Imagine the quiet contemplation of a block-pushing puzzle game, the kind that traditionally has players pushing crates around to clear paths or reach objectives. Now, infuse that serene mental exercise with a dose of pure, skin-crawling urgency in the form of relentless, flesh-eating insects. This is the core of "Endure The Swarm", a game launching on Friday, December 8th, that revamps the block-pushing puzzler genre into a fight for survival against an unyielding insect horde.
As ominous as it sounds, Endure The Swarm stands out by how it juxtaposes an established, cerebral gaming style with a vividly grim setting. In this dystopian world, humanity has collapsed under the weight of an insect apocalypse, and you—the player—are the last survivor. Far from a heroic figure, you're introduced as a disheartened shut-in, the kind of person whose previous life was marked by indolence, evidenced by a monologue about being surrounded by "monuments to my own laziness".
The game's protagonist finds himself suddenly and jarringly upright, thrust from the soporific comfort of bed and Wikipedia binges into the bleak reality of survival. The character's prior life, marked by a contracting job and a reliance on Diet Soda, stands in stark contrast to the peril that now confronts him at every turn. There's a lingering scent of social commentary here, a reflection on mental health struggles and the gig economy, interwoven with the gameplay itself, although it's up to players to discern how much of it is a deliberate message from the developers.
The gameplay is intuitive yet demands tactical skills. Each level is a discrete checkerboard arena, an arrangement of rooms and corridors with various barriers and challenges. Just after setting foot in this maze of survival, insects begin to emerge, relentlessly moving towards you, one tile at a time. Thankfully, their movement is conditional on your own, granting you precious moments of respite, wherein you can plot your next action and strategize how best to barricade yourself against the encroaching menace.
The insects, bound by a collective hivemind, lack the cognitive capacity to understand the nuances of your block maneuvering, which becomes your key advantage. By shifting objects to obstruct their path, closing off windows and doors, and repositioning shelves, you contain the swarm's advance and carve a path to safety.
Endure The Swarm is the creation of Ternary Designs, an indie studio with a portfolio that indicates a penchant for the macabre. Known for works like Meltdown: The Complete Guide to Reactor Maintenance and Heat Death—a simulation of survival in a galaxy on the brink of extinction—it appears the studio doesn't shy away from darker themes. However, it's worth noting that the same creators have offered a more serene puzzle experience in the past with A Stroll of the Dice, demonstrating their versatility.
A demo of Endure The Swarm is available on Steam for those curious to sample its unusual blend of logic and horror. The game's performance on less-than-optimal hardware, like a non-gaming laptop, may not be seamless, hinting at possible technical hiccups—such as characters getting stuck—which might necessitate starting over. Nonetheless, the early levels are fairly straightforward, easing players into the concept, which in itself is intriguing enough to merit a playthrough.
Players eager for more sokoban action after wrestling with the swarm need not worry; the gaming world is rich with such experiences. For instance, the exceptional Void Stranger and the anticipated Isles of Sea and Sky promise new adventures and puzzles to solve. Endure The Swarm, however, stands apart with its harrowing twist to the sokoban formula, offering a fresh challenge to both puzzle game enthusiasts and those seeking a narrative that speaks to our darker societal reflections. Will you succumb to the relentless pestilence, or will your wit and logical prowess usher you through the swarm to another day? The apocalyptic puzzle awaits your resolve.
You must be logged in to post a comment!
