Game Review: Antichamber

The game that I am going to be reviewing today is called Antichamber. Antichamber is a single player game that is in first person view, I would consider it a puzzle game for the most part with platformer elements thrown in as well. This game was released a few years ago back in January of 2013 for the PC on Steam for the price of $19.99 (Though I picked my copy up for around $4 while it was on sale). The game was developed and published by Demruth, and designed by Alexander Bruce using the Unreal Engine. 

I honestly find it kind of difficult to describe this game to you guys, in a way. Antichamber is a very unconventional game in quite a few ways, and it's one of the most unique games that I've touched in quite a long time. It doesn't have a flat out story going on exactly, though there certainly is a narrative to be found. Of course you're going to be solving some mind bending puzzles throughout, but there's just a nice atmosphere to this game that is relaxing in a way. Maybe due to the absolutely colorful and pretty graphics which were used for the game, which are really pleasing to look at. So, without further ado, lets get into the review. 

Now, I mentioned before that there is a vague narrative to the game. And, that's honestly about all I can say about it, since most players probably won't even realize there's anything there. The plot elements aren't ever truly explained or expanded upon, and what is actually in the game is really more of just a semblance of a plot than an actual full narrative. So, if you're looking for an entertaining story that is emotionally compelling or gripping, then you really won't be finding that here. What you will find is some fantastic gameplay however, which is what drives this game onward. 

The level design in particular for this game is bonkers, to say the least (I mean that in a good way). I was probably most impressed with it out of all of the gameplay mechanics in the game. Not only is it some of the most unconventional level design which I've seen in gaming, but it's some of the most mindbending as well. A good way to put describe the game is that it's in a similar vein to the artwork of M.C. Escher, where in the levels have a geometry inspired twist to them. Therefore, it's hard to tell what is actually real and what isn't when you're descending into each level. 

This gives you a lot of trial and error to experience as you play, because you'll have to try your best to learn all of the tricks of the trade that come with traversing and navigating these levels. This isn't exactly easy, since most of the time the game is really unpredictable during your first playthrough, though at times it does reuse some of it's previous mechanics. It is during these moments that it's a smart idea to try and keep in mind the past levels which you navigated through. But, keep in mind here, the levels themselves aren't even the main challenge of the game, and there's plenty of puzzles to be solved while figuring your way around. 

Now, what would be a puzzle solving game without a rad little gun to use? Well, I guess it would still be a puzzle game, just a really lame one. Anyways, pretty quickly into the game you acquire yourself a neat futuristic gun which absorbs and then spews out different colored blocks as you make your way along the game. Later on in the game you'll acquire new guns which have different abilities, such as allowing you to create blocks in specific patterns and other things as well. You'll find that most of the earlier puzzles are super simple, involving you just blocking a laser or redirecting them here and there, but as you move on and find newer guns the puzzles get much, much harder. 

You'll also find that after you've solved a puzzle, the game decides to give you a hint in the form of a picture or some brief advice. And, that's really what they are instead of just some small hints, they're really pieces of advice for you to follow. It might seem kind of strange for you to get a hint after you have already made your way through the puzzle, but at times this information will come in handy later on in the game and none of the information that you pick up is entirely useless. 

And, while the puzzles get more difficult as you progress, they start becoming quite repetitive towards the end of the game. I'll have to be honest and say that I thought the puzzles started getting a bit boring and tedious at this point in the game, at least in my opinion. This is probably the only real downfall of the game for me, but by no means is this a gamebreaker. It's unfortunate that the pace starts to come to a sluggish crawl towards the end, but it doesn't stay for too long and it's still an overall really enjoyable experience. 

Besides having a wonderful level design, the game also does a great job on it's color palette and art style. You get very vivid colors that are bright and full of life, which is a great contrast to the void of white walls, floors and ceilings that you see in the rest of the game. Although the art and style of the game is simple, it works in it's favor and in itself is a good contrast to the complexities of the levels themselves. It's also quite easy to find objects for solving puzzles thanks to this art style, since it's impossible to really hide within this white void world when you're neon pink or blue in color. 

The colors, art style and level design all help to set up the atmosphere of the game, but it's not only those things that create this wonderful geometric game. There's a nice sound design in here as well, creating a nice ambiance as you explore your way through these mindbending areas of Antichamber. The sound design stays fairly subtle for the most part, but at times can make things feel quite tense as you're wracking your brain to try and figure out the solution for a puzzle you're stuck on. Everything within the sound design fits quite well, and I think it really adds another layer of depth to the atmosphere of the game. 

This game is a colorful, unique piece within the sea of video games. It has an incredible charm to it, and is one of the more entertaining puzzle games that I have played in a long time. While the plot isn't anything hilarious, emotionally gripping, or even really that noticeable at all, it never detracts from the experience of the game. This is definitely one of those games where the plot takes a backseat (Mostly because it's so vague) and lets the gameplay be the driving force. I'd definitely recommend this game for anyone who is a fan of puzzle games, or just wants a game which is relaxing and easy on the eyes. 

Thanks for checking out my review! Hope you've enjoyed it!