Crayon Physics Deluxe

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I find one thing very interesting about Crayon Physics Deluxe – author Petri Puho has, like Jonathan Blow with Braid, opted to let the entire game revolve around a central game mechanic and rather than limit the expression of this mechanic, he removed things that didn’t fit. This makes bringing objects to life a joyful and carefree experience, but it also removes most of the challenge from the game – it is more of a sandbox to play in than a quest to undertake.

It is certainly a sign of the times, with Little Big Planet and the ever increasingly customizable OS:es of modern consoles, in Crayon Physics it also works well and is thoroughly enjoyable. The problem for me is that once you figure out a few solutions that will allow you to solve nine levels out of ten flawlessly, there is little incentive to do something fancy – games that require me to put too much effort in creating my own experience doesn’t usually hold my attention for long since if I’m going to make something, I’d rather go all out and make something that’s my own completely.

Still, there is something immensely satisfying with seeing your drawings immediately become a natural part of the moving world. And then there are those rare levels that don’t have any obvious perfect solutions.

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Posted on Jan 20/09 by Saint and filed under Reflections | No Comments »