Save the Zacks is a charming and occasionally terrifying puzzler targeting an August launch for iOS, with an Android release to follow

I first saw charming physics-based puzzler Save the Zacks at our Pocket Gamer Connects London event back in January. Since then, I've seen more or less the entire game and have thoroughly enjoyed my time with it.

So what's it about? Well, in Save the Zacks, your goal is to… save the Zacks. They're cute little creatures who also happen to be rather helpless. But by terraforming parts of each level, you can guide them towards the safety of a nearby teleport.

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This can be done by swiping along the screen to create underground pathways and makeshift ramps. By tilting your device, you can then trigger the Zacks to begin rolling around the place. It's a very simple concept that still leads to plenty of tricky situations.

There will, for example, be occasions where you'll have to sacrifice a couple of Zacks for the good of the many. You see, Zacks can actually explode, which can clear out obstacles or enemies in your path. Speaking of the enemies, there's a terrifying tentacled creature whose insatiable hunger and rapid, decidedly alien movements have caused me to recoil multiple times.

So, Zacks can be eaten, incinerated, zapped, and impaled at a moment's notice. And yet, it still hovers around that strange area of almost being a kid-friendly experience. There's no excessive gore or annoying "we're not actually a kid's game" edginess to it, which is a huge relief; instead, you can expect a game that very much marches to the beat of its own drum, serving up cuteness and a looming sense of danger in equal amounts.

If any of that has piqued your interest, you'll likely be chuffed to hear that Save the Zacks is targeting an August launch for iOS, with an Android version set to follow later this year.