Stacking is unique, charming, and worth a download.
Cons: If you aren't a completionist, the game is over fast; Sluggish movement speed vs. large levels; Puzzles might be a bit too easy
Stacking is quite possibly the purest fun I've had in a while. Not since Katamari Damacy have I simply smiled at a game from start to finish. Without a doubt, Stacking is one of the most charming games I've ever played, and luckily it's pretty fun to boot.
The basic premise is that you are Charlie, the smallest of the Blackmore family. One day your father goes disappearing and the baron recruits your brothers and sisters to work (this is during a time when child labor is legal). Soon they disappear too, leaving you to go search for and rescue them. That's right, this is a game about the evils of child labor. However, don't expect any heavy-handed lessons-in typical Double Fine fashion, it's all told with a sense of humor, some of it mature, some of it less so.
That, and it's a game about Russian nesting dolls. Animations are simple, but exaggerated, and expressions of the dolls are permanently stuck in one position. And there's no voice acting. Instead, the cutscenes are done in a silent movie style, complete with panels of text. I'm not sure how the people at Double Fine came up with such a concept, but it's so gleefully absurd that it just works.
When you get into the core of the game, you'll find that it's largely the same adventure game format that used to be prominent in PC gaming in the '90s: you solve puzzles, and you are rewarded with charming cutscenes and more puzzles. However, instead of using an inventory and pointing and clicking, you control Charlie and his ability to stack into the next doll size above him.
Each doll you stack into has its own unique abilities, some practical (such as a keymaster's unlock ability), some just plain fun (I personally loved one doll's "insult patron" ability for its bizarre choice of slander). And with each doll you stack, you are allowed to go one size higher, adding another layer of strategy, managing the sizes.
However, you aren't likely to run into much of a challenge. Each puzzle smartly features 3+ solutions, and many solutions are very easy to figure out. Even if you have trouble, a hint system borrowed from Professor Layton allows you to get up to 3 clues on your current puzzle. It makes the game a breeze to play through, and emphasizes just how short the 4 level experience really is.
But the game also resets each puzzle after completion and encourages you to try and get all the solutions. If you go for all the solutions (one of which is usually bizarre enough to stump you momentarily) and avoid using the hint system, you can easily triple time spent playing the game (though unfortunately that is partially due to a slow movement speed on some large levels). True completionists will also want to find every unique doll in each level and try to get the Hi-Jinks (little challenges to use a doll's ability a certain way or do something optional; think achievements or trophies). Stacking has a decent amount of content for its $15 price tag, but only for those who try to do everything.
Still, even between puzzles and Hi-Jinks the world is a joy to explore. The Russian doll theme extends into the environment, which has a handcrafted style, adding a bit more personality to an already bizarre experience. The dolls, for their similarity in shape, all look distinct and are usually fun even if they serve no practical purpose. The sound is exaggerated, and the music, while sparse and simple, usually helps set the silent movie theme perfectly. Stacking is more or less minimalist, but because everything is so cohesive in vision, it works.
After a couple of disappointing products, it seems Double Fine has found their stride again. It's not the deepest or longest game, but Stacking is a purely fun experience that anyone at any age can enjoy. And when else are you going to get a chance to play a Russian nesting doll-based adventure game that acts like a silent movie and talks about child labor? Don't overlook this one.