Trailer Impressions: Semblance – Release Date Announcement

Semblance, developed by Nyamakop, is a title that has received little fanfare, but the trailers really help sell it as a game for puzzle gamers. This puzzle platformer is a game that if you described what the trailer does before seeing it you would be awed, and after seeing it be amazed at how the game pulled it off. Even though this is just a trailer, it is clear that a lot of work was done to give the player control on how to manipulate levels.

In Semblance you can deform levels and change shape to really to help reach certain platforms or avoid enemy obstacles. Watching how it is done in the trailer looks so fluid, but I hope as a player there are no “sweet spots,” where the bending of platforms can only occur, as that would make passing puzzles a little more frustrating. The color palette of Semblance is also very plain, in a good way, that gives it a “Play-Doh” appearance, and that’s kind of what the game does also, doesn’t it? As a game that is set for the Nintendo Switch, I think this will be a big hit, especially on the go. The other great part about Semblance is that you can bounce around to different levels in case you get stuck. This is a feature that is underrated, that I prefer, as the feeling of being stuck and not making progress can be demoralizing, and switching between new levels to give you a fresh look later can be beneficial to a puzzle gamer. Semblance may not be getting the headlines now, but this is definitely a potential sleeper for puzzle game of 2018 if the game pulls off everything successfully, while maintaining a decent level of difficulty. I look forward to this.