And Yet It is pretty fun, but short
Before playing :
In 2009 indie developer Broken Rules released And Yet It Moves (AYIM), a 2D puzzle platformer with a twist.
I don't know much about the game except that rotating the world is the main mechanic and that it's next on my list.
I bought this game as part of Humble Bundle 4 in 2011. A bundle that also included Super Meat Boy, vvvvvv, Shank, bit.trip runner , Cave Story +, Cogs, Crayon Physics Deluxe, Gratuitous Space Battles, Hammerfight, Jamestown and Nightsky..
I had already played Super Meat Boy and Shank on my Xbox but I liked the idea of being able to play them on my pc as well. Giant Bomb's quicklooks of vvvvvv and bit.trip runner sold those games to me and being able to buy these games and more in a cheap package sealed the deal.
I previously invested 4 minutes in AYIM, which is ridiculously insufficient to pass judgement on a game but that doesn't mean that I didn't though.
I remember having a genuine interest in the game when I installed it but being burned by it after, well, 4 minutes. Something about it just rubbed me the wrong way, something that I hope to overcome during my next 4 hours and 56 minutes with the game, but based on my earlier experience I doubt that I will have a good time.
After playing :
As soon as I started playing 'And Yet It Moves' (AYIM), it was hard for me to remember why I didn't like it before.
At first glance the game wasn't astonishing but it certainly wasn't bad either. A feeling that stayed true throughout the game.
The basic premise of AYIM is the ability to turn the world around in 90 degree increments. This allows the player to solve environment puzzles or jump gaps that would be otherwise impossible. Your goal is to reach a paper portal at the end of each level to advance to the next. There's no story, so the game's driving force is the increasing amount of puzzle concepts and craziness that AYIM offers.
Although the concept appears simple, the developers successfully squeezed every drop out of it giving the game way more depth than you would expect. They force you to experiment with momentum, rhythm, physics and objects reacting in their own way to the ever changing orientation of the world. Towards the end of the game every level is more psychedelic than the last making for an unsuspected setting that allows the game to go even further with it's mechanics.
Another thing that sets the game apart is its unique art style. Everything appears to be made out of paper and cardboard giving the environment a distinctive look. While the game spirals towards insanity the art spirals with it as does the supporting music, making the entire experience coherent. As much as I appreciate a unique art style I'm still not sure if I like this one, but of course that's entirely subjective and the fact that the art stays consistent throughout the changes the game goes through is impressive on its own.
It took me just over two hours to complete the main story of AYIM landing me on 54% completion. Other modes include time trial, limited rotation and other variations on the main theme. Even though the early end of the game came as a surprise to me and I would've played a couple of hours more, these extra modes weren't what I was looking for. I'd rather spent some more time in new levels, exposing myself to more of the weirdness the people at Broken Rules invented.
So what's my verdict?
If you already own this game but haven't played it, it might be a good idea to give it a go.
It's a perfect game to fill up a slow evening and it takes enough unexpected turns to keep you entertained the whole way through.
If you haven't bought it yet then take in mind the short duration of the game before spending your money. Maybe it's better to wait until another sale comes along that makes the time to cash ratio more favorable than the €8,99 it's going for at the moment.
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