MONOWAVE is the kind of puzzle platformer that initially looks almost too cheerful and uncomplicated to hide much beneath its surface. Developed by Studio BBB and published by Studio BBB Inc. and Phoenixx Inc., it presents a colorful world where emotions are not just part of the story but the foundation of practically every gameplay mechanic. We first got hands-on with the game during Gamescom, where we also had the opportunity to meet with the developer, making this Nintendo Switch and PC review our first proper experience with the game. That first impression was certainly one of charm, but the finished game makes it clear that there is considerably more going on here than its cute presentation might suggest.
The premise is deliberately simple. Mono is a newborn Guardian spirit tasked with restoring balance after the four emotions of Happiness, Sorrow, Anger and Anxiety are scattered throughout the world, leaving the Prism Tree and its surrounding realms in disarray. The story provides a reason to move from one emotionally themed area to the next, with each region reflecting its dominant feeling in both its environments and inhabitants. It is not a particularly deep narrative, however, and players looking for extensive character development or a story that constantly pushes itself forward may find it somewhat slight. Much of the narrative is conveyed through short, dialogue-free sequences and environmental context, so the emotional themes are more important than the actual plot. That works reasonably well for a game whose central idea is that emotions can be understood through behaviour rather than lengthy exposition, although the story occasionally feels more like a pleasant framework for the gameplay than an equally developed part of the experience.
Where MONOWAVE really finds its identity is in the way those emotions function. Mono can absorb one of four emotional states, each changing the way the character moves through the world. Happiness allows for higher jumps, Sorrow enables Mono to squeeze through narrow spaces, Anger introduces wall-jumping, while Anxiety provides protection against certain environmental hazards. On their own these abilities would already make for a perfectly competent puzzle platformer, but Studio BBB takes the concept considerably further by allowing Mono to pass emotions on to many of the creatures encountered along the way. Suddenly, the question is not simply which ability Mono needs, but which creature needs which emotion and what that creature will do as a result. A character might destroy an obstacle while angry, launch Mono when happy, flee when anxious or behave differently again when sorrowful. The game consequently turns its inhabitants into extensions of the puzzle design rather than merely decorative NPCs or conventional enemies.
This is also where MONOWAVE is at its most rewarding. The game encourages experimentation because learning what each creature does with each emotion is itself part of the progression. Early puzzles introduce these relationships in manageable ways before increasingly demanding combinations require the player to remember both Mono’s own abilities and the behavioural changes of the surrounding creatures. Later sections can involve chaining several emotional effects together, and figuring out that sequence can be considerably more satisfying than simply finding a hidden switch or following an obvious platforming route. There is a slight weakness in that some puzzles can eventually become more about executing a solution that has already been understood than discovering it, and a few larger sections require some backtracking while the player works out which available creature or object can be used next. Even so, the central mechanic remains inventive throughout, rather than being a gimmick that runs out of ideas after the first world.
The level structure helps considerably. MONOWAVE breaks its adventure into relatively compact stages, making it easy to play in shorter sessions while still gradually increasing the complexity of its puzzles. There are optional collectibles to find in the individual levels, with these unlocking cosmetic additions for Mono, while hidden stages and a harder difficulty provide some additional incentive for players who want to explore beyond the straightforward route. The checkpoints are generally generous, which is particularly welcome because the game occasionally throws some rather awkward hazards or more demanding platforming sequences into the mix. The basic controls themselves are solid and responsive, but there are moments when the precision required by a section does not quite seem to match the otherwise relaxed tone of the game. Some hazard placement can feel unnecessarily punishing, and a few late-game platforming sequences or encounters produce difficulty spikes that stand out against the otherwise approachable progression.
Fortunately, MONOWAVE rarely makes failure especially painful. Checkpoints and health recovery prevent a mistake from turning into a lengthy repetition of previously completed sections, while an understated hint system provides assistance without immediately solving the puzzle for the player. When the player has been stuck for a while, hints can point towards the next relevant interaction rather than simply displaying the entire solution. That is a particularly good fit for MONOWAVE because discovery is such an important part of its design. The game wants players to learn how emotions affect creatures and environments, so having a system that offers a gentle nudge rather than removing that learning process entirely is preferable to a traditional solution button.
Visually, MONOWAVE leaves a strong impression. The black backgrounds and bright, almost neon-like line work give the game the appearance of an animated scratch-art illustration, while the simple character designs and exaggerated expressions make the different emotional states immediately readable. It is an economical visual style rather than a technically elaborate one, but that simplicity works in its favor because it gives the game a very clear identity. The four emotions are consistently reflected through color, animation and character behaviour, making the presentation an extension of the gameplay rather than merely a backdrop. Some players may find the minimalist approach a little too basic, but there is considerably more personality in these drawings than the visual simplicity initially suggests. Mono’s expressions in particular do a lot of work in communicating the mood of the moment without requiring dialogue.
The soundtrack complements that approach effectively. Each emotional world has its own musical character, helping distinguish the regions while reinforcing the mood associated with them. The quieter material associated with Sorrow contrasts nicely with the more energetic presentation elsewhere, and the music generally knows when to support the atmosphere without overwhelming the colorful visuals. There is perhaps an opportunity that the game does not fully exploit: the emotional system is so central to the gameplay that more dynamic musical changes based on Mono’s currently equipped emotion could have made the connection even stronger. Nevertheless, the audio and visuals work together well enough to make MONOWAVE feel cohesive, with both helping establish the warm, whimsical atmosphere that makes the game immediately approachable.
There is also a welcome sense that MONOWAVE has been designed to be approachable without becoming simplistic. The game is suitable for players who enjoy relaxed puzzle-platforming, but some later challenges demonstrate that the cute presentation should not be mistaken for a relative lack of difficulty. Optional challenges, hidden stages and Hard mode give more experienced players something to work towards, while the cooperative mode provides another way to experience the puzzles. In two-player play, the second player takes on a supporting role rather than simply duplicating Mono, which fits the game’s philosophy particularly well: cooperation becomes another way of understanding the environment rather than turning the experience into a conventional two-character platformer.
Ultimately, MONOWAVE works because its central idea is applied so consistently. The emotions affect Mono, the emotions affect the creatures, the creatures affect the environment, and the environment feeds back into the puzzles. That cohesion is much more important than the relatively modest narrative, and it is what elevates the game beyond being merely another charming indie platformer. There are some uneven moments, particularly where precision platforming and hazard placement clash with the otherwise forgiving design, and the story could have been developed further. But the inventive emotion-based mechanics, distinctive artwork, approachable structure and consistently fitting soundtrack give Studio BBB’s debut a personality of its own. Our Gamescom meeting and first hands-on session suggested there was something interesting underneath the cute exterior, and the finished game confirms that the idea has enough depth to carry an entire adventure. MONOWAVE may not reinvent the puzzle-platformer, but it finds a genuinely clever way to make emotions the language through which its puzzles are understood.
Score: 8.6/10