REVIEW : Alveole (XBOX Series X)
Alveole is a minimalist puzzle that requires players to understand how to perform it. Alveole is a short experimental project that explores a player’s ability in a restricted environment with only one promoted game mechanic. When I come across an indie game developed by a small team, I love it. These personal projects are usually unique, and small ventures explore some weird concepts. Alveole comes from a small team of two and offers a minimalist experience. Developed by Emil Ismaylov and Denis Petrov and published by Sometimes You, this is a simple puzzle title. The topic devised in the two-day hackathon was “cage,” They didn’t want to take it literally. They created a symbolic image of their thoughts. A simple game using mechanics was born! The repetitive nature emphasizes the feeling of being trapped, so they remain true to their theme.
When the game explores the same mechanic repeatedly, expect it to lead somewhere. Unfortunately, Alveole isn’t, and its déjà vu helps break down the concept. The game revolves around a man in a hamster wheel who has to walk until he is exhausted. Its only goal is to jump over randomly appearing puncture wounds. If you make a mistake, you will stumble, but you will continue to walk (it is not so easy to escape your destiny).
This is the basis of the game, a continuous treadmill that cannot be dismounted. You are trapped in that eternal loop until you understand the mysterious clues in front of you. Then, you can guess what it means by tripping over and jumping to each solution. You need to achieve perfection, failure, completion, returns, etc. It was undeniably strange, and it took me a while to figure out what happened. I was expecting more, but somehow I became addicted and decided to unravel the hidden meaning.
It’s important to have the opportunity to experiment with shapes, styles, stories and graphics, especially in today’s crowded markets like books, movies, TV. Alveole is a weird game, but it’s not the one you’ve played so far. Still, it’s very addictive to play.
This game is described as a minimalist puzzle game where players need to understand how to run and why. Messed up? That’s not true. The assumptions are very simple, but it’s a difficult part to understand. However, it’s certainly there for interpretation, and the theme of the game isn’t linear; it symbolizes our struggle as humans, so if you can get it.
The man appears out of nowhere and stands in a place that can only be called a wheel. There are no instructions, but some things and pictures of things on the wheels. Glasses, cat face, some mountains and shark fins are just a few options. There are empty spaces on the left and right of the cage that needs to be filled. Sit like a space in a sticker book. You need to fill in the above fields in these fields. How does this happen? Well, you just run.
All you have to do is hold the button and run the man. It sends him around the wheel. Seven pointed obstacles appear during the cycle, allowing the man to jump and stumble. After the seventh obstacle disappears, the wheel slows down, ending the cycle. Then, the man is born again, and the cycle begins again.
All you need to do is use these actions to calculate the different combinations needed to unlock all stickers. To avoid ruining what the
Alveole can produce; here’s one example, but a picture of a heart-shaped necklace that lacks some debris. This will show you the obstacles to jump and stumble to get the sticker. Other combinations can be easily resolved if you skip them all or encounter them all. It’s hard to get them all but strangely compulsive.
Alveole’s artistic concept and strange nature came to my mind. I don’t know what I did, and I don’t know if it was fun. I had a hard time understanding what that meant, but I couldn’t put it down. Jumping the spikes repeatedly made me a little crazy, and I felt trapped in a game with minimal clues.
Limited gameplay and unusual assumptions don’t apply to everyone! On the console, you’ll find the following niches in the fan base of the hardcore puzzle genre. It’s more experimental than the puzzle itself, as it has a bit of logical thinking and is mostly trial and error. Unfortunately, this will limit its appeal and undermine the perception that this strange title deserves.
You may not be familiar with the concept, but I was drawn to the presentation. The sleek monochrome colour palette was as eye-catching as sharp lines and basic images. A large wheel stands in the middle of an almost empty room. Visual clues that disappear when you solve each puzzle are scattered around the screen. The main character is the outline of a man who moves smoothly in a rolling prison. The game lacks complexity and what you see is what you get. However, I liked his candid approach, proving that less is more often.
Déjà vu can also be seen in repeated tones. Lethargic piano music creates a calm, fun and calm atmosphere. However, the constant looping of the track was a chore, which completely emphasized the theme.
The whole cycle takes about 3 minutes, so it doesn’t feel like you’re wasting your time trying all the combinations known to humans. And when all the combinations are done, the game is complete and has the most interesting ending of the game I’ve seen for a long time. Don’t expect a dramatic finale, but that’s what I left behind.
The Alveole image is of good hand-drawn quality and looks like a kind of pencil drawing that can be animated by turning the pages of a book. It works very well, and after a while, it becomes quite hypnotic when you see a man running. Below the game is the wonderful piano sheet music that is beautifully composed and pleasing to the ear. It also works perfectly within the premise of the game. However, the effect is very easy as the camera shutter will appear where you complete the sticker and shoot.
Alveole is a short game, but it’s also valuable as an experiment in game development and abstract narration. Real gameplay (running and jumping in short cycles) can put off many things. I’m sure it’s not suitable for everyone. I think this works much better as a mobile game than a console. Immerse yourself in it from time to time. However, it takes less than an hour to complete Alveole, which is reasonably priced. I certainly enjoyed the game, but I have to admit that I’m a big fan of experimental games. I suspect others don’t like it that much.
Not surprisingly, Alveole is easy to play! You focus on the timing of the jump, and that’s it. The game revolves around pressing a button, so its simplicity is anthropomorphic. The challenge arises from developing mysterious clues, not control methods.
Unfortunately, the decisive style of the game minimizes reproducibility. Once you’ve resolved each clue, there’s nothing left to do, limiting gameplay. Fortunately, it’s cheap, and if the premise is intriguing to you, it will be a few hours of fun. Alveole is a strange artistic experiment. Being trapped in a treadmill that repeats the same task can be daunting.
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