Vectromirror 0 by developers The Vectromirror Initiative, Major Games Inc. and publisher Burnout Game Ventures—PC (Steam) preview written by Susan N. with a Demo through Steam.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Vectromirror is an upcoming parkour puzzle game that has Antichamber style graphics without the eyesore colors. Think like a cross between Etherborn, Portal, and Mirrors Edge in one pleasing package. It has puzzle elements, a HAND OF POWER, and all kinds of parkour! Not only did I play through the short demo through Steam, but I also introduced my other half to the game. He completed it in about 15 minutes time. (Geebus! We've no idea how he did this.) Anyways, after bounding through the levels, I found myself really excited to see what will come in the full release, so let's cover some of the gameplay.
Gameplay and Graphics
Players are test subjects - remember how I said this reminded me a bit like Portal? Yeah. Upon playing Vectromirror, players can dive right into gameplay or they can start the tutorial which consists of about four small sections. Presumably, if players aren't interested in a tutorial, they would skip the sections with the instructional wallboards. However, I played through the tutorial anyways.
Vectromirror is not a difficult game to understand in that its controls rely on the WASD keys, spacebar, and the left and right mouse buttons. Since this is a short demo, there are no creatures or interactable objects - though who knows what the full release will have? Vectromirror also conveniently autosaves as players progress through the levels, allowing them to focus on the challenges ahead of them.
The game has obstacles that include nefarious blocks, disappearing platforms, and toxic water (at least, that is my best description). Most of the time, the puzzle sections rely heavily on being able to execute certain abilities while on the run. This gives a player little time to process what is happening and depends on reaction time. Examples of this are found within the HAND OF POWER which pulls or pushes obstacles.
As for the graphics, I compared Vectromirror to Antichamber because it does have a minimalist graphics style. Unlike the respective example, this game does not have a black and white palette that often bothered players. Instead, Vectromirror has a color palette closer to Etherborn with its red, blue, and green tones. In fact, there are not many locations where the graphics blinded the player, which is an aspect I appreciate. (I use f.lux on my computer for a reason.)
Final Thoughts
Overall, Vectromirror is a fantastic addition to the puzzle game genre. It's graphically minimalistic and pleasing, contains full speed parkour, and features smooth gameplay. I love the ability to use the awesome HAND OF POWER (This amuses me way too much!) to get rid of obstacles and I know this will be the bane of my existence in the full release.
Be sure to check out Vectromirror on social media!
Social Media Links
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vectromirror/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vectromirror
Steam Page: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1296560/Vectromirror_0/
Vectromirror is a great contender as a full speed parkour puzzle platformer. It checks all the boxes of having a cool ability, speed, tension, and obstacles to keep players on their toes. In my opinion, this upcoming free to play title should not be missed!
Score: N/A
