Induction

Genre: Puzzle

Players: 1

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Review:

Induction is a Puzzle game released on PC in 2017 and ported to Nintendo Switch in 2021. This game starts with an extremely simple block-pushing Puzzle game, making players think about how to move in three dimensions. However, it quickly becomes a game where players need to think about moving in four dimensions, as a press of a button brings them into an alternate reality where their earlier actions repeat. Using this ability, players must coordinate their actions with their future actions to complete the game’s puzzles.

In terms of presentation, Induction is about as simple as it gets, with a stationary isometric view and simple geometric objects (cylinders for pushable blocks, and cubes for the player, their past selves, and the exit), with no texturing and only a few colors used in each level. While this does have a somewhat appealing minimalist look, it actually does interfere with the gameplay, as the lack of a free-moving camera and no textures on the stages making it difficult to judge where things are in relation to each other at times. In any case, these visuals are backed by a decent but forgettable synthesized soundtrack.

Clearly, the presentation isn’t what’s intended to entice players here – this game is all about the gameplay, and here this game absolutely delivers, making excellent use of its dimension-hopping concept to make for some extraordinarily clever puzzles that will really make players stop and think about their movements and how those movements will influence their path later on, when those movements are repeated. The puzzle design here is absolutely impeccable.

That’s… pretty much all I have to say about Induction. Really, it’s big flaws are its bland visuals, which actually do interfere with the gameplay. But that issue aside, this is an outstanding Puzzle game that’s seemingly extraordinarily simple until you dig into it and find its time and dimension-warping mechanics are truly inspired. If you’re a Puzzle game fan who values gameplay over graphics, this is a game for you.

tl;dr – Induction is a block-pushing Puzzle game that’s seemingly mundane on its surface, but takes on a whole new dimension with its time-repeating reality-hopping mechanic, with puzzles that make excellent use of this mechanic and really get the player to think through their actions. It’s just a shame that the visuals are so bland they actually interfere with the gameplay. However, if you’re a Puzzle game fan who doesn’t care about visuals if the gameplay is good, you should absolutely play this game.

Grade: B

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