Recent reviews by Opalescence

Addictive!

Excellent game!

One of the best roguelites on the platform.

The game that brings out the inner demon among your peers!

Teslagrad is 2D puzzle-platformer released in December 2013. In an already saturated genre, Teslagrad aims to distinguish itself using the game's magnet mechanics. The protagonist can pull himself towards a faraway magnet and conversely force propulsion if he is standing on a magnet to leap large distances and heights in order to navigate and progress through the game world.

The biggest strength of Teslagrad is the balance between puzzle and platform aspects of the game. By using the tools the protagonist obtains as the player progresses in the game, both puzzle solving and quick platforming skills are required. The game does not have health and the protagonist dies instantly upon contact with the game's harmful obstacles. Thus the aspect of timing is crucial in many of the game's puzzles to progress to the next screen. The difficulty curve to progress is mild but it is raised for searching for the 36 collectables in the game, for both puzzle solving and platform skills. Speaking of difficulty there are handful of bosses in the game which the difficulty spikes for all of them. However those challenges are not impossible although for most players, it would take multiple attempts to take them down.

The controls are very crisp and responsive. Jumping feels good without being too floaty or limited. The default keybinding is slightly odd to get used to but it is fully rebindable with keyboard and gamepad.

The game's visuals are handdrawn in pencil and crayon. The art assets are relatively plain and unobtrusive to allow focus onto the gameplay. There are few instances of impressive art in the background. The game does not limit itself to certain colour palettes and various primary colours are used. This helps the player to distinguish what is in the foreground and interactable from the background art.

Music is mostly well-composed ambient with more intense orchestra coming in for the boss battles. Effects are well placed as it adds the steampunk nature of the tower atmosphere.

Overall, Teslagrad would be a worthy game for library of puzzle-platform fans.

The Verse flows throughout Aquaria...

Through each ripple and wave...

Through every living being...

The Verse binds us all as one...

The Verse binds us, narrator and explorer.

My story will become your own, and yours will become mine.

You will live my life through my eyes...

...And you will learn the truth.

Now The Kid sees somethin' stranger still; his mind races.

Did anyone else survive?

Sure enough, he finds another. He finds me.