This game is as cute as challenging but with a good difficulty curve.

Reaching the end of a level is not hard, so you will always be able to move forward even if you have a hard time to get all three golden pieces per level, which is the real challenge.

The large number of blocks and other gameplay elements ensure that no two levels looks or works the same.

Deffinitely a must have for those who favor thinking over smashing (buttons).

This is a fantastic puzzle game, probably my all time favourite, topping the Portal series.

The usual puzzle games often adopt the timing challenge, i.e. the execution of your plan (solved puzzle) requies you to complete certain actions within limited time. In my eyes, this is a rather cheap strategy for developers to raise the level of challenge for the players. Because it's more about fine motor skills and not so much the problem solving skills, and it usually adds a lot of frustration to the gaming experience. I understand how some might find these challenges appealing, but for those who simply want a challenge of the mind, these obstacles are unnecessary.

The most amazing thing with this game, is its ability to raise the level of challenge purely relying on problem solving skills. Out of over 50 levels in total, only in 2 occasions do you have 2 small timing obstacles, while the rest of the puzzle relies 100% on using your brain. How the game requires you to think methodically, systematically figure out how to use all the gaming mechanics to solve the puzzles, is quite ingenious.

Having said that, the game isn't without minor flaws. My main complaint is the introduction of one or two gaming mechanics (a very small percentage of the total): these mechanics required to complete the puzzles are not clearly laid out to the players, and really demand lots of experimentation, and sometimes a bit of luck to stumble upon. This is not a serious issue, but might be frustrating when you are stuck at certain levels for a long time.

Overall this is a fantastic game and I can wholeheartedly recommend it at full price to anyone who loves mental exercises. I also believe the game is a great educational tool, and can teach not only kids but adults how to think methodically, in order to greatly improve their problem solving skills. It's such a shame the game is so hidden on steam, despite its 97% positive review at the time of this writing. Currently it's impossible to find this game by filtering by reviews in the puzzle category, and this illustrates how lacking the Steam storefront algorithm is. I really hope one day this game can gain more visibility, because it's such a true gem.

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I originally wrote my review for Tetrobot and Co. (TC) in 2016, and I've decided to reformat it to my new standard. It'll be a lot of work doing this to my old reviews, but I want them to be consistent. So, let's take another look at this game now that I'm nearly a decade older. Certainly I'm wiser and smarter after that much time. Not really, I'm just fatter if anything.


TC is a puzzle title, but I don't think that description clearly conveys how devious and tricky the set-ups can be. For the most part, your little ♥♥♥ can freely move around each stage, and will use his storage in order to pick up and rearrange different kinds of blocks. A special type are golden blocks, which are optional and often rely on figuring out even more difficult situations in order to snag them. Every stage has three of them. All the other blocks are are composed of a material, which have different properties, and can interact with elements in the stage in various ways as well.

A simple example are wooden blocks that will start burning if a laser hits them. This limitation can both prohibit their use in some situations, but also cause a chain reaction necessary in others. In other set-ups, one block might get stuck on something in the environment, while another slips through like it's covered in grease. Solving these puzzles revolves around knowing about all of these properties and the possible ways they'd effect where each block will end up. Something that came up often in these solutions was cleverly placing blocks so you can retrieve them for other situations later on in the same stage.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3157359336
The way you move the ♥♥♥ and handle blocks in this game is as simple as just making left and right clicks with the mouse. Something handy is that when you right click to eject a block, as long as you're shooting on the same horizontal level, it won't move from its current location. With some puzzles, exact location will make a difference. You can choose which block to shoot next from your storage, so it removes at least one thing to worry about.


It's a fairly vague story because it's scattered into small fragments throughout the game, without enough there to clearly convey what's going on. Someone is mailing the female lead letters, and it's unclear whether she needed to track them down, or if she just knew where they were anyways. Because the story is so underdeveloped, I don't know if the gameplay is supposed to pertain to anything that takes place or not. If so, I have no idea how.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3157358855
Looking at the few images used to present the story, I'd judge them for being a bit on the rough side. When you take the time to look at the pictures, they look a bit simplistic to me. The gameplay visuals are better, while also leaning towards the basic side too. Much of any given screen is made up of walls you can't interact with, while the backgrounds seem more abstract. For example, I'll see some kind of unexplained machine back there, but can't really make out what kind of location it or the ♥♥♥ are in. None of this really detracts from the gameplay or puzzles, as I still find it a charming title overall. After all, compared to many indie puzzle titles, this one is substantially better looking.


Fittingly enough, the music has an industrial or factory sort of tone about it, while also coming across a bit ethereal because of the high notes. The use of clanging metal and noises like beeps ties it in to the game's theme well. It won't be too distracting while you're trying to solve puzzles, but is pretty entertaining if you go out of your way to listen to it. Most of the sound effects in the game are on the subtle side, such as when you take a block, so that won't disrupt your ability to hear the tunes.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3157359018
🌟 Unless you rely on a walkthrough instead of trying to figure them out on your own, solving the game's 50 levels will keep your time occupied for a while. It takes a couple of minutes, at least, to work through each one.
🌟 You have to earn all three blocks of an entire memory bar within the same playthrough of a stage in order to obtain it. This could be seen as unnecessary, but I think it makes for a more meaningful reward.
🌟 I don't know how many people would want to delve into them, but there is a level editor for those who'd want to play more puzzles or make their own.


❌ The in-game “explanation” on the properties of each block is lackluster and unclear. It's too simplistic for a game with such tricky puzzles.
❌ Why put in any story elements if nobody can really tell what's going on?


🔍 Some of the difficulty stems from how many rooms you can explore at any time. Determining your objective or goal will help narrow down those options so you don't focus on things that would never achieve the target you need to reach. Why juggle blocks in a place that never mattered to begin with?
🔍 I'm not even going to pretend that I solved these puzzles. If it weren't for video walkthroughs, I wouldn't have gotten very far at all. They're available if you get stuck like I did.
🔍 The undo button is your best friend, but don't get too trigger happy with it.


Honestly, were it not for a video walkthrough of the stages in TC, I don't know how I'd feel about the game. It'd have been so hard that I know I wouldn't have beaten it, and it can be difficult to develop cognitive skills necessary to solve a puzzle you're currently stuck on. That makes it more complicated to compare it with other genres where you can practice and get better. Regardless, a walkthrough is available, and I could use it as a crutch when needed. With how clever and complex some of the solutions were, I think it may be a bit of a stretch for most people, but it's a well-designed game. I enjoyed the struggle, so I'd recommend it for those who want to get stumped for a while.

More information on this game on BrokenCartridge: http://www.brokencartridge.net/indie-spotlight-tetrobot-co-2/

Score: 4.5/5

In Tetrobot & Co. you play as a Psychobot, a microscopic robot made by a scientist named Maya, which is here to aid the Tetrobot. While at this point the Tetrobot is the most popular and best robot around, it is not immune to problems. The Psychobot’s job is to go into Tetrobot and fix whatever problems my lay inside.

So what exactly do you do in this game? Well, you move blocks. Blocks that matter, to be specific. The game follows an extremely similar style of logic and mechanics that Blocks that Matter does, since they both play out in the same universe. The goal is to maneuver throughout the Tetrobot, finding as many pieces of memory that you can along with getting to the end. Unlike the puzzle platformer style of game play the previous game had, this plays more like it is on a grid. The Psychobot flies through Tetrobots to wherever it needs to be.

Fixing a Tetrobot isn’t easy, though. It is actually quite the puzzle, as they get a lot of blocks clogged up into their system. You have to manipulate these blocks so that you can continue on through certain passage ways and areas. Blocks connect to blocks of the same matter. So stone will connect to stone, wood will connect to wood, and so on. Knowing how to correctly stack blocks will be very helpful for maneuvering through these levels.

It is never hard to relax and play this game. Everything about the game is very soothing. If you would like you can slowly make your way through each puzzle, taking your time and taking in everything the game has to offer. Just as Blocks that Matter was, this game is very charming. I always manage to have a smile on my face when playing through it, either it be the satisfaction of solving the puzzles or even just picking up on some of the funny references they have to different games, books, movies, and music!

The pacing in the game is pretty nice as well. In total there are 8 sections in the game, each containing 5 normal levels and one key level. Each section slowly adds new mechanics, making game play more complicated yet all the more fun. You never feel overloaded on all of the things you have to learn or solve, but it never drags on either. The Tetrobots act as the sections, each having their own issues. Either they be flooded with water or even frozen! Each Tetrobot’s problem will advance and change the game play, which makes for an excellent thrill when going into a new section.

Besides the overall satisfaction of being able to solve some of these complicated puzzles, the game really helps you feel rewarded for your efforts to progress through the game. There are a lot of cool and interesting unlockables from not only completing the puzzles but collecting the 3 memory blocks there are in each level. Either it is more pieces to the story, a few extra levels, or a collection of all of the soothing songs available. You really have this drive to continue playing through the game.

Tetrobot & Co. was a unique game to play through. Its charming style kept me relaxed as I challenged my mind with each level. Swing Swing Submarine really has a way with puzzle games. If you really enjoy puzzle games then I highly suggest you give this one a try.

If you want some video footage going a tad more in depth on how it plays, then make sure you check out my video on it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzGwF68Jbk8&feature=youtu.be

This game is just adorable. Clever, innovative, and has tricky but not unobtainable puzzles.

If you liked Blocks That Matter, I think you'll like this as well.

If you just enjoy puzzle games, I highly recommend you give this one a try.

This is an absolutely fantastic puzzle game. For those whom played blocks that matter and didn't like the platforming aspect, don't worry, this doesn't have any platforming to speak of. The only related things in the game are the characters and the use of blocks.

The game actually controls through point and click mechanics, moving your character from place to place through just clicking there. The games main focus is using a combination of different blocks which interact with eachother in different ways, in orde to solve a puzzle. Placing blocks involves you shooting them out instead of using the tetronimo mechanic from the last one. Each block has specific functions hinted to ingame once you find them. The game constantly throws new block types at you, as well as special new funtions, mixing things up. They continued to throw new mechanics all the way to the end of the game, and all of them felt well implemented.

You're main objectives in a level consist of two things; getting to the end, and collecting the memory blocks. You can beat a level without getting all chips, but in order to progress to certain stages, you'll need to obtain the memory blocks. You'll also need to 100% a section to unlock the bonus stage for keys to the small boss puzzle stages (using the term "boss" lightly, as it is really a series of puzzles).

The game features no way to die, and if you do mess up a puzzle, there is always an undo button to push things back to where you need them in an instant. The game never felt tedious or boring; always throwing new ideas and puzzles types your way. The puzzles, while challenging, never felt too easy, or too hard. The game also never feels the need to hold your hand at any given point.

The only flaw that I can think of is that there is a bonus challenge later in the game which requires knowledge of the konami code, but it's not required, and is overall a terribly minor flaw on an otherwise great puzzle game.

To me it was worth every single cent. If you are even remotely into puzzle games, I highly reccomend it.

I don't usually go out of my way to recommend games, but this game is a real gem. Easily the best puzzle game of 2013, and extremely overlooked. The puzzle design is crazy tight and ingenious, with a "Eureka!" moment on just about every stage. It didn't sell well, and the developers have said that as a result their next game might be their last, so pick it up and help support them!

This is an excellent puzzle game, full of brain scratching problems that will keep you busy for ages. If you like to test your logical wits then this is an excellent game to do it with.

This game is amazing. It works just as well with a mouse as it does as a touch screen game.
It's a simple puzzle concept with blocks and is just the right level of challenging and amusing.
I WILL get that last achievement darn you!

This game is AWESOME!
Simple mechanics, yet game can be quite hard. Very well balances difficulty and satisfaction from completing the levels.
Addicting. It took 2 days of my time, time I should be working on my master's degree.

There is one level i had to search for solution - it's because I never had a console, so any references to console gaming are unknown for me. That one level sucks, the rest is just awesome.

Linux:
Right now, Tetrobot works on my distro (fedora with Gnome 3.x) just fine, but is moody and always needs your full attention - can crash sometimes when minimized ;) And this is basically only problem i encountered while playing on linux through whole game.