Towerheart

[b]7/10[/b] A promising sokoban-like with a unique gun mechanic. [b]What is it:[/b] A grid based, turn based box pushing game with a strange and unique mechanic. You enter a strange tower full of bizarre people and even more bizarre physics. No one seems to get hurt, and time seems to never end. There are plenty of rooms with puzzles set up to test… what? And in one of these rooms you find a strange device shaped like a gun, but the bullets aren't deadly, they just cause whatever they hit to swap positions with you, the gun holder. What is the purpose of the tower, and what lies beyond the great door? https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3293275827 The game is full of atmosphere. Its black and white graphics, old VHS look, somber music, weird characters and ghostly apparitions make this an intriguing experience, and not just an abstract block pusher. Ignoring the puzzles, this would be a horror, atmospheric dungeon crawler. But the puzzles are the main attraction, so let's get into them. The goal in every room is to reach the exit. Usually, the exit is closed, so you have to first find a way to keep the button that opens it pressed. It starts with a few very easy puzzles showing the basics, movement, pushing boxes, buttons, the exit, but you soon find the gun. Firing it sets a bullet in motion, but the bullet travels at the same speed as you, and since this is a turn based game, that speed is one cell per move. When it hits an object, you and that object swap places. This is a very intriguing mechanic that can be used to set up some really neat puzzles. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3298075004 Most of the levels are very focused, small and to the point. There are a few interesting secondary mechanics to discover, but only a few. Unlike Stephen’s Sausage Roll, in which almost every level was about discovering new mechanics and interesting new ways in which the very few tools you had interact with each other, here most of the levels are about using the few mechanics at your disposal in straightforward ways, just figuring out the right sequence of steps to get to a solution. And that isn't a bad thing, I really enjoyed my time with this game, a more relaxed experience for those that don’t crave the torture of very hard puzzles. Although easy, the levels are well made and distinct. Every now and then a unique story level shows up, you may meet a new (or an old) character, find a secret room, or discover a new mechanic. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3298932945 At the time of this review, the game is in early access, with just one and a half chapters implemented, but it is already a good game. The developer has been quick to fix bugs and consider improvement suggestions, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next chapter. Even if you're not a dedicated puzzle player, this is worth a try. [b]How hard is it:[/b] Easy to moderate, almost all levels can be done in under a minute. [b]How long is it:[/b] 93 levels plus a few obstacles in the overworld, 1-3 hours. They are all kind of unlocked, but behind gates that require a certain number of solved levels to open. [b]Level design:[/b] Good, varied levels, small and focused, with mostly unique solutions. [b]Quality:[/b] Good enough for an early access title. Undo and quick reset. A few accessibility settings, although some flashing and glitching effects cannot be disabled. Works with a keyboard, and controller support can easily be configured with Steam, although there isn’t yet support for in-game input configuration. No cloud saving, decent progress achievements. Feels fast and responsive, doesn’t require strong hardware. [b]Worth the price:[/b] Yes. [b]Most positive aspect for me:[/b] I liked the gun mechanic. [b]Most negative aspect for me:[/b] Too short, I need more levels! [b]What would make it better:[/b] Official support for controllers and the Steam Deck. A way to reset the overworld since it’s easy to accidentally lock yourself out of an area. Better accessibility, add settings to disable all flashing and glitch effects. Add cloud saving. More achievements, especially for doing interesting things. More levels, and harder levels. Support for multiple save profiles. Keep fixing bugs. [quote]For more puzzle game reviews, news and everything puzzle-related, follow [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/25928931-Puzzle-Lovers/]Puzzle Lovers[/url] and check out our [url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/puzzlelovers]Steam group[/url].[/quote] [quote]Follow [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32732116-IndieGems/]IndieGems[/url] for more reviews like this one.[/quote]