Review: Freddy Spaghetti – PS5, PS4

Your name is Freddy. You are a piece of Spaghetti. As far as ideas go for games, this one is a little out of left field, but unique puzzles, clever physics, and a mildly amusing story means that Freddy Spaghetti is more than just a slightly sticky bit of pasta.

I’ve always been a sucker for physics games, so when the code came through for Freddy Spaghetti I was immediately intrigued.

Playing as the titular hero, Freddy Spaghetti has you face a range of scenarios as a piece of spaghetti that has been given sentience. There is a loose narrative that attempts to link each level together, and of course, a mad scientist is involved somewhere, but that’s quickly brushed over and you just accept you are playing as a piece of spaghetti, and that worked fine for me.
The trailer does a great job of showing off the kind of antics you can expect from Freddy Spaghetti, and I must confess I was impressed with how far developers Ratalaika Games were able to stretch the range of situations you find yourself in.

Each of Freddy Spaghetti’s 50 levels revolves around the same thing – get from one spot to another by controlling Freddy with L1 and R1. Trying to put down into words how the controls work is trickier than actually seeing it in action, but essentially each bumper controls one end of the spaghetti, launching that end up into the air and in the direction you’re pushing the analogue stick.
To make Freddy move you need to master these controls, either by alternating your presses where levels require a bit of finesse or hammering them like no tomorrow when you need to have Freddy move with some pace.
The simplicity of the controls cannot be overstated, but the range of movement and challenges you face has to be applauded, ranging from moving along flat surfaces, climbing up some stairs, and even playing a tune on a piano – it really is impressive the level of variety achieved by using such a simple mechanic.

In order to complete each level, you have to reach the level checkpoint, and this can be done in a few ways – either by simply getting to it, avoiding any obstacles or problems in your way or by completing a simple task like smashing cutlery on a dinner table or knocking off a few fire hydrants.
Each level is relatively short once you understand what you are required to do, but I found myself keen to unlock the next level to see which scenario I would face next, and each one is fun, although not particularly long.
I managed to complete Freddy Spaghetti in a couple of sittings, but I did find it to be a fun and at times challenging experience. This isn’t to say that Freddy is a difficult game, not by any stretch, but there are a few levels where it isn’t immediately obvious what you have to do to reach the checkpoint, but you quickly realise the sort of things you need to try out in order to make the checkpoint appear.

Luckily Freddy Spaghetti isn’t too punishing in that respect, and as each level is a relatively short experience I didn’t feel hard done by if I failed, as you simply start the level again and have another go. This can be frustrating, especially with some of the levels that have you bashing the bumper buttons or avoiding obstacles to the point your fingers ache, but that’s part of the charm and challenge.
Although each level is a quick done and dusted job once you realise what you have to do, I found Freddy Spaghetti to be a decent length overall, ending just before any of the puzzles or scenarios felt stale or overused.
Saying that, each level does have a timed mode should you feel the need to beat your previous effort. This wasn’t for me, and once I rolled credits I was happy with the amount of time it had taken me to do so without feeling the need to go back and beat my own score.

Having overlooked Freddy Spaghetti before review duties came up, I’m glad I was able to give it a go. If you’re like me and enjoy a quick puzzle game that doesn’t take itself too seriously you will struggle to find one cheaper.