Toroban

[h1]The short version[/h1] [b]Toroban[/b] is a sokoban style puzzle game where the levels loop, The game [b]starts out strong[/b], exploring its mechanics feels rewarding for the first leg of the game. [b]the final[/b] area though has multiple puzzles that exist only to [b]waste your time[/b]. With the game's [b]endgame not implemented yet[/b] the store page lacking [i]Early Access[/i] tag on the store page makes me not recommend the game yet. [h1]A comprehensive review[/h1] Toroban has a lot of areas, this section each area will be discussed one by one. To avoid confusion this review will use the games terminology, the following are needed to understand this review: [list] [*]Toros: These are the critters you control during the game. [*][i]Italics[/i] are used to notify the names of subsections. [/list] [h3]Spoilers ahead[/h3] [h2]Grass[/h2] The opening of the game, these puzzles are very basic intentionally, it teaches you the very basics followed by the mechanic named after the section [i]Gate Holding[/i] which is a mechanic used for the rest of the game. The puzzles after that especially in [i]Too Many Blocks[/i] are a exercise in patience being more about play length rather then puzzle complexity with [i]Advanced Gates redeeming it slightly[/i] [h2]Ruins[/h2] The largest and probably best area in the game, Levels within levels are the main theme here. The game teaches you how to manipulate the borders of levels, some levels are simple while others ask you to understand the game better before progressing. The same area also teaches you to [i]Restart[/i], where the option to reset is part of the solution, In a good Quality of Life feature it is possible to rewind trough a reset. The section [i]Region Gates[/i] is where the weakness of the game starts showing, the second to last puzzle asks you to repeat a step six times. The final section titled [i]Ruins Challenge[/i] combines all the mechanics learned in this zone and are among the better puzzles in the game. [h2]Snow[/h2] Initially a slow introduction to the most complex mechanic in the game titled [i]Offset[/i], these are push-able objects that change how the loops occur. The first section is simple but for a good reason, the second section [i]More Offset[/i] show the potential of this mechanic. [i]X Y Offset[/i] ups the complexity further only for some weird choices to be made in [i]Extreme Offset[/i]: three of the four puzzles use a math style puzzle where you need to figure out how to get the right offset by combining multiple blocks but the fourth is a standard puzzle where the environment changes as you progress trough the puzzle. [h2]Fall[/h2] The weakest of the standard sections in the game, the puzzles have you control multiple Toros at the same time and in some cases asking you to eliminate some them to solve the puzzle. [i]Separated Toros[/i] asks you to do that whilst there stuck together. separating them by egress and re-entering the level. In the end the puzzles in Fall ask for very careful movement, this is a matter of taste on whether you enjoy these type of tight movements or not. [h2]Desert[/h2] Desert combines the mechanics of the previous three sections leading to some of the more complex puzzles of the game, [i]Offsets & Toros[/i] has some clever overlap between the mechanics found in Fall and Snow. Other then that it is a natural escalation of the game thus far. [h2]Secrets[/h2] Each area up to this point has a secret area found trough a mechanic learned in the final one. These each hold puzzles that are a remix of a already existing puzzle, The majority of which are just the same as the puzzle it is based on without being meaningfully changed thus asking you to solve them again just with a few extra steps making the vast majority of them a waste of time. [h2]Cosmic[/h2] This area is "incomplete" but more on that later, it has five sections each with their own mechanics serving as a tutorial for the end game. [i]Overworld Restart[/i] is the worst part of the game, the puzzles are simple but each step of the journey asks you to full overworld reset making you walk back each time to solve puzzles that would otherwise belong to Grass. Next is [i]Parallel World[/i] which uses one of the simplest puzzle mechanics where you swap between two different versions of the level, this same mechanic is used to access the secrets of the other areas but as a puzzle mechanic it is just a extra button to press. [i]Overlapping Puzzles[/i] is a good section, a natural evolution of the mechanics already found in Ruins and serve as decent brain teasers. [i]Portals[/i] I have very little to say about, it is a simple mechanic used decently despite the best puzzle being better suited for Snow. And finally we have [i]Overworld Paths[/i], a interlocking set of puzzles requiring overworld interactions. Something the game could have introduced earlier but to the game's credit this puzzle is genuinely difficult. [h2]The endgame... (and conclusion)[/h2] ...or lack there of, your final reward for finishing the game is a sign telling you that the game is not yet finished. This is not uncommon for small puzzle games however most of those at least feel rewarding when you complete them. Had this game labeled itself as early access then it would safe itself from this criticism, but the fact there are pieces of the world that cannot be accessed with a number of puzzles that are nothing but a slog to get trough makes me ultimately nor recommend this game.