Undivided Demo

Movement is not really something you think about in video games, unless it is exceptionally badly implemented. Although it was cumbersome at the beginning of the 3D era, it is now a very basic component in every video game, especially in shooters and adventure games. It is difficult to innovate in this field, unless the gameplay has some sort of gimmick that demands new mechanics.

Undivided is a puzzle game in which you just have to move around, although it is certainly not as simple as it sounds. You control two characters instead of one, each one of which can only move on either the horizontal or the vertical axis. As such, it is imperative that you think ahead before making any steps, or you risk getting stuck and having to restart the entire stage from the beginning.

There’s not much of a story as of right now, and it is pretty difficult to convey information when none of the characters can speak. However, it is obvious that the two creatures have some sort of bond, because if one of them dies, the other cannot go on alone. It’s probably not as dramatic, but it helps to think of it that way when you are avoiding lasers and turrets.

The controls are as simple as the actual movement is. You only need four keys to move both characters, and it depends on whether you want to go sideways or vertically. In case you might wonder how would it work when both need to go in the same direction, the answer is simple: you can use one creature to push the other one. Caution is advised, on the other hand, because it’s easy to get stuck this way.

As far as the visual quality is concerned, the top-down perspective does not allow for too much detail, but the game certainly doesn’t look too bad either. In fact, the graphics are smooth and a pleasure to look at, even if the tiles start to get rather repetitive after a while. A jolly soundtrack keeps you company as well, although there are rather few songs in it.

While Undivided certainly has a severe lack of explosions, the puzzles are the main attraction, and it’s nice to see developers being so creative. The game is incredibly addictive as well, especially if you don’t give up when everything works against you.