Flywrench
- August 24, 2015
- Messhof
- 4h median play time
Flywrench creates complex challenges through simple design structures, absorbing you into to its mesmerising gameplay for hours upon end.
Get on Steam"Flywrench" is a single-player Science Fiction Action game with compelling gameplay and good visuals. Players must flip their ship's polarity between three colors to get around obstacles, with an epic electronic music soundtrack by Daedelus setting the pace. The game features over 170 levels, a level editor for creating and sharing custom levels, and Time Trial mode for competing with friends and globally over top scores.
Mac OS
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
PlayStation
Reviews
- Flywrench features a unique and engaging control scheme that allows for a satisfying learning curve, making it easy to pick up but challenging to master.
- The game boasts an incredible soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, making each level feel dynamic and immersive.
- The minimalist visual design is both stylish and functional, allowing players to focus on the gameplay while still providing a visually appealing aesthetic.
- The difficulty spike in the later levels, particularly on Mercury, can feel unfair and frustrating, leading to a sense of rage rather than enjoyment.
- Some levels are criticized for being repetitive or uninspired, with many feeling like simple color swaps rather than unique challenges.
- The camera can be disorienting and jumpy, which may detract from the overall gameplay experience, especially during fast-paced sections.
- music231 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its energetic and immersive soundtrack that perfectly complements the gameplay. Featuring a mix of electronic genres, including techno and drum 'n' bass, the soundtrack is described as phenomenal, addictive, and a key element that enhances the overall experience. Some players even consider it one of the best game soundtracks in recent memory, rivaling classics like "Hotline Miami."
“The soundtrack is a perfect fit, and really brings the whole thing together.”
“Unique gameplay, interesting level design, and fantastic music and presentation make this game something special.”
“The music is especially noteworthy, this is probably the best game soundtrack since Hotline Miami; it might even be better.”
“I saw the trailer, but rather than getting my hype going instead I felt as if it was a letdown: the music was different, the aesthetic was completely changed, the awesome feeling was seemingly absent.”
“The music was just as grating and unfitting as I had dreaded, but thankfully I turned it off and enjoyed myself a bit more.”
“My one critique so far is that in my opinion the soundtrack is way better in the early bits than later on.”
- gameplay155 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Flywrench is characterized by its simple yet challenging mechanics, offering a fast-paced, "die-and-retry" experience that demands precision and skill. Players appreciate the well-crafted difficulty curve, where each level introduces new mechanics and challenges, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging. The combination of tight controls, unique mechanics, and an excellent soundtrack enhances the overall experience, making it a standout title for fans of hardcore platformers.
“The aesthetic, music, and brutally punishing, but fun gameplay, come together into one of the best indie packages I've personally played.”
“The mechanics and movement are unique and an absolute joy, and within a couple of hours you'll be doing things you didn't think you could do.”
“The game has a perfectly crafted difficulty curve, introducing you to mechanics and letting you figure out techniques without telling you explicitly, eventually culminating in some pretty hard levels that take a while to get down.”
“I was drawn to this game for two reasons: first I thoroughly enjoyed Nidhogg (developed by the same people), and second I love execution-based gameplay like Dustforce or Trackmania where you replay a level over and over trying to perfect it, but unfortunately Flywrench lands far from the fun experience of hitting the retry button while telling yourself 'I won’t mess up this time!'.”
“Instead, the 'flywrench' you play as is hard to control; the smallest misstep leads to an unrecoverable death, and the levels become ruthlessly unforgiving at the end. Beyond any mechanical fault, the game simply wasn't fun for me in the same way as Dustforce or Trackmania is.”
“I mean I guess more content isn't 'necessarily' bad, but the bulk of these levels literally add nothing in terms of gameplay.”
- graphics59 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique and appealing aesthetic that blends minimalist design with glitchy visuals, creating a dream-like atmosphere that complements the gameplay. While some players may find the constant graphical motion distracting, many appreciate the retro-inspired art style and vibrant colors that enhance the overall experience. The visuals, combined with an infectious soundtrack, contribute to a compelling indie package that is both challenging and visually engaging.
“The aesthetic of the game is really strong as well; the glitchy visuals are much more appealing than they initially appear, and the various unlockable themes are welcome additions (even the one called retina_burn).”
“It's got a neat soundtrack and I really dig the aesthetics of the game, very minimalist but effective.”
“The visuals call back to spectrum/vector style linework.”
“Glitchy, noisy, constant graphical motion.”
“The rules may run at 60 fps, but your graphics are capped at 10.”
“I'm sure it's too difficult for some, and maybe the visuals will be off-putting to others.”
- story30 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story in the game is described as rudimentary and not particularly engaging, revolving around a nondescript hacker infiltrating a security system with a flying bug. Players can complete the story mode in about 2-3 hours, but many feel the narrative is secondary to the game's aesthetics, music, and gameplay mechanics, which are more enjoyable than the plot itself. Overall, while the story has potential, it is often considered skippable and not essential to the gaming experience.
“I love the art choices, adore the music, and generally appreciate the loose story surrounding it.”
“The entire story can be beaten within a couple of hours, especially when the game's unique aesthetics and mesmerizing yet energizing music puts you into a 'flow state'.”
“Flywrench's story is quite rudimentary: you are presumably some nondescript hacker infiltrating a security system via a little flying bug that changes colors to pass through gates. It doesn't make a ton of sense but it's not essential to the game itself and can be freely skipped at your leisure.”
“I wish there was more to the story.”
“Flywrench's story is quite rudimentary: you are presumably some nondescript hacker or something and you are infiltrating a security system via a little flying bug that changes colors to pass through gates... yeah it doesn't make a ton of sense but it's not essential to the game itself anyways and can be freely skipped at your leisure.”
“The storyline (if you can call it that) has potential, but is not really all that engaging.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's mechanics and find it enjoyable for those who love grindy, hardcore experiences, though some levels can feel tedious and overly challenging. Despite frustrations with save issues, many express a strong commitment to the grind, indicating that the game remains engaging overall.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The game doesn't break that promise by eventually becoming bogged down with long, frustratingly tedious gauntlet levels which have way more obstacles than should be fair, too many chances to screw up, and a habit of wasting your time.”
“There were a few levels that were just really tedious.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, especially considering its price, with players able to engage in time trials and utilize an in-game level editor to create custom levels. While the main campaign lasts about 3-4 hours, these additional features enhance the overall experience and encourage repeated play.
“Tons of replayability for the price, sale or not.”
“This game will likely take players 3-4 hours to complete, but it offers a degree of replayability for those wanting to do time trials or use the in-game level editor to create their own levels.”
“This game will likely take players 3-4 hours to complete, but the game offers a degree of replayability for those wanting to do time trials, or for those wanting to use the in-game level editor to make their own levels.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of Flywrench is described as a unique blend of reserved dreaminess and urgency, enhanced by its dreamy electric music and occasional voice sounds. While some players appreciate this cool and intriguing ambiance, others feel it detracts from the overall experience by lacking a sense of true disaster.
“This kind of ruined the experience for me, as Flywrench's atmosphere felt more reserved and dreamy with a mix of urgency that never felt outright disastrous (especially the music; dreamy electric tones overlayed with the occasional voice noise).”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by frustration and challenge, as players struggle with unresponsive controls that hinder their ability to navigate stages effectively. This difficulty can evoke strong feelings, making it appealing for those who enjoy platformers that elicit a sense of despair and emotional investment.
“If you like platformers that make you want to cry, then this is for you.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is lacking, particularly in longer levels, leading to noticeable stuttering and a decline in control consistency compared to the previously smooth experience.
“The game doesn't seem optimized for these longer levels, as it began to feel really stuttery compared to the flawlessly smooth experience I had gotten used to, and I think it even impacted the consistency of the controls a bit.”
Critic Reviews
Flywrench Review
Flywrench may be hard to explain, but it's not hard at all to recommend. The difficulty manages to be mostly fair and wildly satisfying. While it may take some getting used to, it would be a disservice to yourself not to at least try out this indie underground legend, now that it's finally coming to the mainstream.
90%Flywrench Review
Originally released for free in 2007, Flywrench eventually received a more substantial release in 2015 thanks to a successful Kickstarter from the game’s creators Messhof.
80%Flywrench Review
Flywrench creates complex challenges through simple design structures, absorbing you into to its mesmerising gameplay for hours upon end.
90%
