Blocks that Matter -PC-
Blocks that Matter -PC-
Review by Pete. 2012 6/11
Blocks that Matter is a lighthearted pick up and play 2D side scroller that I had quite a bit of fun with. It’s is a tricky puzzle solving game with 50+ levels that will get more challenging as you go along. The gameplay and design follow closely to game like braid, limbo, and The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom. The art style is much more basic and cartoon like than the titles I mentioned too. I also don’t think Blocks that Matter is on the same level as braid and limbo, but it comes close.
In the past couple of month I’ve been playing every 2D side scroller that I can get my hands on. I’ve just been going nuts for these games. I’ve been using the site unikgamer.com to keep track of the 2D side scrollers so I can say that I’ve beat them all, but as of now I still have quite a few to go through. Here is a link to the page I’m talking about. It’s a reader voted list of all the best 2d side scrollers of all time. I don’t necessarily agree with every choice, but It’s a pretty darn good list nonetheless. I don’t think you’re gonna see Blocks that Matters on that list anytime soon because it’s not very well known, but I think it deserves to be at least in the top 200.
So here is how you play: The object is to reach the exit portal, but to get there you’ll need to jump around over blocks, obstacles, and enemies. The only real ability you have is to place blocks on the map. But you can only place blocks 4 at a time, and this is what makes things tricky. Each block as different attributes, like wood blocks burn, sand blocks fall if the block under it is taken out, other blocks explode, and some blocks are permanent once placed. Each level makes to solve a unique puzzle by placing your blocks in a certain fashion. Be prepared to have your brain teased over and over again. I said that the game is pick up and play, and by that I mean that for me I would get frustrated by a puzzle and just quit, only to have the answer to the puzzle come to me later and I’d hop back on. It’s really a cleaver game.
I picked it up on a steam indie bundle for pennies, and I feel like this game alone was worth the price of the 10 game bundle. I put around 6-8 hours in the main story line to beat it, and there are more levels and challenges availabe to players for increatsed replay value.
There is a story to the game, but it’s not taken very seriously, and it can even be skipped ( I wish I had found out sooner). The story actually surrounds the developers of the game and how they get kidnapped or something. It was all good and what not, but to me, the way it was written, it was like the developers were honoring themselves. You’d have to play the game to understand, I felt like I was visiting some hipster indie developer loft where the developers tell each other how awesome they are. It really rubbed me the wrong way.
If the puzzles wern’t so well thought out then this would be a pretty mediore game, but the puzzles are brillaintly cleaver and make you really sit and think after you die repeatly though trial and error. I’ve since suggested this game to serveral friends, and I would do the same to you loyal readers. Blocks that Matter is quite a bit of fun 4/5
-Pete
