Save me Dr Tako: Definitive Edition (PS5)

Kids these days don’t know how good they have it when it comes to portable gaming. Not only can they play great-looking games on smartphones, but some people also own either a Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck as well. There has never been a better time to play console-quality games in the palm of your hand. 

Back in the early ‘90s when I existed, the most popular gaming handheld at the time was the original Nintendo Game Boy. Back then, it was considered a “fancy” device, but now it’s somewhat archaic. The original Game Boy didn’t have a backlight, so you always had to play it in a bright room. Criminally, the Game Boy lacked colour as the screen was green!

The only reason I’m talking about the original Game Boy is because there’s a newish game out this year called Save Me Dr Tako: Definitive Edition. This game pays homage to the original Game Boy days because it has the same simplistic graphical style with the lack of colours too!

Save me Dr Tako: Definitive Edition is a re-release from the original game that came out back in 2018. I have never played the original game, but the press release has kindly described to returning players what this new version includes. 

Save me Dr Tako: Definitive Edition includes more difficulty options for anyone out there who thought the original game was too easy. The game has also been rebalanced to make it feel better in every way. 

The game also has a hint system for anyone out there that was struggling with the game’s puzzles. This is quite helpful because I remember roaming around some of the levels and struggling with where I needed to go to next sometimes. 

Finally, this new version also has new border images since you can play the game using the 4:3 screen ratio like games back in the ‘80s and ‘90s before widescreen gaming was a thing. You can also somewhat change the colour palette with the graphics of your choosing. Instead of the default green palette of the Game Boy, you can change it to a shade of blue or red if you want to. 

The game’s story is quite cute because you play as a pacifist octopus named Tako. In this strange world, the octopuses hate humans, and they wish to rage war against them. Tako, on the other hand, doesn’t feel this way because he saves a human princess at the beginning of the game. 

Later on in the game, Tako gets the ability to travel on land and hopes to one day live in a world where humans and octopuses live in peace. It’s going to be a tough journey for Tako, mainly because the rest of his octopus friends don’t feel the same way he does toward humans. 

Gameplay-wise, Save me Dr Tako is one of the least violent platform video games I have ever played in recent memory. This is because Tako does not kill or even knock out his opponents. Tako’s main “weapon” in this game is the oil he squirts from his mouth. The oil just freezes enemies giving Tako a chance to avoid or use enemies as platforms when they are stationary. 

Tako meets a special otter early on in the game which allows him to get different weapons. This can include bubbles and even a bow and arrow. However, even though they are different weapons they all have the same function of freezing enemies so parents of young children may love this game for its lack of violence. 

Aside from combat, there are lots of puzzles and locked doors that Tako has to go through in this journey as well. Thanks to the re-releases’ new hint system, most players won’t have a hard time-solving puzzles or getting lost in the levels. This game is far easier than a Castlevania or Metroid title where you have to backtrack all the time!

Tako will also have to face a lot of bosses too. Unlike the games I just mentioned above, the boss fights are also easy like they are in a Sonic game. You only have to hit a boss three or four times until they get defeated. 

Save me Dr Tako is also surprisingly a long game that features over 50 levels spread across six different worlds. Yes, this essentially means this game is far longer than the recently released Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II which is a AAA game from a Microsoft-owned studio. 

Overall, Save me Dr Tako is a charming game with cute graphics, non-violent gameplay, and a great story. If you want to support small indie developers, you should try and pick up this as soon as possible.

Verdict: 8.5/10