Hello and welcome back to my blog!
It's been a long time since I posted on Hive. The previous month has not been the best for me, to say the least. But I will talk about something fun that I did with Beril. Playing games here and there when we get some free time is still one of our best things to do. That time has gone down drastically in the past few weeks and months, but we still manage to sneak in an hour or so to play co-op games like the one I will be talking about today.
In Sink is a co-op puzzle game experience which will test your logic and problem-solving. But most of all, it will test your communication skills as you will both find yourself in different rooms and environments, and the only way to solve those puzzles is to communicate what you can see in front of you and tell it to your partner.
Gameplay!
We have played a lot of such co-op games in the past, and In Sink stands out the most among them. Its puzzles are designed for true co-op, such that you cannot progress unless both players are focused and communicating well. A lot of observational skill is needed as well.
The way puzzles have distinct colours, symbols, patterns and designs makes it a bit easier, but only if you are capable of describing them accurately. We have had a lot of arguments over what a specific shape looks like. Sometimes, both of us are talking about the same pattern or shape, but with different names and concepts, and it gets funny to find out that both of us were talking about the exact thing. It would have been much easier if both of us had the same native language; many things would be less confusing. xD.
One of the best things about this game is that the puzzles kept feeling fresh. At times, one player's job is to just communicate what they see, and the second person is fiddling with the buttons and switches to unlock a door, sometimes both have those patterns and controls responsible for solving the opposite side's puzzle. The way the game plays with colours is impressive as well. That's why we struggled with that one levels which was in black and white. That's when you realise colours play a bigger role than we think in such games.
There are a total of 8 scenarios in the game. Each takes anywhere between 1 and 3 hours to complete. We have done more than half at this point. The game can be so mentally demanding that playing it for more than 2-3 hours can feel like a chore. But that doesn't mean it feels very tedious to play. On the contrary, it is interesting. That feeling when the puzzle finally clicks in your head gives a lot of dopamine hit.
There were a lot of little moments of heated discussions over what could be the solution to specific puzzles, with both of us having our own theories and whatnot. Whoever gets it right also gets the bragging rights for that session lol. You may think it won't happen that often, but when the game is full of these puzzles, it happens a lot of times.
The difficulty is overall balanced, but there were occasional puzzles where we got stuck for a long time. The game gives you access to hints if you want, without any penalty. We used it only a couple of times early in the game. We got better at the game with experience. We started expecting the unexpected. Sometimes the solutions were even easier than we anticipated.
In Sink doesn't focus on storytelling or complex mechanics. It is through and through a co-op puzzle game with a lot of focus on observations, discovery, communication and problem solving; exactly what we were looking for in a good co-op puzzle game.
Sometimes it is not even about solving puzzles but having a good time, enjoying small victories, having misunderstandings, little moments of awkwardness as your partner calls a 'u' pattern a 'v' pattern and so on.
I recommend it for everyone looking to play a good co-op puzzle experience. Just know that some puzzles can be a little frustrating.
Thanks for reading...
- All the content is mine unless otherwise stated.
- Screenshots are from the game, In Sink: A Co-op Escape Adventure.
