Tetris Effect

Have you ever been walking down the street and wondering how to post the box in the van so that the bottom row disappears? If so, then you probably spent some time with Tetris. This phenomenon, when some activity is pouring into life, you see it in other places than usual, has its name in the scientific circles – Tetris effect. The name of the same name does not only evoke this phenomenon, but also the design that makes it absolutely exceptional. The effects of Tetris Effect are not just an effect.

If someone tells us that in 2018 we will review Tetris and still melt over him, we would laugh at his eyes. Not that we have anything against Tetris. It’s one of the few games in the world that does not age and can not grow old. But it’s just … Tetris. Well then we tried Tetris Effect. Though it seemed unlikely at first, the Tetris concept can seriously move to a new level. It is enough to play with the human senses

 

The core of the game over 30 years of course does not change, and we believe it is not necessary to describe it to anyone. Tetris Effect fundamentally alters it in its basic form with only one mechanism, the so-called zone. By successfully cleaning the lines of cubes perfectly fitting yourself, you are charging a special pointer that you can drop off at full charge at any time

At that point, the drop of Tetris parcels stops – it’s entirely up to you – and you have time to catch the second breath and sit the pieces exactly where you need it. In zone mode, your completed rows do not disappear, but they swing to the bottom, so you can easily get rid of earlier mistakes. After a few seconds, you are thrilled from a peaceful dimension, rewarding the arms of the points behind the created rows, and returning to a sometimes slow, sometimes hectic Tetris

As a rewarding gaming element, it works great, but honestly, it’s nothing that you would be bustling about. As we have indicated above, the magic of Tetris Effect lies not in the game itself, but in the accompanying effects, whether visual or sound

When do I get it from my head

Most levels of the short campaign start slowly. It’s not just the speed of the game, but also the music and all kinds of particles that fly around the user interface, creating a shape like a space whale, a circle of natives in a trance, or an infinite multitude of peacefully cameling camels. While you have a dull ambient in your ears, rotate your dice and place them with beats, keystrokes and other sounds

When you clean up the line, the song starts racing, so it goes on with every other level of speed. It is a totally natural process. While the sounds of your gaming are not at all rhythm, they fit in a song that completely absorbs your head. You can not only hear music but also see through remarkable scenes that can pull you away from focusing on your game, but never to the point of destroying you.

A beautiful example of linking the game with its surroundings is windmills. At this level, Tetris parcels have the shape of gears, which after rolling the rack is slightly rotated and thus spinning dozens of mills scattered across the screen. The sooner you fill the rails, the more the mills rotate, and so you observe the impact of your well-played strokes not only through graphics but also the sound that is steadily progressing

This is one of those indescribable experiences. This is what you have to experience to fully understand the moment. To have your true “wow!” It’s not just a tetris. Tetris Effect will fill you with energy, trigger the Tetris effect itself, but it will instill in your mind a few melodies that you will not get out of your head. When writing these lines, we are constantly playing back, always and continually. And they are absolutely fantastic and we do not want them to stop

Tetris VR Click to enlarge

Such feelings left the game after a campaign (1-2 hours) on plain, flat-screen TV. But then we put our glasses for virtual reality and amaze them with astonishment. We were not just spectators of the splendor but also its participants

Only in virtual reality will you appreciate all the effects that you have on all sides. The game around you pulsates, you perceive it with your eyes and ears while still cleaning one row after another. Thoughtlessly. In euphoria. Just enjoy what you enjoy and do not know about another world. In VR, you have even more tendencies to enjoy everything except your own Tetris

At this point, it’s best to break free from the story campaign and take one of the many and many modes. Most of those in the “relax” category, where the rules allow you to make mistakes, and where you will not get the Game Over inscription. Just enjoy your favorite song in your favorite setting and let yourself be absorbed by the uniqueness

Anyone who likes

When we started the fashion, we’ll stop for them for a while. You already know about the campaign. It’s Journey, and it offers a few segments of four pre-prepared levels that you have to go through in nonviolent crossings. You can give it to three different difficulty, with no shame being the lightest. Even then, you will meet the challenge, especially in the last two levels. However, more independent modes are in the free game mode

Here you will find old acquaintances, such as the Marathon, where you want to clean up the crazy number of rows in the shortest possible time. They do not fall in Master mode, but after a second they are teleported to the currently selected position. You will find here puzzles that you have to find the right place for fixed pieces and clean the whole surface.

You can clean an infection that gradually spreads across built dice, clean a partially filled level with uninterrupted comb and a bunch of others. Our favorite mode is Mystery, where the game throws sticks under your feet in the form of random modifications – you get a guiding template, turn your control, part of the surface will explode and make holes in it, you fall in giant L, switch to the first person look …

In short and well, do not expect boredom from Tetris Effect. Exactly opposite. It’s good old fun (and hand-to-hand frustration) spiced with really strong chili. Even if not, when playing Tecuja Mizuguchi, the author of other rhythmic pics like Rez and Lumines. This is his next notch, if not his greatest master.

You do not need virtual reality to play, Tetris Effect is great even without it. But with her it’s still a level of better experience you want to come back to. This and Beat Saber are two very good reasons to buy PSVR for your PlayStation 4.