1 
0 When a game comes along with a vision so bold that a certain amount of hoop jumping is required, you sit up and take notice. And so it is with BOKURA: planet, a unique 2-player co-op, puzzle adventure that has you working with and, at times, against your real-life cohort as you try to escape a mysterious, unknown planet.
Xenomorphing Power Rangers
BOKURA: planet is the latest game from solo Japanese developer Tokoronyori. Over the years, they have gained a reputation for crafting unique, pixel-art experiences that often break the 4th wall in novel and unexpected ways. Their debut title, farewell planet, had you carrying out the final wishes of machines that thought they were human. In BOKURA: planet’s previous instalment, BOKURA, you took on the role of two boys, one of whom sees the world as animals and the other as a world of machines. To say that Tokoronyori’s games are built to hit different is, in short, a bit of an understatement.
Available from Steam for under £5, is this the new must have co-op game? Let’s take a look.
Gameplay
It has to be mentioned that BOKURA: planet is unapologetically a two-player game. No computer-controlled buddy, no solo mission, no bueno. To progress further than the title screen, you will need a real-life companion and, unless they happen to be in the room with you, some way to communicate with them via voice chat.
After some initial cinematics that explain the predicament your protagonists find themselves in, you start to make your way through BOKURA: planet‘s world in much the way you would any 2D platformer. Controls are kept to the basics: both characters can jump and push or pull items to progress. Quickly, rudimentary puzzle elements are introduced that force you and your buddy to work together. Initially, this requires pushing a boulder here, or a flicking of a switch there, but soon escalates into brain-churning Mensa levels of complexity. These puzzles are balanced on the precipice of being both impossible and obtainable.
Alongside puzzle-solving, you’ll find some extraordinary moments. One such moment happens when you and your co-pilot are separated, resulting in different experiences for each player. The game requests that you not share the story elements visible to you with the other player and vice versa. This raises plenty of comical “oohs” and “ahhhs” over chat, but also taps into a deep existential sense of loneliness. An odd feeling in a supposedly ‘co-op’ game.
Story
In BOKURA: planet you take on the role of two convicts, condemned to death on Earth and sent off to space to discover new lands, their lives considered disposable. Suddenly, the journey is interrupted by an emergency landing on an unknown planet. When they wake, they find their ship totalled, the third crew member gone, and the planet home to some rather nasty beasties. Will our team be able to locate their absent crew member and return home?
It is hard to delve into BOKURA: planet’s story without giving too much away, as much of the impact is derived from the unexpected twists and turns that occur within. The branching narrative is so deftly executed that, once you have debriefed the experience with your fellow real-life player, you’ll learn that BOKURA: planet is not just two stories wrapped up in one game, but two completely different genres of storytelling. The result is remarkable, and left me floored with its ingenuity. It is also not afraid to borrow a few sci-fi tropes to keep you hooked. They help imbue the game with additional tension and dread. The quality of the writing throughout is exemplary and up there with the very best.
Graphics & Audio
As with Tokoronyori’s previous titles, BOKURA: planet is beautifully crafted in a pixel art aesthetic, occasionally permeated with glitch effects that add to the space-age atmosphere. The cutesy look is oddly fitting, given the juxtaposition of the game’s tone and occasional gruesome death animations. One scene (you’ll know it when you see it) comes as a complete shock in this context. Subsequently, it carries much greater impact than it would in a traditionally grim, tech noir setting. The greatest praise I could give Bokura: planet’s art style is ‘function over form’. It looks great and will not kill your graphics card in the process.
The music is also perfectly judged, non-intrusive, and captures the atmosphere of movies like Alien and the soundtrack work of John Carpenter.
Longevity
BOKURA: planet is a short and contained experience, taking four hours to complete. Once finished, you will want to see the story elements from the other player’s perspective. Following this, there is nothing more to see. I would not label this as a criticism, however. You may play this once, but it will live in your brain for many months to come.
Final Thoughts
In the old argument of “Are video games art?” BOKURA: planet would be exhibit one for the “yes” argument. It encapsulates all the great things that an indie title can give us: style, originality, and a sense of bravery that would have instantly been vetoed at a private investors meeting. A bit like your favourite band that no one else listens to, it’s important that games like this exist, even if they reach only a few thousand players.
Unfortunately, the biggest barrier to entry will be finding a like-minded friend ready to be mentally challenged and mildly disturbed by BOKURA: planet. If you can get past that, the beauty of what lies inside is well worth the reward.
It’s a pleasure to hand BOKURA: planet a Thumb Culture Gold Award.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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