I think Helix: Descent N Ascent, out now from Badass Mongoose, may have made me rethink my use of the word “vibrant.”
This is a game that is almost entirely black and white, yet somehow feels more visually alive than a lot of the games I’ve described with that term. The black-and-white art style absolutely pops off the screen. It gives the world a really distinct personality, one that’s not just there to look pretty, making it approachable to casual and more experienced puzzle gamers.
The black-and-white aesthetic is an important part of how you explore Helix’s world. Certain platforms, objects, and entire paths only exist in one of the realms, meaning I was constantly thinking about how I had to use the switching ability (when I had it) to progress.
And speaking of powers and abilities, you gain quite a few along the way, from conjuring blocks to create paths, sending a small drone creature through vents, or even the ability to poke-ball creatures and such you find in the world to aid in your puzzle solving.
Eventually, you’re able to equip more than one at a time, which really made the puzzle solving sing. Though the bulk of that comes after the end credits, which I found puzzling, and it was something I almost missed if I hadn’t gone back to check the percentage completion of my save file.
The world was very open in more ways than one. You can choose the order in which you want to do the levels, and there are small clues hidden in various areas as to which ability or configuration of abilities you need. Did I get lost a few times? Yes. I also definitely stumbled across a few things and wondered if I was supposed to have seen them yet. But after a bit, I started to think maybe that was the point. Helix is a game that wants you to explore, experiment, and yes, take a wrong turn or four.
Throughout the world, there’s also a bevy of treasures scattered about, whether it’s hidden pieces of the map or arcade machines. You heard right, there’s a little slice of Donkey Kong here. The machines are platforming challenges in which you start at the bottom and work your way up, jumping over gaps, avoiding hazards, and climbing ladders. Each one has multiple difficulty levels you can tackle depending on the type of challenge you feel like giving yourself. (And the treasures I mentioned? They can include cheat codes for the arcade sections, encouraging replay and exploration.)
Helix is an extremely well-crafted puzzle-adventure game with a unique visual style and clever ideas. I loved the way its art style and gameplay mechanics connected, and the arcade platforming challenges were a fun surprise that showcased the game’s inventive design choices.
In the end, I got lost. I backtracked. I wondered if I was doing things in the right order. But I had a really good time figuring it all out.
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-Amanda