Circuit

Electronics are no longer the wonder they represented a century ago, since almost everyone has supercomputers in their pockets nowadays and a microchip in every appliance around the house. However, few people are aware of how transistors, diodes and resistors work, because such knowledge is no longer needed in order to operate even the most sophisticated computers out there.

Circuit is a pretty interesting little game in which you play the role of two nanobots trying to use their skills to fix a motherboard and fulfill some kind of prophecy. The mechanics are that of a third-person adventure game, but they seem to be a lot more awkward and slow than usual. Granted, this is a college project designed by amateurs, so it’s only natural that it has a few flaws.

The action takes place on a microscopic scale, which is why microchips and various other electronic devices are huge in relation to the characters. Your main goal is to reach a building called the great light tower, which is where the prophecy is said to come to fruition. However, there are many obstacles you have to overcome along the way.

Since most of your time is spent exploring the surface of the motherboard, it’s important that the environment looks nice. This is not necessarily the case here, but at least it’s interesting and new, which is enough to keep you focused. On the other hand, the linear level design and a plethora of invisible walls make it difficult to really appreciate the work of the developers.

As for the graphics, the game looks pretty nice, at least when it comes to textures and the special effects. The lighting is a bit awkward and flat, which causes everything to look like it’s made of plastic, but you can easily ignore this. Not much can be said about the sound, and the controls are pretty terrible when it comes to rotating the camera and moving the robots.

Circuit is a pretty nice game, but it’s not very playable at moment, nor does it have enough puzzles to keep you busy for too long. On the other hand, the concept could evolve into something much better in the future, at least if the developers keep working on it.