Overview:
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom is a puzzle platformer. Play as P.B. Winterbottom, a pie thief and collect all the pies in each level.
But that's only the beginning. Winterbottom must create recordings of himself in order to solve the different puzzles. While conceptually simple, puzzles require the player to use and interact with the recordings in a variety of ways. This includes jumping on top of them, hitting them, or having them hit you! For example, when the real Winterbottom is hit, he will be sent in an arc in front of him. When a recorded Winterbottom is hit, he will also be sent in an arc, but will cease his repeated animation.
[20150205 Assumed Entry Date][20190707 Edit]
Recommendation:
Because Winterbottom is a puzzle platformer, the solutions often require a lot of trial-and-error. While I was able to put some thought and planning into each level, I found the levels were solved more quickly by trying to implement a single idea - rather than mulling over the perfect solution from square one.
In addition to the great gameplay, The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom also has a great story to it. In fact, it's told in rhyme!
I personally also like the artwork and soundtrack, albeit simple.
Overall, if you're looking for a short* puzzle game and enjoy either platforming or trial-and-error, then you should look into playing The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom. In terms of its merit as a game, it shares many top qualities as the minimalist puzzle platformer Thomas Was Alone (PC) (2012) (though I like Thomas Was Alone much more).
*Chapter 1 took me about 15-20 minutes, Chapter 3 took me about 50 minutes, and Chapter 4 took me about 40 minutes. There are, however, challenges for additional gameplay.
20101227:
I bought this game during the 2010 Steam Holiday Sale.
20110103:
Judging from the Steam achievements, I played through the tutorial today ("Savory Salutations").
Steam Achievements
1:15pm Hot Pie Bottom
1:37pm Hungry Bottom
[20150205]
20110112:
Steam Achievements
3:59pm Evil Bottom
20140112:
I was stuck on Level 2.9 for the longest time and I basically stopped playing this fun, addicting game because of it. While checking various game saves today, I shortly revisited the game and gave the level a go. I'm happy to report that I figured out the solution to the puzzle and couldn't believe how easy it was.
Solution to Level 2.9: Start a copy at Pie #4, jump to Pie #1, and then run over to Pie #3, end the copy. Thus, despite triggering a wall when the copy hits Pie #3, it can still collect Pie #4.
Interesting Observation (Made on 20150205): I only played a single level today.
[20140112][20190707 Edit]
20150205:
Not having played in a while, I decided to replay the tutorial (15-20 minutes). Well, it didn't start off that way. I had originally intended just to scope out the first level of it, but the game seamlessly took me from one level to the next, only stopping when the last level of the tutorial was complete.
Today in Level 3.6, I had trouble until I memorized a sequence of button presses: turn (left/right), record (shift), hit (Z). Just press each button once.
Level 3.9, like Level 2.9, required thinking out of the box. Although I was able to solve Level 3.9 much more easily than Level 2.9 (at least from what I recall of the frustration I had with Level 2.9).
Solution to Level 3.9: Record a copy that gets popped up and lands along the 1 3 2. Let him repeat that. While he does that, go over to 5 and begin a recording that goes from 5 to 6 to 7 and then (careful not to hit the see-saw) go over to the clone and after he collects 3, hit him so he collects 4 and end the recording. Your new recording will start and that will collect 5, 6, and 7.
Steam Achievements:
4:02am Ticking Bottom
4:53am Burnt Bottom
5:36am Soggy Bottom
After completing the fourth chapter, I felt somewhat compelled to finish the fifth (and last) chapter of the story. However, I decided to save it for a rainy day.
[20150205][20190707 Edit]
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (PC) (2010)
Relevant Links:
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (PC) (MetaCritic.com)
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (Wikipedia.org)
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom is a puzzle platformer. Play as P.B. Winterbottom, a pie thief and collect all the pies in each level.
 |
| "The top left icon shows how many clones can exist at one time." |
But that's only the beginning. Winterbottom must create recordings of himself in order to solve the different puzzles. While conceptually simple, puzzles require the player to use and interact with the recordings in a variety of ways. This includes jumping on top of them, hitting them, or having them hit you! For example, when the real Winterbottom is hit, he will be sent in an arc in front of him. When a recorded Winterbottom is hit, he will also be sent in an arc, but will cease his repeated animation.
[20150205 Assumed Entry Date][20190707 Edit]
Recommendation:
Because Winterbottom is a puzzle platformer, the solutions often require a lot of trial-and-error. While I was able to put some thought and planning into each level, I found the levels were solved more quickly by trying to implement a single idea - rather than mulling over the perfect solution from square one.
In addition to the great gameplay, The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom also has a great story to it. In fact, it's told in rhyme!
 |
| Level 2.10 |
I personally also like the artwork and soundtrack, albeit simple.
Overall, if you're looking for a short* puzzle game and enjoy either platforming or trial-and-error, then you should look into playing The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom. In terms of its merit as a game, it shares many top qualities as the minimalist puzzle platformer Thomas Was Alone (PC) (2012) (though I like Thomas Was Alone much more).
*Chapter 1 took me about 15-20 minutes, Chapter 3 took me about 50 minutes, and Chapter 4 took me about 40 minutes. There are, however, challenges for additional gameplay.
20101227:
I bought this game during the 2010 Steam Holiday Sale.
20110103:
Judging from the Steam achievements, I played through the tutorial today ("Savory Salutations").
Steam Achievements
1:15pm Hot Pie Bottom
1:37pm Hungry Bottom
[20150205]
20110112:
Steam Achievements
3:59pm Evil Bottom
 |
| Level 2.9 |
20140112:
I was stuck on Level 2.9 for the longest time and I basically stopped playing this fun, addicting game because of it. While checking various game saves today, I shortly revisited the game and gave the level a go. I'm happy to report that I figured out the solution to the puzzle and couldn't believe how easy it was.
Solution to Level 2.9: Start a copy at Pie #4, jump to Pie #1, and then run over to Pie #3, end the copy. Thus, despite triggering a wall when the copy hits Pie #3, it can still collect Pie #4.
 |
| Chapter selection |
Interesting Observation (Made on 20150205): I only played a single level today.
[20140112][20190707 Edit]
20150205:
Not having played in a while, I decided to replay the tutorial (15-20 minutes). Well, it didn't start off that way. I had originally intended just to scope out the first level of it, but the game seamlessly took me from one level to the next, only stopping when the last level of the tutorial was complete.
Today in Level 3.6, I had trouble until I memorized a sequence of button presses: turn (left/right), record (shift), hit (Z). Just press each button once.
Level 3.9, like Level 2.9, required thinking out of the box. Although I was able to solve Level 3.9 much more easily than Level 2.9 (at least from what I recall of the frustration I had with Level 2.9).
Solution to Level 3.9: Record a copy that gets popped up and lands along the 1 3 2. Let him repeat that. While he does that, go over to 5 and begin a recording that goes from 5 to 6 to 7 and then (careful not to hit the see-saw) go over to the clone and after he collects 3, hit him so he collects 4 and end the recording. Your new recording will start and that will collect 5, 6, and 7.
Steam Achievements:
4:02am Ticking Bottom
4:53am Burnt Bottom
5:36am Soggy Bottom
 |
| Level 4.10 |
After completing the fourth chapter, I felt somewhat compelled to finish the fifth (and last) chapter of the story. However, I decided to save it for a rainy day.
[20150205][20190707 Edit]
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (PC) (2010)
Relevant Links:
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (PC) (MetaCritic.com)
The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (Wikipedia.org)
No comments :