Comment: Tetris Effect – Hardcore Gamer

As passionate about his music as his video games, I love nothing more than these moments in a piece that invades you. All previous thoughts, preoccupations or distractions are quickly put aside by something that scares you. This can happen at any time: at the beginning, around half the distance, near the highest point, appearing suddenly without accumulation, anywhere. Of course, you have fun on an objective or subjective basis, but they all evoke the same uplifting thought: "yeah that's it … here;" just a few minutes to play "player mode" in "story" mode (for lack of a better term) nicknamed Journey in Tetris effect and it becomes clear that the producer Tetsuya Mizuguchi (with the developer Resonair) did for Tetris what he had brought at once Lumines and ground alike. Two games of opposing genres almost polar, but sharing the same unifying and visceral pleasure of visuals and music working wonderfully in tandem.

On its first three levels only, Tetris effect demonstrates a talent for attracting players into the experience. Bright, bright colors, rushing particle effects and extensive aesthetic choices complimenting the surrounding screen space. Notes, chords or sound samples synchronized with the player's participation: rotate a piece to make a sound appear; to reach a given percentage of the required number of filled lines and the presentation increases it one notch, visually and audibly. On paper, it seems elementary and strange to talk about with such noble praise. The most cynical people claim that it's the same principle that even the most basic of the web browser iterations can generate and they would be right. . And if you compare that to Mizuguchi's earlier work, you can absolutely declare something like ground has found a way to stay more interactive and mechanically engaging with its own synergy of geometric abstraction and electronic music.

But the genius of Tetris effect This is not because it is essentially Tetris (and if the game has never clicked you, this game will not distract you from this history), it is rather the merit of the iteration of this year – one of the many – lies in the fear that one feels as you go along, a pulsating rhythm culminating with an explosion from one theme to another. Try to do your best to reach a rank A or higher after completing a group of levels without a break, using the tactics you prefer just to reach that required number of lines. The voluntary absorption of this show in the show that you have before you seems, again in theory, simplistic and relatively uninspiring, but you can not afford to get lost in the many musical accompaniments that are gradually built over time. Even try to synchronize rotations or line completions in rhythm with time or tempo.

The presentation of the novel infuses the game with an insightful and attractive need to know where we are heading, or more precisely, what a strange, comical but quite delightful landscape that the game is preparing, even if the gameplay remains virtually unchanged. In the end, you can not help but smile (even occasionally, chuckle) at the many aesthetics evoked by the game. A New York / Jazz themed level that synchronizes your movements / rotations with the keys. a piano, thus completing a line creating a chord; a diabolically ritualistic setting whose participants' energy increases with time and speed plus a level aboard a kind of space station with the jargon blurred by an astronaut out of the field, your only sign of movement.

The latest offers, especially towards the final parts of Journey Mode, do not always inspire the same depth or the same surprising contrast as previous levels – similar to the soundtrack whose previous tracks act as a kaleidoscopic tour de force, going from the trance to the atmosphere. electropop and make room for some jazz and percussion penchant. What else, Tetris effect may seem too indulgent in its stride for a perpetual artistic happiness, resulting in a synchronized effect or animation that makes its way between you and the gameplay. And in times when speed is increased and where strategy in a split second is becoming more critical, brief obstructions and unnecessary intensity of elements such as blooming and lighting dazzling can spoil the mood. The effect usually accumulates prodigiously.

However, like its rare frame rate stammers, these nuisances are not remarkable in terms of criticism. The only obvious omission in the form of camera controls is that you need to zoom in and out and rotate the perspective every time you play a level, with no way to create presets or snapshots. save a desired setting for the sequel. use. Most critical of all, however, is that Tetris effect That's so much more than its delicious synergy and one of the greatest compliments you can give to a game like this is that, despite all this exquisite beauty and appropriate variety of musical genres, the game believes always imperative to prove oneself. a legitimate evolution of a classic formula without losing sight of its proven roots.

Of course, the basic mechanics are as classic and atypical as they have always been: twisting, releasing and aligning rows of Tetrimino shapes in order to accumulate points and prevent your oblong shaped pot from overturning. On this basis, Tetris effect retains all the strength of the concept of puzzle against risk: reward your strategy in a split second until the accelerated perilous pace that blocks the fall. A simple premise that leads to many safe or perilous decisions.

But this year's entry introduces not one, but two additions to the fold. On the one hand, a simple press on the shoulder button can allow you to store a shape before putting it in place – a handy tool if, for example, you want to keep a practical "I" block for a future four-row Tetris or just want to spread that useless "S" that does not fit anywhere. But the other, more beneficial, is the introduction of the zone counter which, once fully charged, allows you to freeze time for a short while, eliminating the danger of falling blocks, so as to accumulate combinations of lines additional items to add to your list. final score at the end of a given level of sets of levels. Just on that, Effect can easily gloat in the same way to the many iterations and regurgitations. Puyo Puyo Tetris can boast of its strange but effective association with another intellectual property.

Some may be discouraged by the lack of online multiplayer mode or other ways to compete outside rankings, and it would be easy to assume that the game has already been defined with the way in which Player avatars are shared worldwide. But in reality, the lack of online mode does not detract from the many optional challenges offered by this area of ​​the game. And delivers with a surprising effect. These cover four categories and range from cleaning a defined number of lines as quickly as possible to more strategic challenges such as removing as many "infected" blocks as possible. Then there are more casual / casual versions of Tetris that eliminate the risk of Game Over or allow you to play through the levels related to a particular theme or playlist. Even the most basic modes such as combo or score building are as contagious as they have always been. Whether it says that Tetris effect offers more than enough variety – being much more attractive and addictive to erase with a high enough rank, that they have no right to be.

Closing Comments:

Since the days of the PlayStation or the original Game Boy, Tetris has proved with such ferocity that it remains as pleasant and as aesthetic as many times. Tetris effect take this last element and provide what could be one of the most absorbing and sprawling audiovisual iterations you've ever seen that could be generated by this classic core product of the industry. Tetsuya Mizuguchi and Resonair invoked Tetris with an incredible amount of character and personality, while playing with the gameplay. They also changed the gameplay by adding slight modifications, but did not dilute the game's hilarious strategy. The falling blocks convinced people. In no case perfect and falling victim to his own expansive vision, Tetris effect remains a pleasant surprise for those who appreciate the longevity and versatility of the content of the series. An appropriate reference for this saying: "more than the sum of its parts".