FILMECHANISM Reviews

Take aways: [list] [*] If you like puzzle platformers and think the concept of this game is fun, I recommend you pick it up. This game is easily worth the full asking price. [*] The game 200 one-screen levels across six worlds. Each world has three linear tracks representing three separate difficulties. Even if you play on the easiest difficulty, you should have a good time. The game also has an excellent built-in hint system. [*] This game runs wonderfully on Steam Deck. Unfortunately, the game does not have cloud saving. It's a relatively short game, so it this shouldn't be a huge issue. [*] If you have color blindness that causes you to confuse red, green, and blue you may have a harder time with this game but it should still be playable. [/list] Filmechanism lets the player save and restore the position of certain obstacles within a stage. The player "saves" the position of the obstacles by using film that must be collected in each stage. The game will then show you a colored outline of where the obstacles will be when you "restore" them. The game uses red, green, and blue for these outlines. If you have color blindness that causes you to confuse these three colors, you may have a harder time with this game but it should still be playable. I wish the game let you change these colors as an accessibility option. There are six worlds in the game with 200 one-screen puzzles for you to solve. The worlds have three linear tracks corresponding to three difficulty options: normal, hard, and hell. I personally these labels to be misleading: normal is easy, hard is probably the intended difficulty, and hell is difficult. I found the difficulty of the game to be just right; although I will admit some of the "hell" stages can be quite challenging. The game has a built in hint system that lets you exchange in-game currency for hints. Currency is earned at the end of each stage. The hint system shows the player screenshots at key moments during the execution of the level. Given the nature of the game, you'd be tempted to think that this gives away the plot: in many cases, it's still a mystery on [b]how[/b] to manipulate the obstacles to match the picture. My only complaint is that you can't quickly to move back and forth between the screenshots. Instead, you have to back out of the screenshot and open up another one. Some of the puzzles rely on timing whether it be platforms or obstacles. The game has a lot of polish in this respect as almost all of these challenges are easily done. You do not need to be a platforming god to be able to pull off these maneuvers. I have some complaints about two of the levels. In 4-28 [spoiler] you have to use short hops to avoid colliding with the electrified ceiling. It isn't easy to do short hops in this game. Alternatively, you can time your jumps so that the character's head hits a safe spot on the ceiling. I found short hops easier to execute. [/spoiler] In 6-4 [spoiler] the game eats your jump as the blocks fall. This is the trickiest platforming level in the game because you're rushed. [/spoiler] If you like puzzle platformers and think the concept of this game is fun, I highly recommend you pick it up. I picked this game up on sale, but this game is easily worth the full asking price. This game runs wonderfully on Steam Deck. Unfortunately, the game does not have cloud saving. It's a relatively short game, so it this shouldn't be a huge issue.