Brain-Busting Fun
Alexander Bruce's Antichamber is, quite possibly, the best puzzle game since the original Portal (I set aside Portal 2 because its a sequel and, frankly, in an entirely different league thanks to the wonderful story). Not since that blindside surprise has a game drawn my attention and gotten me hooked on its puzzling. But while Portal could be tricky, I never had to work as hard as I have to solve Antichamber's devious rooms. It's longer, too, not just because it's more difficult. Whether all of that justifies the full price of $20 (I got it at launch discount of $15) is a tough question, but I don't think the answer is ultimately elusive.
The magic of Antichamber begins with the simple visual style. While you can criticize games on the Unreal Engine for having noticeable graphical similarities, the use of simple lines and stark whiteness contrasted with vivid spashes of color makes this game wholly individual. Deepening the experience is the fantastic sound design that combines sparse music with ambient noises (ranging from waves crashing on a beach to the dull hum of large electronics) that enhance the already mind-twisting nature of the game. My one gripe with the presentation is the abundance of aliasing artifacts and the occasional glitchiness of walls and corners. It is most evident when you sit down to play the game for the first time, but thanks to the inherent sense of warped space Antichamber provides, even these problems can filter out of your perception as you play. And if you're anything like me, you will play and play and play.
There is a great balance, mostly, with the puzzles here that gives you just enough success to keep you going while not being trivial. Granted, as I reached deeper into the maze that is the game map, I started to find myself yelping with almost as much frustration as celebration. But, that is the thing with this game; even when it is frustrating you on one end, the large map provides ample opportunity for a jolt of sweet, sweet victory to keep you playing. The primary puzzle mode of moving small colored cubes with your series of similarly colored guns does end up being the source of the most annoyance, and that's in a game where (as per the Quick Look) you might find yourself having to run along an apparently unending circular hallway in order to progress. I do wish that there had been a way to better or more directly express how the different cube manipulation techniques worked, but with enough experimentation you can come to the right conclusions. And once you've learned the rules of Antichamber's warped world, the grin becomes nigh impossible to wipe from your face. At least, until the next puzzle room.
In all, I have to give Antichamber big, big props for being a unique and engrossing puzzler. It looks and feels fantastic, and has an approach to level design that is brain-busting but fun. It is a wonderful case of a long-gestating title coming out fully formed and none the worse for the time. However, there is just enough roughness to keep this one off the 5-star list (but that's not so much a knock on Antichamber as it is a statement of how I feel about giving out 5-star ratings). It is definitely a recommended play for every puzzle-solver you know.
