Io Review
Guest Contribution
It’s only been a week since I played Semispheres, prostate which has quickly evolved into one of my favorite games of the year. Mixing intuitive puzzles with beautifully designed difficulty curves and cooperative elements, medical the game surpassed my expectations more times than I could count. However, order this doesn’t mean that something similar coming my way couldn’t be just as spectacular, as another simplistic yet cerebral game, Io has just launched. Does it falter, or can Io prove to be 2 for 2 for the puzzle genre in 2017? Here’s my verdict.
Gameplay:
Unlike Semispheres, Io contains a bit more variety in the way you can finish puzzles. While I appreciate aspects like these in a puzzle game, there’s always cases where you’ll be able to complete a level just by dumb luck. Thankfully, this didn’t happen to be too common, as Io rewards you for picking skills up quick, and then testing you later if you know them completely.
Story & Design:
This isn’t the only major contrast Io strikes between its puzzle peers. The game lets you play all levels without having to unlock them individually, so you can go in your own pace/direction. It may seem like I’m overpraising this aspect considering Io originally launched on mobile devices, but it flows remarkably well on consoles, so I have to give props in this regard.
Presentation/ Visuals & Audio:
The one thing about Io I find somewhat lacking is the presentation, but this doesn’t affect the game’s overall quality too much because the rest of the content is still accomplished. Nevertheless, you’ll have to get used to the basic graphics, and missing menu options that other, more high-profile games would have.
Conclusion:
Io is an accessible and entertaining puzzle game, that I would recommend if you ever feel burned out by the onslaught of AAA games coming your way soon. This way, you can re-experience the simpler things, instead of diving into the umpteenth open world.
Io gets a 8/10 (Very Good)
We’d like to thank Gamious for giving us a code!
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