Death Squared is Roundly Challenging, Fun
Welcome to Indie Spotlight! Today we go into a puzzled frenzy with one of the hits from PAX 2017’s Indie MegaBooth — Death Squared! [Ed.Note: Read the extensive roundup of this year’s Indie MegaBooth.]
Death Squared is one of the newest cooperative puzzle games on the market. You can tackle a Story mode solo or with a friend, or enter Party mode with four players. Each player is in control of a colored robot cube that has to find its way to a matching button on some platform. When all robots have made it, you win!
Virtually everything thrown at you is based on matching colors. Transparent colored cubes will block a path or act as a bridge — but a matching robot will ignore it entirely. Large laser devices will blast colored beams in various ways, but cannot harm its pair. Switches laid across the stage will trigger floor movements and traps, if the right person triggers it.
Naturally, as a game based on cubes, the puzzles make complete use of the 3D space to offer a challenge. Depth perception and action sequencing will be put to the test as you explore each stage’s intricate design. Most of all, you’ll have to coordinate everyone’s movements and trust they won’t make a mistake. My friends and I faced plenty of walks off the edge and moments of betrayal!
Story mode entertains you with comical voiceovers between Dave, a hardly working test engineer that supervises the bots, and his assigned AI that tries to keep him on track. It’s a fun mix of Portal and Office Space. In Party mode, you’ll be way too busy scolding your friends for their blunders!
All in all, Death Squared has proven to be a fresh new entry in the co-op world. This is a couch party game you’ll want to add to your collection!
Death Squared (SMG Studio) is available on Steam, PS4 and Xbox One.
