As the Maître D'

Platformers can be challenging in a variety of ways, but usually they are tough because you have to react quickly and avoid all sorts of traps. On the other hand, there are other challenges to overcome as well, not all of which require lightning-fast reflexes. Puzzles can be part of a platformer too, at least if they are integrated nicely.

As the Maître D' appears to be quite simple at first, but it’s anything but that once you play for more than a few minutes. Although the gameplay mechanics are relatively straightforward, the way you have to make use of them requires a bit of practice and patience. In short, it’s a combination between classic platformer mechanics and Snake, plus a few puzzles to keep you engaged.

You play the role of a waiter trying to take the guests to their tables, except that you have to carry them on your head for some reason. Thankfully, the waiter in question also has the ability to get longer and move around like a snake, although in a pretty limited manner. Thus, you have to avoid spikes and various other traps, as well as make your way onto platforms using your long body.

The length of your body is limited by the number of lotions you pick up, and it’s usually mandatory to gather them all in order to reach the guests and the highest platforms. It’s a bit of a bummer, on the other hand, because this means that the action is very linear. There’s only one way to solve a level, and you cannot get creative with it no matter how hard you try.

As for the graphics, the level design is as basic as possible, but the visual style is quite nice. You have to take into consideration the fact that the game was designed in only 72 hours for a game jam competition, so there wasn’t much time for beautiful artwork. Thankfully, the rest of the technical aspects appear to be in order, which includes the controls.

In the end, As the Maître D' is quite the challenging puzzle game, even if it’s rather short and lacking in depth. However, the mechanics are intriguing, and it would be nice to see more of the same in the future.