Baba Is You

this game's puzzle making is crazy

Normally, when I write these reviews, I like to finish the game first. That way I have a full understanding of the complete experience. I want to be able to accurately speak to the game’s strengths and its flaws without the fear of missing anything. That being said, if I stuck to this principle with Baba Is You, I would not be writing this review for probably another five years... after I’ve forgotten the entire early game. [h1] Background [/h1] [b] Baba Is You [/b] was created by Arvi Teikari for the 2017 Nordic Game Jam, where it won first place. The theme of the game jam was “Not There.” From this, Arvi envisioned a game based around manipulating logic operators. Mentally picturing a block of ice next to a fire but not melting, protected by the phrase, “ICE IS NOT MELT.” From this idea, [b] Baba Is You [/b] was born. Arvi continued to work on the game and expanded it further from the Game Jam Demo. During development, Baba Is You was shown at Independent Games Festival in 2018 where it won awards for “Best Student Game” and “Excellence in Design.” The game would then be released in 2019 on Steam and Nintendo Switch. iOS and Android ports were later released in 2021. [h1] Story [/h1] There is no story here. The entire game is puzzle after puzzle. You open a level, Baba is You. Solve the puzzle. [h1] Gameplay [/h1] [b] Baba Is You [/b] is a puzzle game. Each level has a goal to reach; it is your objective to manipulate the environment around you to reach the goal and proceed to the next level. When you start a level, what will likely stick out are the words placed around the level. These words form various syntax such as “BABA IS YOU,” “WALL IS STOP,” or “FLAG IS WIN.” When words are made into a valid syntax, the descriptive property will be enforced onto the specified object. These words are not immovable; each level requires you to rearrange the words into a new syntax to beat the level. For example, a level will separate you from the objective using a wall. Using the controllable character, you can remove the word “STOP” from “WALL IS STOP.” Since the syntax is no longer complete, the property is no longer enforced onto the walls. This allows the character to walk right through the wall to the goal. The level select screen is structured as a world map. You will typically select an area, and each area will contain a set of levels that you can play in a semi-nonsequential order. These levels start off easy. None of the beginner levels are too complicated, easing you into the game. As you progress further through the world map, the game starts to ramp up in difficulty fast. More concepts are introduced, and more words with it. Each time you finally understand how one mechanic works, another is introduced that throws a wrench in your groove. The game will then combine new concepts with what you’ve learned previously. Creating whole new tricks that you would have trouble coming up with in the first place. These levels get tough, too! I love puzzle games; [b] Portal 2 [/b] is one of my favorite games of all time. So, I went into [b] Baba Is You [/b] a little cocky. I have been thoroughly humbled by this game. I finally just beat a level that made me give up the game last year. The difficulty in this game is not to be understated. Games like [b] Portal [/b] or [b] Superliminal [/b] are cakewalks compared to [b] Baba Is You [/b]. This is not a bad thing by any means, but I would recommend buying this game in some form of mobile device. That way you can keep coming back to levels that have stumped you throughout the day. [h1] Gamefeel [/h1] Whenever I beat a tough level in this game, I get so excited. It is so immensely satisfying figuring out the trick/solution to beating a level that has stumped me for a while. Because of how the gameplay is structured, it never feels that the solution is unfair or not communicated well. You have all the tools to solve the puzzle at your fingertips; it’s up to you to think outside the box to beat the level. I enjoyed the simplicity of the game, too. The pixel art is done well; I adored the character and level designs. Baba is a cute little character, as well as Keke and Me. Additionally, because there are often a lot of moving parts on screen, the simplicity of the game often benefits it. There is very little in the environment to distract the player while they are playing a level. A small detail I’d like to add is that the quality of life pause screen is much appreciated. With all the words floating around the level, it can get confusing keeping track of them all. So, pausing the screen and seeing all the current rules listed out is great for understanding what my options are in the level. [h1] Conclusion [/h1] This was a shorter review, but owing to [b] Baba Is You [/b]’s simplicity, it didn’t need to be long and bloated. [b] Baba Is You [/b] is a great puzzle game. I have it both on Steam, and on my iPad to play during my lunch breaks. It can be tough as nails though. I’m only about halfway through the levels of the main game, and some of the levels are already stumping me for a good while. Nonetheless, I still get a burst of dopamine every time I finally beat these tough levels. I would recommend this game enough to anyone who enjoys a good, casual puzzle game.