First Impressions: Teslagrad

I am a lapsed gamer. I loved playing on my Mega Drive when I was growing up (yes, I was on the losing side of that particular console war). However, I stopped playing after that generation. It was only years later that I started getting back into gaming. There were 2 reasons for my coming back to games (these are separated by a few years): the PSP, and the Humble Bundle.

In one of the Humble Bundles that I bought after getting back into games, there was this little indie gem called “Limbo” that everyone raved about. After playing, of course, I knew why.

I think “Teslagrad” takes obvious inspirations from “Limbo” (which preceded it by 3 years): specifically, a puzzle mechanic whereby The Boy in “Limbo” was “hypnotized” and could only move in a certain direction depending on environmental hazards.

This is a mechanic that’s deeply explored in “Teslagrad”, and it’s taken to another level. The whole game revolves around manipulating your environment through “power ups” in order to solve puzzles.

Not that this is a bad thing, mind. If you liked the somber “Limbo”s gameplay, “Teslagrad” and its colorful, much happier charm will very likely seduce you.

But I digress.

Did I mention the game is a puzzle-platformer? It also emphasizes the important of exploration, without ever really giving you much in terms of directions (how very Metroidvania of you, Rain Games).

All in all, about an hour and a half into the game, I’m enjoying it. The art style is gorgeous, and the level design is very smart. Our character does move with a certain lack of precision that can result in cheap deaths (something that people noticed in Xeodrifter, too), but you can get used to it.

Here’s hoping I don’t get too frustrated when a puzzle stomps me.

Which will happen.

I know that for a fact.

 

 

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About Marcos Codas 384 Articles
Lover of portable gaming and horror cinema. Indie filmmaker and game developer. Multimedia producer. Born in Paraguay, raised in Canada. Huge fan of "The Blair Witch Project", and "Sonic 3D Blast". Deputy head at Vita Player and its parent organization, Infinite Frontiers. Like what I do? Donate a coffee: https://www.paypal.me/marcoscodas

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