MotionRec

Genre: Puzzle-Platformer

Players: 1

.

Review:

(Note: This game was selected by Patreon donors to be reviewed in the April 2026 Patron Poll. If you want to participate in this monthly poll, donate $5 or more to join in!)

MotionRec is a Puzzle-Platformer released in 2025 on PC and ported in 2026 to PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. This game has players taking the role of a small robot trying to navigate through tricky platforming puzzles. To do so, it must make use of one simple ability – it can record its movements, and then play those movements back again.

It’s a simple enough premise, and one we’ve seen used in other games, but MotionRec really zeroes in on this one concept and tries to explore it to its fullest extent with some really phenomenal level design and puzzle design, such as using repeater points where running into them while using the playback ability automatically causes you to reuse your ability without stopping, or sections where you must record a movement to repurpose to move through multiple different types of platforming challenges. The quality thoughtful design here really elevates this concept and makes it into something truly special.

The presentation here is excellent as well, with this game’s largely-monochrome “2-bit” pixel art-style visuals with some excellent detail really giving MotionRec a striking look, backed by a subdued chiptune soundtrack. It’s distinct and works well with the game’s themes while also placing the emphasis on the game’s puzzles.

If I had to find complaints here, I would start with this game’s level design being mostly linear with some minor diversions for exploration, and this linear design means that if you find yourself stuck on a puzzle, you won’t be getting past it, and there are definitely some tricky puzzles here. Also, the game’s pacing doesn’t really give players much of a breather between one puzzle and the next. In other words, you definitely want to go into this game ready to tackle some puzzles.

However, if you are in a mood for puzzles, MotionRec is a phenomenal way to take a simple idea and find clever ways to utilize that idea. And if a Puzzle-Platformer with a focus on clever puzzle design appeals to you, you’ll definitely want to pick this one up.

tl;dr – MotionRec is a Puzzle game that has players guiding a robot through difficult platforming using an ability to record and play back its own movements. it’s a simple enough concept that this game uses to its fullest with clever level design and puzzle design, with a distinct pixel art presentation. If you’re a fan of Puzzle-Platformers, this is absolutely a game you’ll want to play.

Grade: B+

^{You can support eShopperReviews on Patreon! Please click HERE to become a Sponsor!}

^{This month’s sponsors are Jamie and His Cats, Ben, Ilya Zverev, Andy Miller, Johannes, Jaka, Jared Wark, Gabriel Coronad-Medina, Francis Obst, Kristoffer Wulff, Seth Christenfeld, and Vince Verrinoldi. Thank you for helping to keep the reviews coming!}