Vectronom

Minimalist, psychedelic and fantastic! Don't be expecting a complex plot or mind-blowing artistic direction in Vectronom. The game sticks to the essentials with its levels that change in time with the music, resulting in a hypnotic experience that's a treat for the ears. There's nothing better than a game of dexterity and rhythm with fantastic music. We loved it.

Cubes and psychedelic colours: this is the most stripped back platforming and rhythm game out there... but what a game it is!

Played from an isometric point of view, you control a cube as it makes its way through a 3D world of clashing colours on a mission to get from point A to point B by jumping across other blocks that change shape or disappear with every beat of the soundtrack. It's almost as basic as tapping your feet, but behind the minimalist gameplay lies a fantastic game whose simplicity is also its success.

In Vectronom, the key to getting ahead is being able to coordinate your movements so that you stay in time with the beat.

The soundtrack features a unique electro sound, and you'll need to be mad about the bass, which will have your heartrate beating along with the action on screen. No need to state that you'll need an excellent sense of timing if you're to beat Vectronom's 12 levels.

The techno soundtrack is made up of 60 original tracks composed in the same studio as the game itself, in parallel to the level design. This means that the music production and the level design are intertwined. Each track is tailored to the level's animated mechanisms, in time with the appearance and disappearance of the blocks, or the movement of spikes that pop up from the floor, for example.

Our advice? Feel free to turn off a few of the graphics options for a more comfortable viewing experience, especially if you're sensitive to bright, flashing colours. If that's you, you can turn the colour changing off in the game's options.

The game also features a drop-in/drop-out multiplayer mode, so you can play local multiplayer with your friends.

Vectronom is a hypnotic game produced by public service TV channel ARTE. It has won many awards, and it's not too difficult a game once you've caught the beat. It does, however, demand absolute concentration. A psychedelic gem!