Red wires, green wires, blue wires, purple wires. Oh, man. Crossed wires, rotating wires. Too many wires! Oh, and every last one needs to be connected properly (red to red, blue to blue, etc.), by swapping hexagonal tiles. No timer, move limit or score tracking. Just you… and the wires.
Taking the minimalistic approach even further, LOOP also has very little in terms of audible feedback, which helps complete the zen-like experience. Solving the later levels can be tricky though, but early on, there’s not much in terms of challenge, as you click away on the titles, swapping back and forth to construct the intended design.
As you progress through the levels, new mechanics are frequently thrown into the mix, with things like multiple wires crossed through a single tile, and even rotatable tiles; both of which add a fair amount of challenge. Lining everything up accordingly is one thing, but having to deal with intertwined wires too… now that’ll really put your brain on overtime, attempting to visualize the solution, to then hopefully recreate it in-game. Challenging? You bet ya. Fun? Heck yeah!
Now, the demo I played – which is all that’s currently available – is, of course, but a small sample; an appetizer, if you will. The full version, set for release this December, is bound to truly put those puzzle-solving abilities to the test, with even more complex mechanics and a grand total of 100 levels. Price tag? $5 / €4 / £3 for the desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux) version. No word on how much the mobile port will be, or even its release date, at this point.
Since December is still a few months away, until then, how about taking the LOOP demo for a spin? It’s a lovely, relaxing, minimalistic puzzler with simple mechanics, and just the right amount of challenge (the demo, anyway). Ah, if only more video games featured such a winning combination. If only.
