreis, Munich Best Presentation German Educational Media Award, Munich Best Youth Game 2018 TIGA Games Industry Awards, London Best Puzzle Game Visual Design
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