Game Reviews

Real Puzzles review - A Monument Valley-like puzzler with too much fat trimmed

Star onStar onStar halfStar offStar off
|
iOS
| Real Puzzles
Get
Real Puzzles review - A Monument Valley-like puzzler with too much fat trimmed
|
iOS
| Real Puzzles

Real Puzzles takes its cues from zen-like perspective puzzlers like Monument Valley and... well, Monument Valley 2.

Yes, this is yet another mobile game that's heavily indebted to Ustwo's seminal work. You can see it in the Escher-like puzzles, the isometric perspective, the pastel colour scheme, and the chilled music.

Unfortunately, it has none of the charm, polish, variety or sparkle that are at the heart of its inspiration.

Real familiar

Real Puzzles almost plays like some kind of rough proof-of-concept demo of Monument Valley.

You have a simple block in place of a character, and you must roll that block around each Gordian Knot of a level until you find your way to the level exit.

These angled pathways all employ well-worn optical illusion tricks that have them looping around on themselves in physically impossible ways. It's up to you to adjust your brain to think accordingly.

Or rather, you would need to make such adjustments if we hadn't seen this trick pulled plenty of times before.

No frills

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing inherently wrong with Real Puzzles. It's perfectly functional. But it's so stripped back and devoid of frills that it quickly grows a little tiresome.

In terms of approach, you can opt to take a logical approach, mapping out your path and then executing. Or, you can play a little looser, and simply go exploring until you find the correct path.

Either way, it's a fairly limited experience. There's nothing here that really lifts or modifies the experience.

Contrary to the app blurb, I also found the iPhone X support to be wanting. The game cut off ad text (not so bad) and even in one early instance a whole stretch of the level (bad), forcing me to start again on my iPad.

It's indicative of a rather sparse, rough and ready approach to puzzling that needs considerable fleshing out.

Real Puzzles review - A Monument Valley-like puzzler with too much fat trimmed

Real Puzzles is a perspective puzzler that feels like a super-stripped-back Monument Valley. Unfortunately, it's a little too devoid of personality and spark
Score
Jon Mundy
Jon Mundy
Jon is a consummate expert in adventure, action, and sports games. Which is just as well, as in real life he's timid, lazy, and unfit. It's amazing how these things even themselves out.