As life will get more and more extra hectic, and because the darkish days of January appear to stretch off into the space, there ought to all the time be room for a pleasant, light puzzle sport. And if that puzzle sport includes cute penguins, what could possibly be higher?
Nicely, driving to the rescue are Grey Boss and QUByte Interactive with SokoWinter. As with the very best of those video games, the promise is easy, however the execution may be something however. So include me to the South Pole (as everyone knows, there aren’t any penguins on the North Pole!) and get slippy with it.
The arrange of SokoWinter is nearly embarrassingly easy. It has been found that penguins like to slip ice blocks round of their spare time. I’m unsure when a penguin will get spare time, as you’d think about they’d be on the lookout for fish or one thing, however nonetheless, it seems once they have the prospect, they relax by sliding big blocks of ice into the water. And thus is the premise of the sport laid naked – we’ve to regulate a gang of cute penguins and transfer some blocks. To date, really easy, proper?
The simplicity of the story can be mirrored within the presentation of the sport. The screens are considered from an isometric, high three quarter kind of view, the digital camera mounted and unable to be rotated. The degrees are all completely different, with various sizes and layouts, step by step rising in complexity as we get additional into the sport. Our little penguins, of which there are 4 to select from, are suitably cute with hats and scarves on, and the way in which they transfer can be fairly lovable. The blocks of ice we have to shift are taller than our feathery heroes with plans specializing in easy blue targets. To assist help, there may be additionally a grid sample laid out over the scene.
To date, so easy, proper? Nicely, sure and that every one extends to the sound as properly. There are some jolly good tunes in place in SokoWinter while the sound of sliding ice cubes is there to be heard. Now, I’ve been to sufficient zoos to know that penguins are noisy little buggers once they get going, so this clearly isn’t an awfully correct sport. Although every completely different penguin has its personal Latin anime listed within the achievements!
Onto the precise gameplay and the theme of non complexity carries on. As we start, we’ve one block, one goal to dunk it in, and solely good, crisp snow to stroll upon. As the degrees get larger, and the issue rises, there are new components added in. These may be so simple as merely an additional block or two, which should be despatched to the proper locations, or, as you’ll quickly come to dread, the introduction of ice into the snow. You’d suppose this wouldn’t be a difficulty for a penguin, accustomed as they’re to strolling on ice, however there’s a catch with this ice. When you step on it, you’ll proceed to slip till the ice ends, both by stepping onto snow, being stopped by a block or operating as much as the sting of a gap. Sure, fortunately, penguins seem to not have the ability to fall down holes, so there aren’t any nasty demise scenes right here.
Mainly, in SokoWinter you might be left to easily slide the ice till it falls into the outlet, after which rinse and repeat. I’m going to wrestle right here to achieve the required phrase rely for a assessment, I fancy! What’s good is that completely different penguins unlock as you undergo the degrees, unlocking after each twenty ranges or so. There’s some longevity to the sport as properly, as in a transfer that’s pleasing to me, the achievements for SokoWinter are tied to development via the degrees. To 100% it you have to to finish all the ranges, and this can be a lot simpler stated than completed. There are a bunch of levels in SokoWinter to strive your hand at, and as they get tougher, they do require some considering.
The management system is my solely actual niggle, largely as it’s arrange in a bizarre form of diagonal vogue; up will slide you proper a bit, while left goes up the display screen, and so forth. This does take a little bit of getting used to and within the early levels it’s all too simple to ship a block up towards an edge the place you possibly can’t get better it from (the penguins can solely push the blocks, not pull them, sadly). Ought to this occur, a swift press of the B button will see the extent reset again to the start, permitting you to strive once more. Fortunately it’s solely a minor niggle, and one you’ll quickly get used to.
All in all, it signifies that SokoWinter is an efficient puzzle sport with a good diploma of depth. Anticipate the issue to rise, together with the quantity of mind energy required to resolve what SokoWinter can throw at you. However in the end, in order for you a pleasant stress-free expertise, SokoWinter is the sport for you.
