Bob Help Them (2020)

Bob Help Them is a fun, no-frills puzzle game that offers a simple and accessible experience which suits the Nintendo Switch handheld format perfectly. At the same time, its simplicity is also the game's Achilles' Heel - while it's possible to obtain more from the game than just solving every task, there's little here that differentiates Bob Help Them from many other puzzle games on the console's catalogue with higher production values.

Bob Help Them is essentially a simpler, single-player equivalent to Overcooked. The specific tasks one must do are extremely simple, but a harsh time limit creates an engaging challenge that requires genuine concentration and strategy. This title could really use a bit more polish and refinement when it comes to visuals, controls, and quality-of-life features, but those looking for a fun and frantic strategy puzzler will still have a good time with it nonetheless.

Bob Help Them! is a little game, with a lot of potential. I really liked the concept and feel of the game, it just didn't have enough going on to keep me interested and it felt very repetitive.

The village and characters general lack of personality is disappointing, and the inconsistency of the games challenge offers little to draw the player back. The game is fine in small doses, but honestly, it isn’t anything you can’t find elsewhere in the genre.

I enjoyed Bob Help Them’s wholesome nature and the action/puzzle/time management dynamic is an interesting idea. Unfortunately, the gameplay is too simplistic for its own good. Every action is performed the exact same way, and the gameplay doesn’t evolve over the course of its thirty-five levels. You’ll do the same thing in level one that you do in level thirty-five. There’s just nothing to spice up the gameplay, and the only real challenge is time management. It’s not a bad way to spend a lunch break, but it’s difficult to not want something more from it.