Tricone Lab

About

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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 63 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Tricone Lab features a unique and refreshing puzzle mechanic that challenges players to think laterally and strategically as they progress through increasingly complex levels.
The game includes a level editor, allowing players to create and share their own puzzles, which adds significant replay value and community engagement.
With over 100 levels and a well-paced difficulty curve, Tricone Lab provides a satisfying and addictive experience for puzzle enthusiasts.

The game suffers from occasional bugs and crashes, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration.
Some players find the graphics to be simplistic and lacking in variety, which may detract from the overall aesthetic experience.
The price point is considered high by some reviewers, especially given the finite amount of content available in the base game.

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.
- “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 game tutorializes through gameplay really well and is constantly adding new mechanics to keep the puzzles interesting.”
- “The mechanics are elegant, logical, well designed, and clearly introduced.”
- “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 idea seems original to me, but the only thing that concept reminds me of (in a way) is SpaceChem - but don't worry, Tricone Lab doesn't have such a high learning curve and it's immediate fun from the beginning, with short and practical tutorials for every gameplay mechanism.”
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 some players appreciate the unique art style and thematic coherence, others feel that the visuals could benefit from additional polish. Overall, the graphics serve their purpose without detracting from the gameplay experience.
- “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%
27%
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 when silence prevails. Overall, the sound design enhances the game's aesthetic, making it a notable aspect of the experience.
- “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 primarily on gameplay mechanics rather than a narrative. Players engage in puzzle-solving to create a molecule called "tricone" from colored cones, with no traditional story elements present. Some users express a desire for a more developed narrative to enhance the experience, similar to other puzzle games.
- “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
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits some bugs and glitches, though they are generally not game-breaking and can be somewhat annoying. Despite using a Java engine, which often leads to instability in indie games, this title manages to maintain a relatively stable experience overall.
- “The game is a bit buggy and 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.”
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.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly without any notable performance issues reported by users.
- “Technically, the game runs fine and is without any performance issues.”
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.”