
	Platform PC Genre Puzzle Publisher Nicalis Developer Nicalis ETA 2011
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Indie Spotlight: Nightsky

Sometimes the simplest things can be the most fun. I remember hucking a ball around as a kid, and just loving it for hours on end. It would seem that the folks behind Nightsky may have similar fond memories of sending round orbs hurtling through the air to destinations unknown. The only difference here is that they've tossed in (hurray for bad puns) some challenging puzzles to solve in order to get your ball from point A to point B.

The premise for this game is so simple, yet it can really keep you busy for a while. Players have a little marble that they roll around a level, rolling it over ramps, pits, various moving platforms, and whatnot, all trying to get the thing to the end of said level without falling down one of these pits, or other obstacles in the way. The challenge comes in keeping good ball control. Roll the thing too fast, and it could ricochet off something and fall down a pit, if too slow it may not have the momentum that it needs to get over a wall or something. On top of this there's the whole matter of timing, especially if one needs to contend with some sort of rotating platform or some such in order to get to certain parts of a level.

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There are plenty of levels to keep one busy, and their layouts are quite clever in how they encourage players to find a way to get their little ball over a pit, onto some higher up ledge, or to climb a series of windmills, among other obstacles laid before us. It's impressive just how much Nightsky sucks players in with all of this. I'm one of those people that clenches a

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gamepad with an iron grip, or pounds on my keyboard much harder than I should when I'm really drawn into a game, and I really noticed it here.

While all of this thinking and strategizing is going on, the visuals and music for the game are quite simple, and almost relaxing. The graphics go for some very basic silhouettes instead of anything with detail. It's minimal, and more than enough to get the job done. What is particularly nice, though, is the music, as it is largely acoustic guitars and some piano softly playing throughout the levels. The pieces played are downright soothing.

For such a simple concept, Nightsky is an amazingly engaging game. It's great fun for killing half an hour or so, and is well worth spending some time with. The game is only ten bucks. There's no excuse not to take it for a spin.

Mr. Nash
May 8, 2011