So I Tried… Dude, Stop

Each edition of So I Tried… I will try a game that I have never tried before. Will I find something new to love? Will I find something new to despise? I'll take a full half hour, no matter how bad it gets or how badly I do, to see if this is the game for me. This time I went for the 2018 game Dude, Stop.

What I thought it was

Full of mini-games like WarioWare, but the game doesn’t care if you do them wrong. Or t actual point of it is to do them wrong? The short description I read could be interpreted either way. In either case, I loved that other series on the Game Boy Advance and DS so as soon as I happened across this game I wanted to check it out.

What it actually is

Presented with a series of puzzles across a variety of “packs” you’re either berated or congratulated by the narrator depending on how you handle them. The game starts with the narrator having to make an important phone call and you being told not to touch anything. You can imagine where it goes from there — yes, Game Over in a few minutes. But then they give you a second chance and you can choose how you want to solve the puzzles. Do you put the building blocks in the toy box or scattered on the floor? Where exactly should the stamp go on the letter?

Will I keep playing

Yes, definitely, no question. I’m curious how the game ends, especially with how the narrator suggests that failing this playtest will result in dire consequences for them. If they keep having a go at me I’m going to fail on purpose, because I’m a vindictive kind of player. Also because you can keep replaying the stages until you get all of the rewards — whether those are required to unlock new stages or not I’m not entirely certain, but I’ve been loving it regardless.