Teslagrad

You'll need to refresh your 8-bit platformer skills to survive the tower in Teslagrad, but doing so is well-worth the effort.

Metroidvania games are more popular than ever so in order to make one worthwhile, game developers have to strive for unique gameplay. Thankfully, Teslagrad's magnet-based mechanics just may have what it takes.

From the moment Teslagrad begins you are instantly filled with the feeling that you are about to play something pretty special. The world around you is truly beautiful and the platforming puzzles are great fun to ponder over. A few difficulty spikes – particularly in the game’s boss fights – distracted us slightly from the game’s hypnotising ways but we had a wonderful time nonetheless. If you’ve ...

Taking all of that together, it is not obvious for whom Teslagrad was created. It requires a very particular set of interests and skills to fully enjoy. The incredible artwork and wordless storytelling style invite those who want to experience a unique narrative, but the difficult action gameplay and tedious exploration for capsules actively work to keep players from that experience. For those who...

In conclusion, Teslagrad is a very polished puzzler, which ramps up the difficulty almost mercilessly until the very end. The way the powers you obtain enable to you to backtrack and open up new areas is very well done, and with the challenge of the collectibles the game has a good lifespan. Make no mistake, this is a tough proposition, but it's a fair one and the feeling of satisfaction as you fi...

Nevertheless, despite its unevenness and occasional cruelty, Teslagrad is a bold and captivating proposition. The unusual and elegant aesthetic is persistently attractive, and the lightness of touch with the storytelling brings the world-building to the fore. Its Nordic development team are fledgling (this is only their second game) and there's fidgety keenness to the game's ideas and creative exe...

Teslagrad’s opening scene is bold, beautiful, and utterly beguiling, cleverly drawing you into its world, without wasting a single second on needless exposition. Unfortunately – while certainly a lot of fun – the rest of the game fails to live up to the lofty precedent set by this prologue. It’s a shame, as hidden just below the puzzler’s finicky and frustrating surface is an absolutely sublime ga...

Hopefully, by the time the PS3 release rolls around (it’s currently on PC), some of the kinks can be worked out, because the art style, music and non-verbal storytelling help it to stand out from the crowd. There’s a lot of variety and plenty of clever ideas in the gameplay which combine to make some great moments and puzzles within the game.