At times I am sure we have held a puzzle in our hands and tried to figure out how things work as we try to solve it. Sometimes it may take minutes and sometimes we put everything aside and are laser-focused on solving our newly founded distraction, as the minutes can become hours. So does Developer VizonEck bring the past up to the present and twist it? Let’s find out with Twisty Puzzle Simulator for the PlayStation VR and PlayStation 4.
So what is Twisty Puzzle Simulator all about? Think about holding that puzzle cube in your hand, as I am sure we have done many times. We look at it already solved with the colors of rows just in perfection. Each side is in unity with the other. Until that one person (could be you, a co-worker, or a family member that you no longer talk to since they touched your perfect puzzle over 5 years ago at a family get-together to only now avoid them, because, till this day, you cannot solve what they have unsolved) turns one side and then a row and keeps twisting and twisting and turning and twisting until your OCD kicks in that you never really thought you had before.
In the beginning, you have access to 14 puzzles. As you can see it goes from basic to what the. There are more puzzles to unlock, but you will need to find the codes that are hidden throughout the game in order to discover them. Each puzzle has options ranging from the colors you want to use to how fast you want to rotate to the sound to even the scramble speed.
The puzzles are designed well and start out with the basic 2×2 and can get more challenging with each one that follows. I am saying this now…forget you, Mixup Cube Plus and Mixup Octahedron; you no longer mean anything to me and you can sit there unsolved for all that I care. That felt really good to get that out.
As far as controls go, you have a choice with the DualShock 4 controller or both Move controllers. To me, I seemed to have better control with the DualShock 4, as I was able to turn and rotate the sides with a little more ease. But you may find the Move controllers work better for you.
Before you start a puzzle, you have the option to scramble. What this means is that the universe hates you and will scramble all the pieces to see if you are up for the challenge. The great thing about this is the option to either have the scramble speed fast or slow or even to hide and be surprised. Honestly, it doesn’t matter with the more challenging puzzles. Just make a mental note you are not alone in the frustration of the challenges. But stick with it, because once you solve one of these puzzles in Virtual Reality, know this…it doesn’t matter if after it’s all said and done you see one at a friend’s house or at a store; you don’t have to even prove yourself in reality, because it really only means something in Virtual Reality.
Another option I like is the ability to save your game if needed. While playing, you do have a timer along with the number of moves and that is another challenge in itself. To see if you can do better than your last. If you find that a puzzle may be a little more challenging than you were up for, being able to just change the puzzle is also nice to have.
Sound-wise, the music is right. I mean it is what it is and I am not saying that is a bad thing. I would have liked more o variety or even being able to add our own music via a thumb drive because sometimes people can concentrate more on different types of genres of music.
When looking at the graphics, I do appreciate the simplicity the developers put into each of the puzzles. Each one is unique and challenging. What I would have loved to see in different environments. Would it have caused some distractions seeing pictures or different environments change? Maybe, but again, at least having the option to change or if nothing else to change the color would be nice. Yes, as I mentioned, you can change the colors of the puzzle if you would like and you can even change the number of colors. For example, if you want two reds, three oranges, and green, go for it. Or for me, I went more simplistic with just some blue. So yes, there are some choices that are pretty nice to have, but being able to try to solve a puzzle based on the season of the year, such as a cabin with it snowing outside by the fireplace, would be pretty awesome.
Sometimes in life, we come across puzzles in our own lives that are frustrating that we may become angry, standoffish and may have problems that start to overcome who we really are. Sometimes when we sit and ponder on how to complete our own puzzles in our own lives, those challenges will rub negativity and obstruct us from what really matters in life. But if we take that negativity and frustration and use it as an outlet for positivity, only good things can come from the light at the end of the tunnel.
Twisty Puzzle Simulator is out now on PlayStation VR and is also available on Steam. A review code was provided.
To learn more about VizionEck, please visit their site and follow them on Twitter.
Mr. PSVR, December 10, 2018, theplaystationbrahs.com
