Developed By: Sometimes You
Published By: Sometimes You
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Vita, Nintendo Switch
Reviewed On: PlayStation 4
Firstly, I have absolutely no idea what this game is about, nor about any prequels. Starting out is a hassle as there is no tutorials, tips or mini-guides to help the player understand. As a first timer, this is a bummer starting out what looks to be a futuristic themed puzzle game with a simple straightforward and at times challenging puzzles (if you don’t look it up on the internet that is) which challenges both your perception and patience. Truth to be told, it failed to tickle my puzzle bone and here are some reasons why;
Gameplay
It starts out as a 2D representation of a Rubik’s Cube. As you progress further, it becomes a rotatable 3D Rubik’s Cube with one goal in mind to make all cell colours the same.
When you click on each coloured cell in the puzzle, it changes colour between blue, green and red affecting the colours of adjacent cells horizontally and vertically at the same time depending on the connecting design.
Here’s a short clip of some game play below:
And that is pretty much the whole game, other than getting challenging 3D rotatable puzzles each time you advance onto the next stage. It doesn’t have time attack modes, randomized designs, online, leader boards, and no limited number of tries or attempts. It doesn’t have game overs as well, meaning you can be stuck in a puzzle for hours to come without any penalties or any challenging factors coming into play. It might be kid friendly but comes off torturous.
Even 44 levels, It lacks engaging contents to make players come back for more. It’s an easy accessed platinum in short for both veteran players or players who just watch the game-play online for easy solutions.
Not to mention each time you finish a puzzle, you will be greeted by a jumpsuit wearing lady pop-up giving you a thumbs up with no changes in tunes or songs. Just move on.
Story line
At first glance, I really thought it will have a story on why you are doing what you are doing. Are you an electrician of the future fixing a power board? or fixing a robot? The answer is there is none. There are no texts to read except for the menu screen, no attempt at some cinematics or to tell any sort of story as to why you are doing this puzzle and what will happen when you finish it.
And that’s it, it seems not to be the developers focus to introduce this world, but more on it’s puzzles instead.
Music and sounds
The music in this game appears as a one stream of soft futuristic chill out tunes, so soft that you don’t feel the urgency to solve the puzzles in itself. And that’s about it, there will be no sounds as you change the color of the cells, rotate, or even finishing the puzzle (a small vacuum sound does not count). Again, this may not be developer’s focus to keep their players engaged other than the puzzle in itself.
Final Verdict
Energy Cycle Edge does not welcome new players and expects all players to know and play through their puzzles with ease. But it does not appear to be as simple as that with lacking critical contents such as challenging game elements, time-attacks, engaging musics or sounds, and story-line may turn off many players in general who are accustomed to console games quality. But if you are willing to just throw away some money because you have nothing to do, you get a challenging straightforward puzzle game and an easy platinum to boot, be it playing it patiently or watching other players video for a quick solution.
It does match with it’s pricing as well at $4.99 USD (equivalent to 20.86 MYR), though bear in mind to keep your expectation as low as possible as it may either mind boggle you in its puzzle at the beginning or mind numbing you with its lack of engagement content over time.
