Age Twisters: A charming co-op puzzler bridging generations

Developed by Piccolo Studios in Barcelona and published by Krafton, Age Twisters places two players in the roles of a grandfather and granddaughter. The premise begins when the pair receives a mysterious message from a long-gone mother or daughter, accompanied by two bracelets. These items grant the ability to shift between different stages of life—child, teenager, adult, and elder—at will. Each age provides specific abilities that are essential for solving the game’s puzzles.

The studio’s co-founders, Jordi Ministral and Alexis Corominas, explained that the project was conceived as a departure from their previous titles, Arise: A Simple Story and After Us, which explored darker subject matter. They aimed to create a cheerful experience that addresses the "generation gap." Ministral noted that society often relies on stereotypes, such as older people being grumpy or younger people being lazy. The game seeks to convey a message of unity without delivering a direct speech, instead embedding the theme into the gameplay and narrative.

Visually, the game is vibrant, with vivid greens and blues that match its upbeat tone. The preview session took place in a large factory setting where chickens played a significant role. In child form, the protagonists can swap places with these chickens, a mechanic that became central to progression. This quick swapping, combined with brief moments of brainstorming, allowed for the solution of various hurdles. The developers stated that this breezy simplicity is intentional, ensuring the game remains accessible to a wide audience.

The manifestation of each age comes with distinct physical and social traits. For instance, setting a character to their oldest age prevents them from traversing certain obstacles due to frail bones and joints. However, they can still dodge projectiles, though the recovery animation is longer, adding a layer of physical realism to the gameplay. The dialogue system is also age-dependent; young children make jokes, while adults offer more confident responses and pearls of wisdom. Players can even change ages mid-conversation, altering the tone of the interaction sentence by sentence.

Failure states in Age Twisters are handled with a unique twist. There is no traditional respawn. Instead, hazards such as enemy projectiles or slimy surfaces affect the character’s age. If a character is aged below that of a young child, they become a baby and must be revived by their co-op partner. Conversely, if aged above that of an elder, they turn into a skeleton. While this is a form of death, the character can be aged back to life by their partner. This mechanic reinforces the co-op nature of the game and adds a layer of slapstick humor.

The enemies are described as an army of goofy goons who frequently fumble over themselves or get chased by chickens. The overall tone is reminiscent of the fizzy comedy found in animated children’s movies, crafted with a sense of love and care. The core idea of bringing generations together is woven throughout the experience. Ministral pointed out that economic pressures have led a third of young adults to live with their parents, a trend he noted is also common in Barcelona. He suggested that if the game encourages these families to get together and have a nice time, it fulfills its purpose.

Age Twisters is set to release soon on PC via Steam. The preview was based on a build played at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, with travel and accommodation provided by Krafton.