| Typoman | |
| Developer: | Brainseed Factory |
| Publisher: | Brainseed Factory |
| Director: | Bilal Chbib |
| Designer: | Zein Okko |
| Composer: | SonicPicnic |
| Genre: | Puzzle, platform |
| Platforms: | |
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.[1]
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.[2] Situations become increasingly complicated as the game progresses, requiring the player to come up with puns to manipulate items.[2]
The idea of Typoman was born out of a desire to experiment with typography and gameplay. Brainseed Factory founder Bilal Chbib explains that the original plan was to "have objects and monsters shaped out of letters, and nothing else."[3] As development continued the team eventually decided to implement puzzle based gameplay using letters and words.[3]
The game was originally a Wii U exclusive, and Nintendo showcased the game at the Nindies@Home program during E3 2015.[3] The game launched for Wii U in 2015.
A year after release, Brainseed Factory announced an updated version of the game called Typoman: Revised would be released for PC, Xbox One and PS4. The revised version implements several design and graphical improvements.[4] The PC version launched in 2016, with the console versions following in February 2017.
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.
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Game Connection America Awards, San Francisco | Best Console / PC Hardcore | [5] | |
| Best Casual | ||||
| Most Promising IP | ||||
| Deutscher Entwicklerpreis Cologne | Best Game | [6] | ||
| Best Indie Game | ||||
| Best Sound | ||||
| Best Game Design | ||||
| Best Console Game | ||||
| Gaming Trend's E3 Awards, Los Angeles | Best Art Style | [7] | ||
| Quo Vadis 2015, Berlin | Best of Quo Vadis Show | [8] [9] | ||
| 2016 | Deutscher Computerspielpreis, Munich | Best Presentation | [10] | |
| German Educational Media Award, Munich | Best Youth Game | [11] | ||
| 2018 | TIGA Games Industry Awards, London | Best Puzzle Game | [12] | |
| Visual Design |