A charming 2D puzzle-platformer

Passing By is a free adventure video game that was developed by Marius Mühleck for desktop computers. It is a 2D puzzle-platformer game that was one of the entries in the renowned German Computer Games Awards competition and subsequently took home the “Young Talent Award for Best Prototype”. 

Passing By shares some thematic and atmospheric similarities with another game, Unravel. It features an imaginative and detailed 2D low-poly art style that is quite beautiful. There are platform mechanics to challenge you and various puzzles for you to solve as you journey across its expansive world.

What is Passing By all about?

Passing By greets you with a low-poly world that centers around its main protagonist, a young balloonist named Curly, who is tasked to deliver a mysterious letter. The game mixes multiple elements from various genres: platformers, survival, and adventure, in creating its unique experience. Hop between islands, solve puzzles, and mind your resources to survive the journey.

There’s a fair bit to learn in Passing By’s controls. The A and D keys are to run or swim. Use the W and S keys to climb, going through doors, and dive. Jump by pressing the Spacebar, interact and progress dialogue with the E key, and TAB is for your inventory. Combine and interact with your items using the Left Mouse Button.

Continuing on, close windows, skip dialogue, and access the game’s menu with the Esc key. Adjust your camera with the Mouse Wheel. Enter photo mode with the P key and move the camera while inside using the Arrow Keys. It goes without saying that the game’s controls can be complicated, but you get used to it with time.

An adventure worth experiencing

Passing By features a beautiful world to explore, a charming and lighthearted story, and simple but fun gameplay. Despite its rather complicated controls that take a while to get used to, the game provides an experience that is worth it, and there is a little bit of everything in it that anybody can enjoy and appreciate.