.projekt review
:: A BRIGHT PUZZLERPrice: $1.99
Version: 1.0.3.0
App Reviewed on: iPad Pro 10.5
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There have been a few silhouette-based puzzlers on the mobile market before, but .Projekt certainly doesn't get lost in their – ahem – shadow.
As well as offering up slick, interesting gameplay, its minimalistic aesthetic works in its favour to keep your attention solely focussed on the task at hand. That's always a good thing in such a crowded genre.
It's easy to feel a little sceptical when you first load up .Projekt, but give it a few levels and it turns out to be as addictive as it is simplistic.
In order to move on to the next level, you have to arrange blocks in the centre of the screen to match the two marked off areas on the grids either side of the centre platform. All in all you've got to convert 3D blocks to match the 2D shadows.
Building blocks
The whole thing looks down in a sort-of isometric view, so keeping an eye on your angles will benefit you here. You swipe to move to a different angle, touch the screen to place a block, and hold down on the screen to remove a block. Nice and easy, right?
Despite what you'd think there isn't a massive difficulty curve as you progress, but rather assortments of different puzzles that make you use your brain in a slightly different way. None of them are pull-your-hair-out challenging. They're definitely entertaining, though.
It does introduce an extra element of challenge after a little while, giving you an overview of how many cubes you've placed down, what the minimum is to complete the level, and what your maximum is. Usually, I'm not much of a fan of this mechanic, but with no timers and as many block removals as you want, it remains a super chill experience.
Only one noticeable gripe stood out during play. Since you're stuck looking down over the grid with an isometric view, placing some blocks can be a bit difficult. Usually you have to build up from the bottom to be able to get to the place you want, but that's only a mild negative.
Its longevity is also something that I'm curious about. There should be a good number of levels to work through at least. Once they're done and dusted, however, the only reason I'd go back to the game would be if they brought out new levels or a level creator for the community to make their own.
Shadow me
Whether you're a fan of no-rush puzzlers or mellow, strategic challenges, .Projekt will not disappoint.
It's stylish, cleverly made, quick to get into, and easy to love. Despite a couple of small gripes, I still ended up losing myself in the levels and couldn't wait to see what challenges I would face next.
Projekt is a simple, but clever puzzler, which focusses more on its intuitive puzzle design and is an absolute joy to play.