Thomas Was Alone : Review

Developers – Mike Bithell (Windows, Mac OS X)

                        Bossa Studios, Curve Studios (PS3, PSVita)

Publisher – Mike Bithell

Platforms – PC, PS3, PSVita

Released – July 24, 2012 (PC)

                    April 23, 2013 (PS3, PSVita)

Genre – Puzzle Platformer

Mode – Single-player

Media/Distribution – Download

We spent the last few days trying out this retro style puzzle game, completely unaware if we would love its classic feel, or if we’d be bored by the simplicity of the idea of shapes moving about in a Mario meets Tetris clash of Worlds type of play. Here’s what we found...

Mike Bithell had an idea one day, and that was to create a game with minimalistic graphics, in minimalistic environments, in short and simple levels, and do what he can as the developer to keep us interested throughout the 100 level puzzler, by making a script for all the shapes, and re-introduce the shapes to us as individual characters with very different personalities and abilities.

The idea that Thomas, the first of the shapes given to us in the form of a red rectangle that can jump, is a person and not a shape, kind of changes the gameplay in ways we never expected. If he had remained an unnamed shape that moved about, then there is a chance that it might have damaged the longevity of the game, however, being a humanoid character maintains a certain amount of relation with the gamer.

Thomas, a pixelated AI, has to find his way through many portals in the game, manoeuvring through various landscapes, mazes, and escaping from cubes, and moving rooms, all in the aid of seeking other life forms.

During the many levels in the game he encounters different shapes, all with different abilities and personalities, all with one goal (ultimately) of getting to the portals and finding answers.

The game takes a twist around half way, when other Worlds are introduced to us along with new characters, and eventually the worlds collide.

Each puzzle has your brain thinking on how, as a team of heroes with different skills, can they make it through together. The further we got into the game the harder the puzzles got, yet all the while staying within Bithell’s idea of complete simplicity in gameplay and graphics.

There is a choice to turn on or off the commentary provided by Mike Bithell himself which explains each level and each character as you meet them and what his ideas where on that.

All in all, for what the game was, we thought it was a pretty excellent idea, something very different to the games of nowadays, and a flash back in time to when games were a much less complex industry (Commadore, Atari, Spectrum, and Amiga owners, i’m looking at you).

A much enjoyable retro experience of friendship and teamwork which earns “Thomas Was Alone”

7.5/10 Blogger Points