I have just finished uploading the final video in the series of walkthroughs for a puzzle game called Ligo. It has been created by an independent developer called Anthony Berleur. I was fortunate enough to be given a copy to play, record and review and can honestly say this has been an incredible, well-polished, thought-provoking puzzle game.
Whilst the main character doesn’t seem to have a name, its role in life is vital – it must destroy all yellow squids which have invaded the galaxy! This is done within pure Sokoban style gameplay meaning blocks are your friends. They must be pushed, carried, lifted, balanced on your head, fused with others later in the game and dropped to ensure squid annihilation. What sounds simple in principle soon takes on a mind of its own as suddenly the block is not the only tool at your disposal – there will be others just like you. These seemingly sentient beings will move just as your own character moves. They can even manipulate blocks too! As if that were not exciting enough they are capable of fusing together creating a much longer or taller playable character. When in this fused state they are also heavy enough to squash a squid – never has dropping on a squid felt so appealing! Later in the game a sleeping shadow version of yourself will also come into play. These restful characters maintain the merging properties but unlike the white mini-me versions, do not move with the main character unless merged. They may be docile but they are every bit as useful!
Each part of the world furthers the gameplay and problem solving capabilities by bringing in new rules and mechanics. The most striking of which is the introduction of gravity changes, leaving your character inverted as well as all movable components. However, it is important to note that the squids are not impacted. This is essential to master otherwise some levels will be inaccessible. In the overworld, even early on, it is possible to spot levels that are out of reach no matter how many overworld blocks you acquire. This is because you have to be able to access teleporters with the inverted gravity active. For some people, not being able to access levels in the seemingly correct order can be disgruntling – if they can be seen then it is only natural to want to reach them. I know – I tried for ages in the overworld! However, it is very easy to soon slip into the mindset that the game does not have to played linearly. On completing one world a choice of two become available and it is easy to dip into an array of levels, simply leaving one path if you become momentarily stuck so as to head off in another way and return later. Moving from one world to the next is made simply through a teleporter screen showing the galaxy you are attempting to save and the planets that are cured are marked with a ring akin to Saturn.
The meta in Ligo is delightful. There are some games that have this just right and Ligo is one of them. In some cases I found the overworld puzzles as challenging and lengthy as the actual in-world ones! Accessing the secret gates and reaching the points to check a world is cured is met with a real sense of achievement. There are also a series of quotes/messages at each overworld puzzle completion checkpoint. I will really have to go back through each in turn to make a note of them. From the couple I can recall, they are perhaps insights into the character we play as and thoughts about life. Given how few there are they strike me as meaningful, but perhaps with my autism I am too literal. What I did understand and find emotional though was the very last scene between our white character and a new dark grey/navy coloured counterpart. I won’t spoil it but it feels incredibly fitting as an ending.
I do not expect to encounter many other Sokoban style games of this quality this year. It has remained totally pure to the genre but has brought with it creative dynamics and puzzles that will leave you sat staring whimsically at squids for hours! If you have the patience and want a challenge then this is the game for you!
It is available on Steam as well as other platforms.
My Ligo YouTube playlist can be found here.