It may be a little ambitious to describe this game as a "hidden gem" but for my money it's not too far off the mark.
The graphics and sound are nothing overly exciting but certainly never stray into offensive territory. They also fit very nicely with the retro-vibe the game as a whole puts out.
Where this title starts to shine is in the gameplay, offering a neat combination of strategic puzzling and timing-based action. Working out a valid path and avoiding hazards requires some thought. Even if you ultimately concede defeat and look up a solution you will still need to execute the maneuvers to pull it off. On some of the later levels this is far easier said than done but can be very satisfying.
The game offers a reasonable level of challenge - tied almost exclusively to attaining a perfect on each and every level. However it successfully avoids straying into the incredibly difficult realms that some games inhabit. It's perhaps a case of sometimes needing to turn it off for the night and come back the next day rather than wanting to throw your controller through the TV.
Additionally the game has been on sale several times throughout 2024 at a very low price and - should this trend continue into 2025 - I would confidently recommend it as a bargain for anyone more interested in gameplay than graphics who enjoys puzzle type games.
4.0