Hope you’re not here for balanced critique because holy crap y’all I love Tetris Effect.
The last game I played until 3AM in one sitting before Tetris Effect is Doki Doki Literature. Rather than send me into a crisis like that game did, Tetris Effect sent me to bed feeling like I’m on Cloud 9. It is an utter delight to experience on every level.
I mentioned in my Cowboy Game: Cowboy Harder review that I love examining how mechanics can impact a player. Tetris Effect is that thesis come to life. Developed by the creator of Lumines, it is a mastery of synesthesia, where every movement of a Tetris block, every flip and spin and bump and landing, is synched up with the game’s visual and sound direction. The skins you can play in defy explanation — one level will find you in a land of calm and soothing windmills, playing at a comfortable pace, while another has you stacking at lightning speed while an intense drumming track plays and flames engulf the playing area. I pushed on past my exhaustion just to see what the next stage would like, completely engrossed in shape-clearing, getting faster and more proficient in my stacking skills as I progressed. I can’t even imagine how much of a trip this game is in VR, but I can bet it’s amazing.
The only negative I can think of when it comes to Tetris Effect is one made entirely by choice. I don’t recommend playing the game in normal/hard mode, at least not the first time you play it, and definitely not if it’s your first time playing Tetris in general. There’s something extremely upsetting about losing in Tetris Effect, akin to getting your headphones yanked out of your ears in the middle of grooving to your favorite song. The stress of clearing lines clashes against the zen-like experience the game is going for. But like I said, that’s an optional scenario, and a recommendation from me.
Tetris is arguably the perfect game, if not the most enduring. It’s a game distilled to its purest form, one that you continue to see in your mind’s eye even as you close your eyes to go to bed after a marathon of playing – the tetris effect. That said, this version of Tetris is easily the greatest one ever made. Had it released only with its campaign mode and nothing else, it would have been worth the price. But the myriad of options and game modes makes it even more of an easy choice. There’s even a screensaver option that I’ve been using while doing my work at home.
Like I said, this wasn’t going to be an in-depth post at all. Just buy Tetris Effect if you have a PlayStation 4. You won’t regret it.
