POPUCOM is a cooperative puzzle platformer that blends action, casual, and adventure elements into a colorful third-person experience designed for groups on PS5. Players take on the roles of adventurers summoned to an unknown planet, where they must navigate platforming challenges, solve environmental puzzles, and battle threats using color-based mechanics and teamwork.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on color switching and match-3 shooting. Each player manages specific colors to interact with mechanisms, activate platforms, and affect the environment. Shooting Pomu gel in matching colors creates chain reactions that clear obstacles or defeat enemies. Platforming requires precise jumps and timing, while puzzles demand coordinated color changes between teammates to progress through stages.
Super artifacts add variety and utility during exploration and combat. Rollo the Bomb delivers explosive power for clearing paths, Captain Kitty assists with lifting or manipulating objects, Barrier Bot provides defensive options, and Power Kid offers additional abilities for puzzle solutions. These tools encourage experimentation and communication as players combine them with color mechanics to overcome increasingly complex setups.
Customization appears through gear and cosmetics that let players personalize their adventurer's appearance without altering core abilities. The game supports both local couch co-op and online play, with no AI teammates available, so real players must handle all coordination.
Game Modes
Story Mode serves as the main two-player campaign. Teams work through a sequence of stages focused on building toward a larger objective while facing escalating platforming, puzzle, and combat challenges. The mode emphasizes tight coordination, as each player handles distinct color pairs that complement one another.
Party Mode expands the experience for three or four players. It features a variety of standalone challenges that test group dynamics in shorter, replayable sessions. These activities highlight the same color and artifact systems but shift toward competitive or chaotic group play.
Arcade mini-games provide lighter breaks from the main stages. Players can access an in-game arcade room for quick, casual diversions that use simplified versions of the core mechanics.
Visual Style and Presentation
The game presents a vibrant, cartoonish world where color serves both aesthetic and functional roles. Environments shift and react based on player actions, creating dynamic feedback during puzzle solving and combat. Animations for artifacts and enemy interactions add personality and clarity to the cooperative systems.
Sound design supports the lighthearted tone with upbeat tracks that underscore teamwork moments and satisfying pop effects from successful matches. The overall presentation keeps sessions engaging without overwhelming younger players or those new to co-op platformers.
Is It Worth Playing?
POPUCOM has received generally favorable reviews across platforms, with a Metacritic score of 83 and a Very Positive rating on Steam from thousands of player reviews. Critics and players highlight the inventive color mechanics, strong emphasis on genuine teamwork, and polished co-op feel as standout features.
The game suits players who enjoy puzzle-platformers that require communication and shared problem-solving rather than solo play or competitive multiplayer. At a modest price point near twenty dollars, it delivers substantial campaign content plus replayable party options. Those without reliable co-op partners may find the experience limited, as the design prioritizes human teammates for all modes.
With the PS5 version arriving soon after successful releases on other platforms, the title offers a fresh cooperative adventure for groups seeking something colorful and collaborative. Its focus on accessible yet deep mechanics makes it a strong choice for friends or family sessions.
