Block Wizard

It's that time of the year where everyone is extremely busy - myself included - so I've not had time to play too much yet. That said, I *have* finished the first world, so here are some early impressions: It's fun! The mechanics aren't mind-blowing or anything but they're smart and well implemented. The puzzle design is pretty good from what I've seen so far, and strikes a good balance between teaching you new mechanics and challenging you to use them in head-scratching ways. I've not encountered any bugs or issues. It's pretty much what it says on the tin. I feel like it would be a really good fit for mobile, too. It's worth picking up if you're looking for a neat lil puzzle game.

As a long-time tester of this game, I can finally leave a review recommending this game. It's quite reminiscent of the old flash puzzle games with a really retro aesthetic, the audio is nice (though slightly jarring at times when moving onto a different level set). This is a solid game for it's price point and can easily give you an evening of entertainment and mental workout. (Disclaimer, I am a close friend to the developer, however my review is purely my own opinion and have / am receiving no incentive to leave a bias review)

A game that really reminisces old arcade games like Bubble Bobble. The main mechanic involves the classic "slide on ice" puzzles found in a lot of RPGs, sound and visuals are rather charming too! Worth the small price!

Disclaimer: I was offered a key by a friend of the developer for the purpose of this review. As an older gamer, this game has hit my nostalgia bone. Growing up on the the old CRT displays it was very jarring at first booting this up and seeing that distinctive curve and scanlines. If this however bothers anyone that over the years got used to flat screens(or you never got to experience the joys of CRTs) I can see this has headache inducing. Bravo to the developer for adding it as an option. I would suggest having a prompt on the first time loading giving it as an option to turn off and a little reminder that it can be turned on or off in the options menu. And don't adjust your display, it's supposed to have those giant black borders, almost like there is a mobile release in the works.(WARNING: This is just a prediction, I have no inside knowledge on this. The options menu(my favorite of all menus): Pretty basic set up here, individual volume controls, full screen on or off, CRT effect, scanlines toggle, and a brightness tuner. Barebones but does what it needs to do. The last option is a toggle for allowing your scores to posted on the Steam leaderboards(with a nice block of warning text). There is toggle at the top of the screen for switching between mouse/keyboard and controller support(it found my Xbox One controller automatically), and another toggle to mute.(Another hint at a possible mobile port!) Story: Barebones again, you're a wizard(Harry) and you must clear 100 levels of the labyrinth. Graphics: Retro inspired pixel art. It's an aesthetic you either love or hate and it works well here. The CRT and scanlines were something that is an interesting feature, but after a while I ended up turning off. Gameplay: As you progress some puzzle elements are introduced, like picking up a block to place yourself or having to pass over certain blocks before you can exit. It is simple "moving on ice" controls, once you press the direction, you will go the whole way until you hit something solid and then you can move again. The added ability to pick up and place blocks is crudely explained. The game times you and tracks each of your moves. There are little options along the top during gameplay, a speed toggle(DOUBLE TIME!), a little space to keep track of your pickups, and a level number. Rounding off the top is restart button, and control toggle. The bottom of the screen shows how many moves you've taken, the mute toggle, and current time elapsed. There is also a "Chaos" Mode that randomizes the order of the levels and you can't carry anything between levels. There is no "save" feature, so if you start a full run you need to finish it, otherwise you can pick up from the level select menu. Music/Sound: Retro is the best way to describe it. Synths, bass, and drum loop for the music and beeps and sweeps for the sounds. Achievements: Stand fare for achievements, beating each boss, clearing the game in X number of moves or under a certain time limit. Nothing too imaginative here. TLDR: A basic puzzle game with a nice retro graphics and sounds. The puzzles aren't extremely challenging(except for the boss levels) if you're used to games like this. The music after a few minutes gets very repetitive(even most retro games had this problem.) Aside from chasing the leaderboards and a few plays of the Chaos Mode, I don't find much replayability in the title as released. The price of the game for the amount of content is a little on the high side in my opinion, $6 is a little steep for what amounts to at most a few hours of play time. Overall a nice little trip down nostalgia lane that has some charm and some quirks but priced maybe a tad too high for what is on offer.