Osmos strikes me as the kind of game I would have spent roll after quarter roll on in an arcade. It’s simple, straight-forward and wonderfully addictive. With entrancing music, a calming visual scheme, and enough of a challenge to keep me coming back without making me tear my hair out, it’s definitely a game I would recommend to other people.
Also, it fills my monthly quota for cartoon violence, as every time I smash into another bubble and claim its strength as my own I feel a little like Napoleon must have. I have even tilted my head back and let loose an evil laugh once or twice while playing.
In theory the idea behind Osmos can be a little drawing. You basically play as a tiny little lone space bubble. Your goal is to absorb as many smaller bubbles as you can without getting absorbed yourself by an opponent who is bigger than you. I’ll be the first to say that I’m a big fan of casual games. I don’t want anything that’s a breeze, otherwise why waste my time. At the same time I don’t want anything that’s so hard I’ll end up punching a hole in my wall (I’m a terrible rager. It’s not a pretty sight.) Osmos is a perfect example of what that balance should be.
The challenge lies in the game play itself. While you would think it would be fairly easy to push a pretty little bubble around in space you may quickly rethink your opinion. The bubble itself moves as if it’s on ice. It slides coolly, waiting for you to redirect its actions. What makes matters worse, the more you direct your bubble the more of you own precious conquered air pockets you have to let go of. So, if you’re trying to chase down a particularly shiny little morsel you can easily try running it down only to realize halfway there that you’ve become so small that if you collide with it you’ll be absorbed yourself.
All in all this is a game that calls out to you and is easy to get hooked on. It’s got all of the classic elements one needs in order to sit down, start playing, and arise hours later as a starved game zombie wondering what happened. That’s always one of the best ways to know if you’re playing a good game. After all, time flies when you’re having fun, right?
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Do NOT forget to turn up your speakers here. This game has beautiful music. | ||||
Game: Osmos http://www.hemispheregames.com/osmos/ | Developer: Hemisphere Games http://www.hemispheregames.com/