OCTOPTICOM
- September 21, 2018
- UP Development
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Get on itch.io Store"Octoptocom" is an open-ended puzzle programming game that challenges players to design and optimize optical computing devices using lasers, mirrors, filters, and other components. Players must read, transform, and write sequences of colored squares to solve over 40 levels of light puzzles, with a focus on finding compact and efficient solutions. The game requires no knowledge of assembly code, making it accessible to a wide range of players.
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Engaging and satisfying puzzle mechanics that challenge players to think creatively with light and color.
- Offers a good entry point for fans of Zachtronics-style games, with a gentle difficulty curve and rewarding problem-solving.
- The game is educational, teaching basic principles of optics and logic in a fun and interactive way.
- User interface and controls are clunky and unpolished, leading to a frustrating experience at times.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including bugs and crashes, which can disrupt gameplay.
- Some puzzles are poorly explained, making it difficult for players to understand the objectives and mechanics.
- optimization20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's optimization aspect is a mixed bag; while optional challenges provide a significant and engaging portion of gameplay, they lack clear indicators for completion and are only visible at the end of each level. Players report frustrating performance issues, including frequent freezes during object placement, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the game offers a stimulating brain workout through its open-ended logic and programming puzzles.
“It's an open-ended logic/programming/optimization puzzle game that will really give your brain a workout.”
“Optional optimization challenges are more demanding and account for more than half of my playtime.”
“On top of that, most levels come with an optimization challenge.”
“Pretty awful performance, freezes every time I want to place an object or move it from place.”
“There is no easy way to tell which levels have optimization challenges and whether they are completed or not.”
“Optimization challenges are only shown on the final screen of a level and there is also no indicator whether you've completed them outside of said final screen.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is centered around additive color mixing, encouraging players to explore and experiment with mechanics that, while initially counter-intuitive, become fluid and engaging with practice. Although the mechanics are not always clearly conveyed, the game successfully fosters a sense of iterative design and creativity, making it a strong contender in the puzzle genre, particularly for fans of Zachtronics-style gameplay. Overall, it balances simplicity and complexity, inviting players to discover how various components interact in innovative ways.
“But when it forced me to really think about mechanics and to find new and simpler approaches, it added some of the spice and enjoyable magic of iterative design I had been missing so far.”
“The basic mechanics of the game are very well designed; it gives you a set of simple tools and asks you to explore how they work, how they work together, and how they can be used to make complex things.”
“While not as thoroughly polished or intricate as other open-ended puzzle games, Octopticom absolutely nails the concept and gameplay on a fundamental level.”
“The mechanics of the colored components might be somehow counter-intuitive at their introduction; however, you'll be able to manipulate them with great fluency and proficiency if you're willing to adopt a more vivacious and experimental mindset as you tinker with them and observe how they function individually and how their inputs and outputs affect each other while arranged and interconnected in a multitude of permutational or combinatorial configurations.”
“Their mechanics were very poorly conveyed to the player, and I struggled to understand them for a long time.”
“As with many light-based games, gameplay revolves around additive color mixing.”
- music8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's music features eight royalty-free tracks, but many players found it distracting and turned it off early due to its clashing genres and tonations. While the option to adjust sound effects and music volume is appreciated, the overall execution of the music has been criticized for being unintuitive and unpolished.
“You can separately lower the volumes of sound effects and music.”
“The music is fine, but the different genres and tonations clash and it feels kind of wrong.”
“I turned off the music maybe 2 minutes into the game because I couldn't think straight.”
“What I didn't like: the 'infinite loop' concept was a bit unintuitive at first; the music is fine, but the different genres and tonations clash and it feels kind of wrong.”
“The background music consists of 8 royalty-free tracks.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is severely criticized, with users reporting frequent freezes that render it nearly unplayable, particularly during object placement and movement. Overall, the performance issues significantly detract from the gaming experience.
“To my regret, the game freezes so frequently to the point it's barely functional.”
“Pretty awful performance; it freezes every time I want to place an object or move it from place.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are described as minimalistic, which some players appreciate for allowing a focus on gameplay rather than distracting visual elements. While the simplicity is not seen as a flaw, there are concerns about the ease of use related to the design. Overall, the aesthetic choice aligns well with the game's core purpose, appealing to seasoned puzzle enthusiasts.
“However, aesthetically speaking, this game appears to be more minimalistic, which by no means is a blemish as it emphasizes its core purposes. Superfluously vivid and rococo visual designs only serve as a distraction to committed and seasoned programming puzzle veterans.”
“I don't mind the 'minimalistic' undesigned graphics, but I do care about ease of use.”
“However, aesthetically speaking, this game appears to be more minimalistic, which by no means is a blemish as it manifests the emphasis on its core purposes, because superfluously vivid and rococo visual designs only serve as a distraction to committed and seasoned programming puzzle veterans.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game features no narrative elements, focusing solely on puzzles, which some players appreciate as a positive aspect.
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game rewarding, as solving delays and logic gates not only fosters a sense of cleverness but also provides a deeper understanding of real-life computing principles. This combination of intellectual challenge and educational value enhances the overall emotional engagement with the game.
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly during testing phases, which can detract from the overall experience.
“It makes testing very tedious.”
“It makes testing very tedious.”
