UFO: Unidentified Falling Objects

At $15, UFO: Unidentified Falling Objects offers a compelling campaign, standalone challenges, and a robust multiplayer component. Fans of action puzzlers like Mr. Driller or Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo will want to take UFO for a test flight via Steam demo. Despite the simplistic visuals, play is stellar.

Combining the world of puzzle games with platformers is an interesting proposition, but UFO: Unidentified Falling Objects manages to keep players engaged with intuitive controls, plenty of unlockables, and countless reasons to come back.

The gameplay loop to UFO: Unidentified Falling Objects is simple enough, but addicting, at least for a while. You can watch a trailer for this game, and you can even play for a little bit and think you know what you are doing, but you would be wrong. The further I dig into UFO the further it gets away from just being a casual puzzler. The online multiplayer would probably help drive that thought if I could find a match. This is a smaller title; its price reflects that, but in a good way. The gameplay is sharp, pixels even sharper, and just a fun time overall, just don’t rely on playing online.

A platforming-puzzler with a keen eye for intricacy and trickery alike, UFO: Unidentified Falling Objects‘ addictive nature is somewhat dragged down by its occasional lack of appreciation for a players’ own time. Which is unfortunate given how well developer Andrew Morrish latches onto the well-trodden, block-matching concept. Providing it with a fresh twist that requires both precision and deduction in equal measure. But it’s that noted drawback on a game not quite getting the balance right in rewarding its players for the work put in that limits just how far and wide the enjoyment leads. Even so, for a game as tempting to replay as it is, UFO: Unidentified Falling Objects does just enough in its premise and its delivery to spur you on in that never-ending pursuit for a new high score.