Posted on Dec 30, 2010 under Wii |
The Good:
Charming visuals
Superb level design that always offers something new
Tons of hidden extras to discover
Innovative controls
Satisfying puzzles.
The Bad:
Frustrating final level.
Basing a 2D platforming puzzle game on a substance as familiar as water might not seem like the most inspired of ideas, but the more time you spend with Hydroventure–known as Fluidity in the US–the more you realise how great it is. Like the water you control, the puzzles you solve have a flow, effortlessly merging into each other to create an experience that always challenges you yet never makes you feel stupid. These are brilliantly designed, each of them guided by the real-world physics of water, making them immensely satisfying to solve. While the difficultly does take a sudden, and frustrating, spike upward toward the end, it’s not enough to detract from this intelligently designed and beautiful-looking game. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on Dec 26, 2010 under PS3 |
The Good:
Creative use of the Move controller
Classy presentation
Satisfying puzzles.
The Bad:
Controls aren’t always responsive
Occasionally frustrating insta-death
Before the release of the PlayStation Move, some of the most exciting things we’d seen it do weren’t in launch titles but in tech demos. In these, the controller became a virtual lathe, virtual camera, or summoned Minority Report-style virtual windows. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on Oct 12, 2010 under Nintendo DS |
The Good:
Lots of inventive and challenging puzzles
Time-travel mystery provides a great hook
Lots of hint coins if you want to give your noggin a rest
Lovely, whimsical design.
The Bad:
Some puzzles too convoluted for memo feature.
The Professor Layton games occupy a brilliant little niche in the puzzle game genre, delivering mind-churning challenge with whimsy, humor, and heart. The titular gentleman and his eager apprentice have returned once more to answer a call for assistance, following a path that leads onward through the mysteries of time. Built around a slew of great puzzles and moved along by intrigue and intellect, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future is gratifying on many levels. Anyone who enjoys pitting their wits against brainteasers could enjoy this game, but something better occurs here than unraveling mazes and counting blocks. This is a delightful adventure that enchants the mind and blends its challenges, narrative, and world in a near-seamless weave. Read the rest of this entry »