Can't Live Without Electricity
- April 13, 2023
- MELOVITY
Get on Steam"Can't Live Without Electricity" is a 3D puzzle game where you supply electricity to houses by connecting them to power plants. With randomly generated levels, five different house and power plant colors, and the choice between square and hexagonal grids, players must find the best route to connect the growing number of houses before they fill the map. The game features over 50 official stages and allows for camera movement to see the world from different perspectives.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and satisfying puzzle experience with a variety of mechanics, allowing for both strategic planning and creative problem-solving.
- It features a relaxing gameplay style with no time limits, making it enjoyable for casual play while still providing a challenge for those seeking perfect scores.
- The inclusion of a level editor and workshop support adds significant replayability, allowing players to create and share custom levels.
- The game's RNG can lead to frustrating situations where levels become unwinnable, particularly when aiming for perfect scores without using special tools.
- Some players find the difficulty spikes and level design to be inconsistent, with early levels being overwhelming and later levels sometimes feeling too easy.
- The music and soundtracks can become repetitive, and there are requests for better tutorials and clearer explanations of game mechanics.
- gameplay19 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a unique pipe mechanic and a flexible difficulty system that allows players to adjust their experience, though it may lack escalating complexity in new mechanics. Players appreciate the addictive nature of the puzzles, the beautiful visuals, and the relaxing music, with many levels offering a satisfying challenge. While the gameplay can be repetitive, it remains engaging due to its simple yet deep mechanics, particularly in the well-designed hexagon maps.
“I found the pipe mechanic quite unique and also like that there is some choice in how hard you want the game to be, by using mechanics like generators in a pinch and reducing your final score slightly.”
“There's great art and level flow, and it's a good deal at $5 for 40+ hours of gameplay (if you're like me and want to get three stars on every level).”
“Super fun puzzles, lots of them, interesting mechanics and challenges.”
“Plenty of levels, although maybe for those looking to find a game that keeps escalating and introducing new mechanics every couple of levels... this isn't it.”
“Mostly because they don't allow the aforementioned pipe mechanic to shine very much (other than the circular levels with pieces missing in the middle of course).”
“I hope the devs explain more mechanics, maybe in a progressive manner?”
- music13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as chill and relaxing, with a jazzy soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. However, some players find it repetitive, noting that there are only a few tracks that play on loop, which can become stressful. Despite this, many appreciate the soothing quality of the music, especially when completing puzzles, and express a desire for a more varied soundtrack.
“Seriously though, super satisfying when you complete a puzzle and the music is chill af.”
“Also the soundtrack slaps.”
“Visuals are lovely, music is relaxing and the game is easy to understand with nice mechanics.”
“The background music is only one stressful song on repeat.”
“I had to change that for my own relaxing music.”
“The music could use some updating; there are only two tracks that play during the levels, and you have to switch between them yourself.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their colorful and fun 8-bit style, which complements the game's concept effectively. Players appreciate the refined visuals and precise controls, noting the clean aesthetic that works well on handheld devices. However, some users have mentioned discomfort with the orthographic projection, while others highlight the extensive graphical options available.
“The graphics, while 8-bit, fit the game's concept splendidly and are colorful, fun, and varied.”
“Visuals are lovely, music is relaxing and the game is easy to understand with nice mechanics.”
“Only got a short time into this but it's really good, lovely clean aesthetic which works on the handheld screen perfectly and the camera and controls are really precise, which so many of these games fall down on.”
“Also, I don't want to be nitpicking about this, but the orthographic projection kind of makes me sick.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding required to achieve a 3-star rating to be tedious and chore-like, detracting from the overall experience. Additionally, the level selection process is seen as cumbersome due to its linear layout, although the wheel sensitivity is appreciated.
“What I don't like is grinding to get the 3-star rating.”
“Just a tedious chore.”
“Level select is a bit tedious; everything is in a single line, lots of scrolling.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Overall, players appreciate the game's optimization, highlighting its engaging mechanics reminiscent of mini motorways. However, some users have experienced occasional performance issues, including crashes that necessitate restarting the game.
“I really enjoy the optimization aspect of this game.”
“And it should be a bit optimized; twice it just stopped responding and I had to restart the game and the level.”
“Ultimate optimization puzzle game, with mechanics similar to Mini Motorways.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Users express mixed feelings about replayability, noting that while the random elements may encourage repeated play, the poor quality of custom levels significantly detracts from the experience. There is hope that future updates could enhance the game's fun factor and overall playability.
“Replayability is enhanced by the RNG elements; I can see myself getting addicted!”
“I'm going to go back to playing mini motorways and hope that Melovity improves. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that this game can be made less frustrating and more fun if the devs put in the effort.”
“The quality of those levels is so poor that they feel like digital garbage, as the game lacks any fail-safe checks to ensure that custom levels are playable.”
“Replayability is hindered by the RNG elements, which can be frustrating rather than addictive.”
- stability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates excellent stability, running smoothly on the Steam Deck without any reported issues.
“Runs great on deck.”
