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Cogs
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Puzzle games boasting a sliding tile mechanic are nothing new, but Lazy 8 Studios has somehow managed to evolve the niche genre into something fresh. So much so that Cogs recently walked away with three awards at the Indie Game Challenge event, including the grand prize.
Using the steam punk movement for inspiration, Lazy 8 decided to give each puzzle a purpose, requiring players to perform small tasks instead of simply rearranging tiles. Puzzles start out easy enough. First you need to rearrange a series of pipes so that they connect and fill a balloon with steam. In another puzzle you need to align a hammer with a bell so that it chimes.
The introduction of 3D play spaces is when the puzzles get really complicated, requiring you to rotate a cube and solve all faces before the intended mechanism will function. Some later puzzles are even double sided, forcing you to pay close attention or risk undoing your careful work on the opposite side.
After completing each puzzle you are awarded a medal based on your overall time and the number of moves you made. Solving a puzzle also unlocks the time and move challenge modes, which test if you can finish the puzzle in less than 30 seconds or 10 moves total.
The sharp graphics and evolving gameplay makes it hard to put Cogs down. With 50 levels and 3 gameplay modes, you won’t have much of a reason to.
[Additional Game Details]
Platform: PC Release: Available Now Price: $9.99 Website: Link
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