The Blocks Cometh Review - PC

The Blocks Cometh Review - PC
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Overly Simple but Addictive - The Blocks Cometh Review

Reviewing a game like The Blocks Cometh is somewhat difficult. Because its aim and objective is different than that of many other games, it needs to be rated on a completely different scale. This freeware Flash game isn’t designed in the same manner as other titles; it’s a simple little platformer that can be addictive to individuals who enjoy the whole “one more try” mentality of games based around creating and breaking high scores. Having said that, even though it’s not the most varied game around, it offers a rewarding gameplay design that can be enjoyed by the casual crowd as well as hardcore gamers looking to kill a few minutes every once in a while.

The Blocks Cometh Gameplay (3 out of 5)

Gameplay is simple but addictive.

The Blocks Cometh keeps things extremely simple, offering a run-and-jump design that’s intuitive, easy to learn, and rewarding to master. You control a small character that starts off at the bottom of the screen. Blocks begin falling from the sky, and you must guide your character upwards, jumping on top of blocks as they pile up and form massive structures. As you climb, a counter off to the side of the screen tallies your height, inviting you to climb higher and higher. As simple as this may sound, the moment you begin reaching ridiculous heights, The Blocks Cometh turns into a game of survival and persistence.

Blocks come in different sizes, so sometimes you need to wall jump and navigate around walls that have been clumped together to form awkward structures. If you get trapped under a pile of blocks that have formed in impassible roof or wall, hope is not lost. Your bite-sized protagonist comes armed with a gun that he can use to zap blocks. This is useful for removing blocks that impede your progress or clearing up some space to get out of harm’s way, something you’ll be doing a lot if you don’t want to get flattened by falling blocks.

Controls (5 out of 5)

Controls in The Blocks Cometh are fittingly simple and suit the gameplay well. You move and jump using the arrow keys on your computer keyboard and shoot projectiles with the spacebar. It would be ridiculous to expect a high score-based vertical platformer to feature a complex control scheme. It’s easy to pick up the controls immediately, and though I’m more of a gamepad traditionalist myself, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the control scheme in The Blocks Cometh.

Graphics (3 out of 5)

The presentation is straightforward and charming.

Keeping with the theme of simplicity, the visual presentation in the game is especially harmless. Something I’ve always enjoyed about Flash games is that even the simplest titles can look pretty artistic. The Blocks Cometh easily falls in line with other freeware titles, but due to the clean and smooth visuals, use of solid colors, and charming look, it’s hard to complain about the graphics in this addictive little platformer.

Sound (2 out of 5)

The iPhone version of the game is a great companion for any gamer on the go.

While simplicity comes off as intuitive design when regarding gameplay, controls, and graphics, it often seems like lack of variety when sound design is taken into account. Admittedly, The Blocks Cometh isn’t the kind of game that needs a riveting soundtrack that consists of heavy, impactful music. A couple of extra themes would have been highly welcome, though. For the record, however, the music in The Blocks Cometh neither helps nor hinders the overall experience.

The Blocks Cometh Review - Overall Score (3 out of 5)

The Blocks Cometh is a simple game with a low barrier to entry. The game is accessible so that casual gamers can get a great dose of enjoyment from it, but it also challenges more serious video game players to rack up high scores and attempt to get on the leaderboards. Like many other similarly simple games such as Tetris and Pac-Man, The Blocks Cometh is a solid choice for gamers who have a few minutes to spare before they need to head off to school or work. That’s why its release as an iPhone game makes it the perfect companion for gamers on the go who spend lots of time at bus stops, in between classes, or waiting for friends.

Developer Halfbot has cooked up something special here, and there is definitely potential to take the game further by adding interesting features, implementing extra modes, or possibly throwing us all a curve ball and turning The Blocks Cometh into a different type of game entirely somewhere down the line. The developers can definitely take the game in different directions, but even in its current state it’s an enjoyable little gem worthy of your attention.