rotation-based puzzlers aren't my favorites but add a dinosaur and [b]unlimited undo that works after a death or reset[/b] and I'm a bit more intrigued. then unintrigued because [b]controls aren't rebindable and there are no volume settings[/b], only separate toggles, a few resolution options and windowed mode, and only from the main (and only) menu. basic pixel graphics partly from a free asset pack, tolerable music, at least initially, and a really annoying walking sound.
the first few wooden signs teach the basics, the rest comes later. a/d and undocumented left/right moves and goes up a block automatically. turning in place, jumping, shooting and other actions are location-specific. q/e rotates (not aware of alternatives), r resets, undo with u and undocumented backspace, x activates teleporters/exits, meaning it also [b]exits a level without any confirmation[/b]. icons can also be clicked for a less comfortable experience.
tile-based movement, can't move while falling, [b]no precision or timing involved, it's all about placement and position[/b]. sometimes starting from one tile away is necessary to reach something or fall somewhere the next turn, as it were. nothing can be pushed for the most part but gravity is real and if stuff falls on you, splat! spikes shouldn't be stepped or fallen on either. more and more mechanics keep coming, mario, tetris and 2048 are cool, portals are inevitable, etc. there are [b]enemies, all immobile[/b] but mostly vulnerable to getting squished from above (or from anywhere with something heavy) and landing in front of them is ill-advised. occasionally they're dangerous to each other too. murdering everything isn't required to succeed.
[b]not having a map is a big and unnecessary ♥♥♥♥ you to the player.[/b] a few wooden signs let you zoom out a bit to get a slightly better view of the nearby area. this should be available anytime and show the whole map instead of doing practically nothing. I'm also [b]not a fan of fog of war[/b] in anything, least of all puzzle games. solved puzzles are marked differently, so no fog would've worked just fine. inventory can also only be brought up at certain signs but only the number of items matters, not what they are, so a simple counter in the corner would've sufficed. and [b]puzzle skip and/or hints would be necessary[/b] to avoid getting stuck completely.
the other big problem is actually twofold: [b]there's no level select and nothing is replayable[/b] unless you delete the save. I don't mind walking around a bit for immersion or whatever but [b]provide an alternative for convenience[/b]. especially in a non-linear game where going from one area or level to another can take a while with all the rotating and whatnot, even if they are next to each other with the entrances scattered. branching progression is normally a good thing but not if making it to a puzzle wastes more time than solving it. [b]no progress tracker or indication if you've done everything on a map either[/b], check by tediously walking around some more, then fumble around still to find the exit to the main area.
200+ puzzles in 8 worlds and the overworld has its own set of levels, it's more than just a tedious world select area and it goes on ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ forever. teleporters and pipes take you all over the place but with [b]no area names, level numbers or a map to consult, you can't reference or find anything[/b] without writing an essay on what the puzzle is and where it is. [b]even the developer admitted that finding a specific puzzle in a playthrough 'might take a while'.[/b] why didn't you fix your ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ game then? for once it's not the youtuber's fault for not timestamping the videos because based on what? [b]player position is saved on exit[/b], unless you left from a puzzle. in that case you'll be put back outside next time. not ideal but they're bite-sized, so it could get a pass on its own. it'd still need an exit confirmation.
with more common sense and some improvements it'd be a great little thing, plenty of content too (12-15 hours or more), but [b]the many annoyances and inconveniences add up[/b]. oh, and progress is stored in the registry, the worst possible place. hopefully their future projects won't suffer from ♥♥♥♥♥♥ design decisions, lack of basic functionality and a vendetta against the player's time. not sure why it's free but most likely wouldn't sell anyway, barely any reviews without an entry fee.
