Take a 2D puzzle platform as the base and on to this base add loads of metroidvania elements and eye catching cute graphics. Mix these well with occasional bursts of soul warming music in retro style. Bake the mixture till brown in a hand drawn old school non-verbal gameplay environment. Let the sweet scent settle and serve with a cute kid as the main character. The result is an awe striking game in the form of Teslagrad from Rain Games. 
The game opens up with a very short yet self-sufficing story where a baby is seen being rescued by his father from a pack of goons. Then one fine day this baby grows into a cute kid who sets on a journey that will “magnetise his world”. Although this story leaves many unanswered questions like who is the kid’s father and why was he being chased by goons? But these mysteries are an apt fuel for the gamer’s mind and sure keeps your interest tied to the game even before it starts. The mystery of the story slowly unfolds taking on a fairy tale-like quality while leaving just enough open to interpretation that you can fill in some of the blanks with your own imagination.
The whole story has been narrated without any spoken words or written descriptions and this attempt has not gone into a wild goose chase but the writer was able to hit the mark sufficiently close to the bull’s eye if not accurately. It won’t be wrong to put it this way that the narration is clear as crystal and cohesive despite of the fact that the game is compilation of nooks and crannies of still images offering a dark tale of cooperation, treachery, greed, hope, and salvation.
A brave step some would call it. But whatever it may be it paid off really well and the techniques employed in developing this game are very thorough and almost flawless. Another unique feature is the use of chalk drawings in the background to convey the directions of the gameplay without affecting the continuity of the game. Thus you will witness no cut scenes while playing Teslagrad and this also means that you have to take extra care about your surroundings – headache for many while an added bliss for some!
The game has been set in an electro-magnetic world of changing polarities where you as a kid ascend the serpentine towering structure gaining godly powers from experiments of a genius Nikola Tesla to escape the evil grasp of the army goons. The story then starts developing from various environment elements carving out an emotional tale that is told through intricate visual means. You slowly gain control of various accessories that help you master magnetism and fulfil your destiny. (Spoiler alert: It turns out that the nameless boy you have been controlling is the heir and last of the Teslamancers-masters of magnetism).
The game blasts off with pretty basic exercises of getting to know your character and the early stages are mere child’s play but your dexterity in handling the magnetic forces will be put to test as you advance up the tower. Often you get stuck at certain levels and that becomes annoying and irritating but this could just be the icing to the cleverly moulded cake. The puzzle pieces only start to fit together at their right spots if the player takes notice of his/her environment as the environment has many directions via objects like drawings, paintings, puppet shows etc. The essence of the game lies in changing polarities of certain objects with your magnet glove that can alter polarities depicted in red and blue colour. Later in the game you’ll obtain a pair of boots that allow you to teleport forward a short distance, lengthening the reach of your jumps or enabling you to pass through grates. In addition, you’ll surround yourself with a magnetic field, allowing you to cling to a magnetic ceiling, or fling yourself across otherwise impassable gaps. These elements are introduced gradually and the game eases you into their various uses, taking to time to ensure you’re familiar with each before presenting you with tasks which require you to combine your various abilities.
It opens up with the young boy running through rooftops escaping the gang of Russian thugs in red jacket and the young boy flees into the sceptically immense tower that apparently is his father’s laboratory. In there you will be presented with many metroidvania-esque puzzling levels that start with letting you get the hang of the controls and the kink gradually starts to kick in as they start getting hard. But this game does hit the sweet spot of amazement as you are left asking questions like: What would happen if I went there? Or what could possibly be the purpose of this switch here? Can I jump over this black creature? And many more… The game shall definitely leave you desired for more captivating with its amazing graphics that get better and better and its original soundtrack that is soulful. There is that sense of awe and delighted confusion as a player wanders through a world he doesn’t quite understand–but a world he desperately wants to learn more about.
The gameplay is nothing out of the box that we haven’t witnessed before. There are basic controls of jump, left and right movement, and move up or down a grappled object. The game has a limbo feel with a two dimensional platform that has some quite intricate puzzles scattered throughout. You will witness an excellent blend of abilities, puzzles and platforming at the heart of the gameplay. The only thing strangely uncomfortable I found was the placement of controls on the keyboard. Though this could be overcome by plugging in your gamepad which makes the game pretty fluidic and neat. So I won’t hold this against the otherwise excellent puzzle game.
Already feel like buying Teslagrad: You should, it would be a ravaging new experience for you but before that let us talk about some of the annoying titbits of the Teslagrad. Some of the levels are too difficult for their own good requiring pinpoint timing and pixel-perfect accuracy. If you die in the game (and trust me that shall happen a lot during the game while you discover new areas and curiosity gets the better of you) you re spawn to the begging of the room resetting the puzzle you might have already solved – yes a bit frustrating if it gets repeatedly that way for larger rooms that require many puzzles to be solved correctly. And lest you die in one of those rooms you will have to repeat the gauntlet. But this is far from some wild goose chase that will leave you flabbergasted at the developers because when you do complete the puzzle you will be rewarded with exceedingly visual graphics in the next level – a sure treat for the eye!
There are few of the boss stages (according to me there are 5 but player’s discretion is advised) too that makes the already fragile young boy fighting a losing battle for survival as one tiny hit sends him flying right to the start of the boss battle. The battle will get more aggravated with time and eventually becomes a war of attrition which when you do overcome leaves you relieved if anything else. During these fights there will be moments when you will sigh, grit your teeth in exasperation and you might want to shut the game down and try again with a cool mind to overcome this challenge. These instances feel too harsh and unforgiving for the otherwise cute game. But thankfully these few fights are the only flicker of any real combat instances as the major focus is on how to getting past the obstacles without engaging into fight with any of them.
This was all about the only cons of the game and it would certainly not be fair on my part if I end this review on a sour note for this exceedingly electrifying yet sweet game. These few instances only add to the sudden rush of excitement and yes they do form an important chain in the linkage of the story as without them it would not have become the exciting roller coaster that you would definitely want to take a ride on.
The essence of the game is in its hand drawn characters and scenes which really do stand out as something phenomenal for a game. The graphics are simple yet they do charm you leaving you with big puppy eyes as though these very candy treats for your eyes. Even the bosses are a showcase of how beautiful the game has been designed to look. The world of Teslagrad is rich in detail and beauty, the quality putting to shame many bigger-budget games of its ilk. I would certainly not shy from the fact to go as far as saying that this might just be the eye opener to the shamed games we had seen which were so heavy that they transformed your gaming machine into a baking oven yet the graphics always left you with dissatisfaction. The game is backed up by subtle SFX work as well, with everything sounding as it should with care and attention to detail that ensures little things like the rustling of a cape as you fall down a long shaft add to the physicality and believability of the game. The music is definitely not the one you would be hum while you take a leisurely walk but it’s definitely a joy to listen to.
There is so much to like about Teslagrad. Compelling gameplay and plot? Check. Interesting premise? Check. Creativity in gameplay? Check. Constant sense of wonder and amazement? Double check. A gorgeous canvas picture splayed through all the game’s length? Hell YEAH! Comparing it to the replica of real Nikola Tesla’s fantastic genius, Teslagrad shines bright and strong, bringing its own unique spirit into an overly crowded gaming industry.
If you like a quiet puzzle platformer that is also a wonderful piece of pixel art and are not afraid of some difficulty spikes, then this is the game you were waiting for.
