Game Info
GAME NAME: Blek
DEVELOPER(S): kunabi brother/ Broken Rules
PUBLISHER(S): kunabi brother / Broken Rules
PLATFORM(S): Nintendo Wii U
GENRE(S): Puzzle
RELEASE DATE(S): February 12th, 2015
There are a few things that seem crazy upon starting Blek for Wii U for the first time. There is no start screen, no pause menu, no timer, counter, nothing that that seems like a goal when the game boots up. The only thing you are greeted with is the last screen that was last on when you left the game. For a puzzle game this seems kind of cold and empty and the title has a very, and i mean a very simplistic look, sound and feel. Be it good or bad, Blek has a style all of its own.
There are no options or overall goal for this very unique puzzle game, there is just a dot for the first time when the game starts. So here is the question, “How do you get rid of the dot?” If you touch a button, nothing is going to happen. How about if you touch the dot? Still nothing. Why not try to draw a line in the general direction of the dot? Now that did the trick. After drawing a line or shape the game will mimic the movement and direction of the object, if whatever is drawn touches a color dot, then the stage will be done. Let your imagination be the goal. Let an idea help beat a stage, there is not much else to go on.
The game offers level after level gameplay, with each new one not really getting harder, just a bit more interesting. At times a simple line can be drawn to win a stage, yet at some point there will need to be swirls or a slight rise in the line to help it avoid an obstacle. If a line hits a black dot the level will restart. There is not a timer or a set number of tries, nor is there a goal amount of attempts to try and beat a stage with. The only motivation is to see whats next and how will the game test your imagination.
The art style will be a love it or leave it to most, as it is a minimalistic art style. This game works with the simple graphics because the game is simple in premise, and yet there is a wealth of creativity here. Sometimes less is more, and here in Blek there is nothing else that is needed. The music has a great sound and keeps the game moving. Even when stuck on a puzzle there is still a great soundtrack to help the brain keep thinking. The music has a bit more going on compared to the overall look, but only helps keep the style the star.
The Recommendation
This review is the shortest review I have ever written, but took me longer than most. There is no easy way to explain Blek, and a simple video will not do it justice. The game feels very empty, yet it is filled with personality and creativity. Blek is not easy and will test your ability to solve a problem while thinking outside the box, but who likes to live inside boxes?
