NIH1L

This game was a lot of fun and really deserves more attention than it seems to have gotten. I've seen a lot of criticism heaped on it for its lack of story or lack of soundtrack, basically its minimalistic design, but I think people just compare it far, FAR too much to Portal. Here's the thing: You are a nameless, faceless figure with an inexplicable ability to control blocks in your environment. Everything is black and white, with the occasional splash of color to indicate a piece of the room you can interface with. Red for spots you can extend or retract, blue for spots that act as launchers, and so on. The puzzles are really quite clever and enjoyable, and the controls are simple. At no point did I feel like I didn't understand what I was doing or what I had to do; a bit of experimentation was needed to learn new mechanics as they appeared, but the minimalistic design and the simplicity of the mechanics you have to learn make your course very clear at all times. The game gives you all the pieces to solve the puzzle, you just have to figure out how they fit. It's perfect design in that respect, really. As for the lack of story or dialogue or anything else, I think that actually enhances the experience. It's a puzzle game, there's nothing else to it than that. There's very clearly something going on in this world you're suddenly thrust into, but it's never clear what. Leaving the player with a question as to who they are or what they're doing is good design, in my opinion. It lets them wonder and try to answer any unanswered questions, and really creates a memorable experience. Final recommendation? It's a great puzzle game. If you enjoy those, you'll like it. If you absolutely need story to explain why you're pushing blocks around, you'll be disappointed; but if you're willing to push blocks for the sake of it and test your cleverness for no reason than because you can, this is the perfect game for you.