PEGBRJE: Tangrams Deluxe and THE GREY MAN
Classic puzzles, non-classic aliens.
Tangrams Deluxe is a digital version of the logic puzzle of the same name, created by the indie studio VerticalReach in Portugal. Players will be completing a massive set of Tangrams to their own pace, with all sorts of objects to create.
For a bit of context, the Tangram is a visual logic puzzle thought to be designed in China (dating exactly when is difficult, unfortunately) and features seven exact shapes; five right angle triangles sized two large, two small and a ‘medium’, a square and a parallelogram. While their ‘resting’ position is in a square, the goal is to create objects usually outlined in a template by another who created it utilizing the Tangram. In this title, players will be given these templates as a shadowy backdrop, with the only hint being the object type that it is from cats to fish to numbers. By rotating the pieces, players can then discover how they can all fit together without leaving a single piece excluded from the design. Pieces can be rotated in eight directions to allow for them to better fit — obviously real pieces can be rotated an infinitesimal amount, but that doesn’t really help all that much — and the parallelogram will ‘flip’ during rotation to allow for all of its possibilities.
Tangrams Deluxe takes this classic of a puzzle and makes it simply accessible to all. Virtual means that players can simply test out patterns at the press of a button, and never have to fear losing a piece if dropped. It comes with over 200 puzzles to solve, and thanks to the little animation that plays after each success you as the player can see what the shape would be if it was a tad more solid and had more detail. It’s a fun way of rewarding the player for their successes without having to include too much outside of the imagination. You’ll never truly run out of possibilities, even after the 200 are completed, as it can open the door to your own creations with tangrams if you want it to. Try this out if you are needing a bit more shapes in your life, specifically seven that never change but can create nearly anything.
THE GREY MAN is a adventure game created by ATTACK MOUNTAIN, an indie team based out of the United States. Players will get to experience the world through the sensory receptors of an alien roaming Tinderboone National Park, looking for… well, what else are aliens looking for but people to abduct?
Players will be beaming down on a peaceful night as this grey alien, moving throughout the park which is created in a 2D environment. While controlling the alien’s movements, the mouse will also be the player’s companion cube, which can interact with the human world where the alien fails. This is the core adventure of the game, to which the player will be attempting to ‘interact’ with the humans without them either run away screaming or tranquilizing them. Getting close enough to begin the capture sequence requires the companion cube to cause distractions, scares, and chaos through the environment. This can mean spiders, little bugs, and even other animals; the ‘world’ is the oyster, might as well utilize it. Now if the park rangers approach, players will need to be on their toes for the tranq dart, as once they are hit the ranger will attempt to capture them in a net. The only solution is to call for the UFO to free them, which can be sped up with rapid clicks. Succeed, and the alien can get back up and capture the ranger; fail, and the player is returned to the ship once more to start from a waypoint.
These capture humans are what allow THE GREY MAN to have a sense of progression, for every so often new abilities and areas will be opened up once enough humans have been found and captured. This can mean getting a larger capture radius, new interactables, and even the ability to dash. The park is yours to explore, and each night you go out there’s the ability to find even more people to make your friends. If you like puzzle-esque titles that allow for the player to learn by simply exploring and trying things out, this game might be exactly that. Helps that the soundtrack is so nice on the ears, too.
