Sokobond Express
- December 31, 2023
- Jose Hernandez
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreSokobond Express is a challenging puzzle game that combines chemical bonds and pathfinding mechanics, with the player guiding atoms and molecules to their target destinations. As the game progresses, the complexity increases, requiring the player to think ahead and adapt their strategies. With its minimalist design and intuitive mechanics, Sokobond Express provides a rewarding and educational puzzle-solving experience, even for those without prior chemistry knowledge.
iPad
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Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
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Windows
Android
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Mobile Platform
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Reviews
- Sokobond Express successfully combines elements from Sokobond and Cosmic Express, creating a unique and enjoyable puzzle experience.
- The game features a clean and minimalist design, with great music and a satisfying hint system that enhances the gameplay.
- Puzzles are well-designed, providing a mix of challenge and accessibility, making it suitable for both newcomers and fans of the genre.
- Many players found the game to be easier than its predecessors, leading to a sense of underwhelm and lack of challenge.
- The trial-and-error nature of some puzzles can detract from the logical problem-solving experience that players expect.
- Some mechanics from the original games are missing, which may disappoint fans looking for a deeper challenge and complexity.
- gameplay60 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a blend of mechanics from Sokobond and Cosmic Express, featuring thoughtfully designed puzzles that gradually introduce new concepts, making it accessible yet engaging. While some players appreciate the straightforward nature and elegant level design, others find the line tracing mechanic restrictive and less enjoyable, leading to a reliance on trial and error. Overall, the game offers a gentle learning curve with unique levels, though it may lack the complexity and surprise found in its predecessors.
“The learning curve is appropriate, the mechanics are introduced gradually and are easy to grasp quickly.”
“It's a neat and elegant puzzle game blending the mechanics of Sokobond and Cosmic Express while not being as hard as either of them; it's pretty accessible overall.”
“The game's difficulty works well to make it widely accessible without remotely undermining the exploration of the mechanics, as each mini-world feels confidently iterated upon and each level is unique enough to warrant its own existence in contrast to the level before and after it.”
“It's more sokobond than express, and to be honest, I never could get a good grip on how to analyze puzzles in this game - there's just too many factors to keep track of for a holistic approach, and trial and error on top of small deductions is seemingly intended gameplay.”
“The line tracing mechanic adds a bunch of arbitrary restrictions like not being able to retrace your steps and having to end in a specific place that take away options and dumb down the game, making it less fun to solve the puzzles.”
“The line tracing mechanic also makes it harder to visualize what you're doing as you move through the level since you just see a black outline overlaid over the puzzle's starting state rather than seeing everything change and update in real time like in the original.”
- music14 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is consistently praised for its charm and soothing quality, enhancing the overall experience with a chill atmosphere. Reviewers appreciate the combination of clean graphics and an engaging electronic soundtrack, which complements the gameplay and level design effectively. Overall, the soundtrack is described as pleasant and fitting, contributing to a satisfying puzzle-solving experience.
“Great music, chill experience.”
“Presentation and music are great, a combination of clean pristine graphics and charming electronic music.”
“A really beautiful combination of path-drawing and shape-sorting that is really satisfying to play, and backed with a very soothing soundtrack and delightful sokobond-esque facts in between levels.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are described as clean, minimalist, and sharp, contributing to a pleasant overall aesthetic that complements the game's charming electronic music. Users appreciate the functional design and quality of the visuals, which enhance the gameplay experience without becoming monotonous. Additionally, features like dark mode and responsive controls further elevate the presentation.
“The graphics are minimalist but not enough for it to be boring; the music is great, and I love the way the mechanics are introduced in a Patrick's Parabox 'here's an interesting concept, now here are a few applications of it' kind of way.”
“Presentation and music are great, a combination of clean, pristine graphics and charming electronic music.”
“Clean and pleasant graphics, including dark mode, mouse and controller support, cloud saving, progress achievements, a few settings, progress reset, fast and responsive.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players frequently highlight the emotional satisfaction derived from the game's numerous "a-ha!" moments, comparing the joy of solving puzzles to the comforting experience of enjoying a cup of coffee. This sense of accomplishment contributes significantly to the overall emotional engagement with the game.
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is reported to have no performance issues, indicating strong optimization and a smooth gameplay experience.
“No performance issues.”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the humor in the game, particularly enjoying the funny and educational quips that follow each level, which add an entertaining and informative touch to the gameplay experience.
“I love the funny and educational quips after each level!”
“The humor in this game keeps me entertained while I learn!”
“The witty remarks throughout the game add a delightful touch!”
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users report that the game runs smoothly on Linux, showcasing a variety of mechanics without stability issues. Overall, the stability aspect is positively highlighted.
“Pretty, lots of different mechanics, runs great on Linux.”
