The Ball Demo

Ever since Portal was released, countless variations on the same theme have been released by indie developers, in the hopes of recreating the magic in Valve’s superb puzzle game. However, very few have managed the performance, with some exceptions that did quite well for themselves. Now, a similar game attempts to do the same thing, only using an entirely different set of gameplay mechanics.

The Ball sounds quite plain and boring, but it’s far from that once you get past the first few minutes of gameplay. A variety of genres and elements have come together to form this because it includes physics puzzles, a first-person perspective, and quite the action-packed combat sequences. Moreover, the entire thing is presented using the beautiful Unreal Engine 3.

The story revolves around an archeologist who finds himself stuck some kind of underground cavern, which are actually the ancient ruins of a mysterious civilization. Here, you find a magic ball that can be used in a variety of ways and it becomes your primary way of dealing with puzzles and enemies. Hence, it can be used as a counterweight to solve physics-based riddles, or it can be utilized as a weapon and thrown at the enemies that try to harm you.

Although the action takes place underground, that doesn’t mean you’ll have to stare at monotonous walls the entire time. In fact, the level designers did a good job when it comes to making the environments feel open and inviting. The puzzles are also quite tantalizing and you sometimes have to take a step back to think, although none of the riddles are complicated enough to bring frustration into the equation.

As previously mentioned, the game’s visual are definitely top-notch, thanks to the extraordinary capabilities of the Unreal Engine 3. Everything from the environments to the enemies looks sharp and detailed, not to mention the weapons and the special effects that add an extra layer of makeup on top of it all. The soundtrack is also quite special and memorable, with nice atmospheric tunes to keep you invested in the action.

In the end, the mix of puzzles, action, and good graphics make The Ball far more than a simple indie game, even if it can still be categorized as one. Hence, if you fancy a bit of a challenge and you would like to crush mummies using a giant ball of metal, this is the game you’ve been looking for.