REVIEW: Vylan

Vylan is a puzzle game where your environment only moves when you move. It has 100 levels in total with increasing difficulty.

Released: Steam
Type: Single-player
Genre: Puzzle
Developer: MostlyMadProductions
Publisher: MostlyMadProductions
Release date: 22 Apr, 2021

Intro

Vylan is a short puzzle game with a platformer element. It requires you to clear each level within the time limit, all while dodging any obstacles in your way. 100 levels with increasing difficulty are available for you to enjoy.

Visuals

Vylan is presented in a black and white display. Levels take one-third of the screen with the level number placed on the top left corner. Despite its small-sized visuals, every object is distinguishable from the other. Some objects might be overlapping with the backgrounds, although it usually happens on moving objects which aren’t hard to recognize.

The Game

Gameplay

The goal of the game is to reach the exit, flipping some switches that are blocking your way if necessary. Although it looks like a platformer game at first, the world of Vylan behaves far from it. Bullets, spikes, and other movable hazards will only move one tile next to where it is supposed to be after you change your position, changing the puzzle element as its main focus. You’ll have to predict the behavior of every object this way, and move your character accordingly.

You need to predict the behavior of all objects to clear the level.

More mechanics will be introduced as you play the game, increasing the difficulty. While the first few mechanics are interesting enough, the last one feels cheap in comparison. It introduces a feature to flip your character, forcing you to finish the level upside down. The game also seems to utilize this feature too much instead of introducing more unique mechanics. The last few levels become boring since I tend to die because I’m not used to play the game this way.

Although the game requires you to finish each level within a time limit, the timer tends to run very fast. You’ll have to replay the level a lot of times this way, often remembering the button that you need to press just to solve one level. Luckily, the game allows you to add the time limit or even disable it completely.

Length and Difficulty

I finished all 100 levels in 3.1h with the timer turned off. I found that the last 10 levels to be similar in the way that you need to go in one direction, flip a switch, return to the entrance, and go to the other direction to reach the exit. These levels also look like an exact copy with slight differences in the obstacles’ position.

The last few levels look similar.

Specs

Intel Core i5-9300H 2.40GHz, 8GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650

Verdict

I enjoyed my time playing Vylan. Although the game looks like a platformer game, it doesn’t behave like one, especially with its tile-based movement and objects being stopped whenever you are not moving. It opens new possibilities, and you must familiarize yourself with these mechanics to solve some of the levels. The last few levels might feel redundant, but the game seems to realize this fact and ended the game soon after. It might not be the best, but it’s still an enjoyable game in the end.

Written by
aquatorrent
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