2003 Kaboom / Attention to Detail
Platforms: PlayStation 2, PC
Fatman and Slim was to be a unique and challenging character based puzzle platformer by Attention to Detail, under their Kaboom label. Set for release on PlayStation 2 and PC around 2003 (later slipping to 2004), the game stood out at the time for trying something a little different during an era dominated by more action driven titles.
Players would take on the role of Fat Man, tasked with rescuing his girlfriend Slim. Along the way, players would encounter a variety of worlds filled with puzzles and environmental challenges, requiring careful use of Fat Man’s unusual abilities.
The game revolved around a physics based system where Fat Man could shift between three different forms. In his default “bouncy” state, he could rebound around environments. Switching to a fluffy form reduced his weight, allowing for slower descents and more control in mid air, whilst a metal form increased his weight dramatically, letting him smash objects, sink in water or activate switches.
These abilities could be combined dynamically, forming the heart of the gameplay. Players might bounce into the air, switch to metal to drop quickly, then revert back to bouncy to gain height again, before finally switching to fluffy to carefully glide across large gaps. The freedom to experiment with these states gave the game a distinctive feel, offering multiple ways to approach each puzzle.
The environment itself also played a key role in solving challenges. Grass could be flattened to alter how bombs behaved, ensuring they detonated on contact with the ground. Water reflections could reveal hidden solutions by showing what lay beneath structures. Other elements such as ramps, catapults and pinball style bumpers added further variety and interaction.
The main objective in each level was to rescue Slim, whose spirit had been trapped within totems scattered throughout the stages. Players would first need to destroy these totems, often by manipulating bombs using the metal form. Once freed, Slim’s spirit had to be charged by collecting tokens within a time limit, before being guided safely to the level exit. The link between Fat Man and Slim only remained stable in certain states and at close proximity, adding an extra layer of challenge. In some cases, players could even use the drifting spirit to their advantage by letting it float past obstacles before reconnecting.
Fatman and Slim was originally shown in preview form in magazines such as PSI2 Issue 22 (sadly we couldn’t find scans) and EDGE Issue 113. EDGE in particular highlighted the game as a refreshing change from the norm at the time, noting its experimental nature and the promise shown even in its early tech demo state. Although still in relatively early development with a small team, the core mechanics and puzzle design were already demonstrating strong potential.
Unfortunately, the project would never see completion. Attention to Detail went defunct in August 2003, halting development. The rights were later picked up by Metro3D, but when they too closed in 2004, any remaining chance of release disappeared with them.
Clearly I didn’t have enough cups of tea before doing this write up, and I missed that a PS2 PAL build has been out there for a little while (thanks to Dr. Perkeleeee and Mooware for flagging up!). Doesn’t seem to have been covered much, so actually – you CAN check out the game for yourself and it seems to be pretty much complete too (The PC version is still at large for now). Download added below as well as a video from Mooware.
If anyone knows how to get the game working in PCSX2 with Vulcan rendering, please let us know. We could only get it displaying the game graphics properly when using Software rendering mode – in other modes, the vectors/gameplay only displays in a tiny box window in the top left corner.
With thanks to Ross Sillifant for highlighting, Dr. Perkeleeee and Mooware for flagging release and Archive.org for the scans.
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