PN Review: Blek

Don’t let the awful name fool you – Blek is a good puzzle title, with very rewarding gameplay.  The Wii U eShop has many quality puzzlers to choose from, but Blek’s unique approach helps it stand out from the crowd.  This download is original in many respects.

I’m going to crib from how the game is advertised on Nintendo’s page – “Blek can’t be explained in words – watch the video trailer.”  I’ve included the trailer above for your viewing convenience.  Watching it you can get a feel for the game’s minimalist visuals, basic control (with many solutions), and complexities of most of the later puzzles.  One thing the trailer does drop the ball on however is the music it plays – Blek is a silent affair.  Disingenuous advertising aside, an optional soundtrack would’ve been appreciated, as an asset to enhance the experience.  At least some rather amusing sound effects aid the spartan audio package.

Once you wrap your head around the game’s design, and the charm of the visuals sets in, your left with some rather tough puzzles.  The blend of avoidance and elimination is quite challenging.  Blek is a linear game, with no option to play puzzles out of order.  As a happy medium, perhaps some freedom should have been given.  Nevertheless solving a particularly difficult puzzle offers the type of satisfaction only the best puzzle games can!

Blek is not a two player game, yet I had fun enjoying the experience with my wife.  I wouldn’t be surprised if it was popular as a group game.  The gameplay has a broad appeal, and the multitude of solutions means participants can interact with it in different ways.  Some may be good at eliminating the colored circles, yet struggle to avoid the black ones.  A fresh set of eyes, or a suggested new approach may be all that’s needed to complete the most complex of levels.

Not every title that gets ported from the mobile market to the eShop succeeds, but Blek does.  Its presentation, unique gameplay, and challenging puzzles, make it a winner.  Some optional tunes,  a bit more freedom, and some cool Wii U extras could elevate it to greatness, but this is still a very good download worth playing.