Heptrix

3 Overall Score
Gameplay: 2/10
Graphics: 3/10
Sound: 4/10

It's Tetris ...Sort of

No Shadowing on Blocks | Can't Stop the Quick Drop

Game Info

GAME NAME: Heptrix

DEVELOPER(S): Jose Varela

PUBLISHER(S): Jose Varela

PLATFORM(S): Nintendo Wii U

GENRE(S): Puzzle

RELEASE DATE(S): November 27th, 2014

I’m a fan of puzzle games.  Most that I have played this year have done a really good job accomplishing the goal of being single serving sessions where you feel like you can keep coming back to the game in short bursts.  Games like Art of Balance, Pushmo and even Nintendo’s latest title Captain Toad’s Treasure Tracker have been shining examples of what a successful puzzle game does.  Unfortunately, Heptrix from Jose Varela misses the mark on the game it is trying to clone, Tetris.

Heptrix2

Heptrix is what it is, a game that is trying to clone on the success of Tetris.  Let’s make no mistake though, this game is no Tetris.  While it has the same concepts there are a few differences.  For starters the block shapes are slightly more complex then the 4 or 5 block structures you will have to maneuver in the classic title.  You can clear up to 7 lines at a time if you manage to set yourself up for success.  You will clear a level and start a new once you hit the magic number 7.  This will also speed up the game, in turn increasing the difficulty.

The biggest issues that I have with the title is the lack of being able to stop the quick drop commands and the lack of shadowing the pieces to see where they are dropping.  These are two staples of Tetris clones and with the lack of these features it really makes the title suffer.  Hopefully there is a patch on the way for these two issues, as it will make Heptrix a much more enjoyable experience.

Heptrix1

There isn’t much going on in Heptrix that you won’t find on your mobile device.  Nintendo’s Tetris release for the DS at least had some interesting backgrounds and stages, this is just bland city.  Even the soundtrack is bland and forgettable.  Nothing close to the title that it is trying to be.

The Recommendation

If you want to play a Tetris type game, for $1.99 you could do a lot worse on the eShop.  With that being said there are fundamental core elements of what makes Tetris so great missing here and it never fully reachs it’s full potential as a Tetris clone.  A patch to fix some of these issues might make this a better title, but as it stands now, I would recommend passing this up.

 

 

Summary

Review Date
Reviewed Item
Heptrix Wii U
Author Rating
11stargraygraygraygray

SHARE THIS POST

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Myspace
  • Google Buzz
  • Reddit
  • Stumnleupon
  • Delicious
  • Digg
  • Technorati
Avatar
Author: Anthony DeVirgilis View all posts by
Managing Partner / Editor for Sony/Nintendo I prefer Indies to AAA titles... unless it's Nintendo or Sony Google+ Author