At first glance, this game looks like a way to explore a digital world, in some ways, it is. Players get to travel in this world and seek out memories and answers as to why they are in this place. I knew this game was a puzzle game, but I was surprised about how deep this game actually would get. Here’s a look at the puzzling and mystifying Master Reboot.Gameplay:
Players are cast in the role of someone who is now in the Soul Cloud. The Soul Cloud is a place where the dead can be stored in order to be “saved” from death. Anyone with a Soul Cloud residence can visit their loved ones time and time again, even after their death. They can explore the memories and relive good times. This time, however, there is something wrong in the cloud. It’s the players job to figure out what the problem is and why they are here in the first place.Without a doubt, Master Reboot is a puzzle game. But more than that, it’s also dark. Some may even go so far as to say it’s a horror game. In some ways, I can see it. The game has a dark core to it, and players are constantly being chased by Seren, the guardian of the soul cloud. Many of the levels players go through are dimly lit, creepy, and always have some air of death about them. The puzzles start off fairly easy and increase throughout the game as normal puzzle games should. Near the end, there is a bit of a spike in difficulty, almost to the point where the puzzles don’t give you enough to complete the puzzle before you. These particular puzzles I’m mentioning don’t allow you to leave without completing the puzzle, so it can be discouraging if the player has to exit the game just to get out of the puzzle area and try to look for something else.With each area, there are also rubber ducks throughout the levels. These are the collectables that will unlock more details about the story that is unfolding with the completion of each level. This story, for a puzzle game, is one of the most innovative that I have seen in a while. Finding out why players are in the soul cloud was an intriguing mystery that kept me wanting more until the very end.Graphics:
The graphics for the game are pretty good as well. Many are simple shapes just to provide a general idea of the city that players will be arriving at, but others are detailed (like the character models for Seren and some other enemies players will face). Between each level, the story progresses with a simple 2D animation. A stray away from the 3D of the rest of the game, but the story does explain why the cutscenes are in 2D as opposed to 3D. The story completely envelopes every aspect of the game, which I find refreshing in a game world where the story seems to take the back seat in development.Audio:
The audio for the levels are generally the same, but there is atmospheric ambiance that is unique to the levels that players are progressing through. There are also elements of suspense in the audio as players avoid the enemies that are threatening to erase them from the Soul Cloud itself. It keeps the players involved without being a nuisance to the game.Final thoughts:
Master Reboot is definitely a game that should be looked into. Aesthetically pleasing, and fantastic puzzles keep the gameplay fun while an engaging story keeps players interested and wanting to explore the world more. The difficulty spike at the end concerns me, but other than that I personally have no problems with the game. A fun and suspenseful ride