Tricone Lab

About

Tricone Lab is a single player action game. It was developed by Josh Singer and was released on July 27, 2017. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

A bio-logical puzzle game, in which you interact with the elements of a microscopic organism. There are 100 levels which will test your lateral thinking abilities to the limit. Plus, a level editor: you can make your own custom puzzles and publish them online.

Genres & Tags

Indie

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 63 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Tricone Lab offers a unique and refreshing puzzle experience with innovative mechanics that challenge players to think outside the box.
The game features over 100 levels with a well-balanced difficulty curve, gradually introducing new mechanics and keeping the gameplay engaging.
The inclusion of a level editor allows players to create and share their own puzzles, extending the game's replayability and community interaction.

The game suffers from some bugs and technical issues, including crashes and connectivity problems that hinder access to community content.
Many levels start off as tutorial-tier puzzles, which may not provide enough challenge for experienced players until later stages.
The visual presentation is minimalistic and can feel dull over time, lacking variety in color and design.

gameplay
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
79%
5%
The gameplay of "Tricone Lab" is characterized by its unique and innovative puzzle mechanics that revolve around strategically breaking cellular walls to construct molecules. Players appreciate the gradual introduction of new mechanics, which keeps the puzzles engaging and challenging, especially as they progress through the 100 levels. The game effectively combines tutorial elements with gameplay, ensuring that players are well-acquainted with each mechanic before facing more complex challenges, resulting in a fun and addictive experience.
- “I've never really seen a game with similar mechanics to Tricone Lab, making this game's puzzles all the more refreshing.”
- “The gameplay is well thought out and features an indirect approach to puzzle solving, requiring the player to gradually build up to the solution and crack the puzzle.”
- “The gameplay is simplistic but the puzzles aren't; even the most accomplished puzzle game player will be baffled and find hours and hours of challenge.”
- “Overall, the mechanic is too simple and not addictive enough.”
- “The game tutorializes through gameplay really well and is constantly adding new mechanics to keep the puzzles interesting.”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
48%
14%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a simple yet charming aesthetic, often described as minimalistic and monochrome, which complements its puzzle mechanics. While not a graphical masterpiece, the visuals are fitting for the game's theme and do not detract from the gameplay experience. Some users noted that the graphics could benefit from further polish, but overall, they appreciate the unique art style and its alignment with the game's organic puzzle-solving nature.
- “Ultimately, it's a really quite unique, challenging puzzle game with decent enough sound and graphics to convey the satisfying gameplay.”
- “The graphics of the game might be quite simple, but there’s a certain charm to the simplicity, and I greatly appreciate the almost monochrome tonality of most of the game, as these types of puzzle games tend to end up in bright colors to compensate for the lack of 'proper' graphics.”
- “The graphic style seems to fit perfectly with the game.”
- “Graphics don't really matter that much in puzzle games, but I think the graphics and presentation could use a little polish.”
- “The game is still in early access, and there are a few known bugs on the forum which are getting ironed out, but none of the ones I ran into are game-breaking or mess with the experience whatsoever - typically a graphical glitch, or the like, which can be solved by reloading the level.”
- “About graphics - I don't know why, but it reminded me a bit of World of Goo, probably because in it everything was constantly moving - just like here, but certainly not in a way that makes the game look good.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
28%
27%
The music in the game is generally well-received, contributing positively to the atmosphere with its relaxing and ambient qualities. While some players find it charming and fitting, others note that it can become repetitive or annoying, particularly during puzzle-solving moments. Overall, the sound design enhances the game's aesthetic, though players are also encouraged to play their own music if desired.
- “The music and sounds in the game are all very nice and fit in well with the atmosphere.”
- “The presentation is suitable and the sound effects and soundtrack are quite charming and add positively to the game’s aesthetic.”
- “The sound design is all very nice, from the ambient music in the menus, to the sound that the elements you interact with make.”
- “Music can be a bit annoying.”
- “It's just a few short bits of music and sounds that sound unobtrusive and vaguely science-ish.”
- “Feel free to play your own music.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The game features a minimalistic approach to storytelling, focusing on the gameplay mechanics of creating Tricones from colored cones without a traditional narrative. While some players appreciate the lack of a story, others feel it detracts from the experience, suggesting that a more developed narrative could enhance engagement. Overall, the absence of a written story leaves players to interpret the puzzle-solving experience in their own way.
- “Story: you're making a molecule called tricone from cells.”
- “Unique in every way, no story and no nonsense.”
- “Without a written story, you are left to picture and experience the puzzles as if you were inside a cell performing the functions of cells.”
- “I would also like some kind of story to go with this (maybe something like SpaceChem's) as I personally feel like it's lacking without one.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally stable, with only a few minor glitches that are not game-breaking but can be annoying. While it is slightly buggy, it stands out among other indie Java-based games for its overall polish.
- “The game is a bit buggy and is not cheap.”
- “There are a few rare glitches (and a common one), but none are game-breaking - just a bit annoying sometimes.”
- “A huge surprise comes with the Java engine that the game uses, because many indie Java-based games end up being buggy and not polished.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly without any notable performance issues reported by users.
- “The game runs smoothly and is free of any performance issues.”
- “I appreciate how well-optimized the game is; it runs flawlessly on my system.”
- “The optimization is impressive, allowing for a seamless gaming experience.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game has limited replayability, as players feel that once they have completed the puzzles and understood their mechanics, there is little incentive to revisit them.
- “In terms of the base game, I don’t think there’s any real replay value; once you’ve completed the puzzles and know how they work, there’s no point in playing them again.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's convenience features that help streamline potentially tedious grinding processes, making the experience more enjoyable and less time-consuming.
- “The game even contains what I would call convenience features that allow you to shortcut some procedures that could become tedious.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's music and sound design are highly praised for their quality and seamless integration, enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersion.
- “The music and sounds in the game are all very nice and fit in well with the atmosphere.”