THE IMPOSSIBLE
THE IMPOSSIBLE is a minimalistic optical illusions puzzle game, similar in concept with hocus (Steam), Evo Explores (Steam) or Monument Valley (Mobile). The level design is heavily inspired by M.C. Escher’s paintings, famous for his so-called “impossible constructions”: geometrical structures whose perspectives are impossible in natural form.
Each of the levels features such a unique shape that “tricks the eye” and which is static (cannot be rotated). On it sits a small cube that you will need to move to a target location by sliding it over the edges of the structure, shifting your perspectives in order to change to other layers or edges that are otherwise logically impossible to reach. Because the possible directions of movement are often not very intuitive to the human eye, these are displayed at the bottom of the screen as a helper element.
The game supports three types of 8-directional controls: controller (sadly, mapped on the D-pad and not on the analog stick), keyboard and mouse (arrow keys or numeric. Moving the cube with the mouse or the controller feels a bit clunky though therefore the keyboard remains the most comfortable approach. In terms of color scheme, the game supports both dark and light mode.
As a puzzle game, THE IMPOSSIBLE is a very decent one but what makes it go over the top is the addition of a GLaDOS-inspired voice that oversees your actions. Much like in Portal, you are a mere test subject, trapped under the watchful eye of an invisible entity that keeps trying to sabotage your actions. Sometimes moving the cube won’t work or the window will randomly resize – guess what, these are not glitches, it’s just THE IMPOSSIBLE’s GLaDOS (called PATCH) attempting to disrupt you from your work. Other times she will throw minor jump scares at you or other scary sounds – nothing belonging to the “horror” genre, yet unsettling enough to make your heart skip a beat. And her repeatedly daunting question “If you finish the game, will you remove me, like other games?” will follow you even after you close the game. Truth be told, I didn’t have the courage to uninstall the game, although that’s what I usually do with all the games I complete.
At the moment of writing this review, THE IMPOSSIBLE features 30 levels. In that regard $5 might be a bit too much for a ~1h of gaming session, if you don’t count the unique atmosphere induced by the somewhat spooky PATCH. However, the developer is working on new levels that will be included in this price in the near future as free DLCs, as well as a level editor.
P.S.: If you temporarily allow incoming chats from people that are not on your friends list during your gameplay session, you’re in for a surprise.