Mirror Drop - A 2018 hidden gem of a psychedelic spatial puzzler that you probably missed

[More_Badass]

https://mirrordropgame.com/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/845270/Mirror_Drop/
https://ianlilleyt.itch.io/mirror-drop
​

You're going to see the trailer and screenshots of Mirror Drop and have no idea what the gameplay is like. It's actually pretty simple to explain: it's a Sokoban-style puzzler but set in 3D non-Euclidean spaces. Every stage drops you into a new disorienting space, and you have to manipulate an orb by activating/deactivating surfaces that push/pull the orb around the space. It starts off simply, but quickly begins introducing new elements and ramping up the scale and scope of its environments. Both visually and mechanics-wise, it's constant reorientation, as you experiment and figure out how a new level works and how the rules have been influenced, the reflections and architecture creating gorgeous kaleidoscopic displays.

Mirror Drop is a psychedelic 3D puzzle game where you maneuver a reflective sphere in a world full of mirrors, over-saturated colors, and infinities. Each level contains three puzzles and a hidden exit, set against 100% raytraced alien geometry

Click to shrink...

Bennett Foddy of Getting Over It and QWOP fame wrote about the game on his blog
http://thatsnot.fun/mirror-drop/

The puzzle mechanic in Mirror Drop is essentially a very simple gravity-switching design, which should be familiar if you've played Kory Heath's Blockhouse or any of the innumerable similar games out there. In each level, you activate three artifacts and then leave. But here that basic puzzle mechanic isn't the point — it's more of a foundation on which to build fascinating — and ultimately fiendish — spatial puzzles, in the same way that Miegakure builds an interesting puzzle about 4-Dimensional space on basic Sokoban mechanics.

In case it's not clear by now, one of the things I most like about videogames is that they can have original 'brainfeel'. Each of the levels in Mirror Drop starts with you feeling totally disoriented, then reconstructing an impossible geometry by floating around it and manipulating an object inside of it. Sometimes you find yourself in spaces where you can turn all the way around without turning 360°. Sometimes you find yourself in spaces that are inside of themselves. And your brain says: 'alright'. That is a wonderful feeling.

Click to shrink...

 

[inpHilltr8r]

Welp, finally a good use for ray tracing! Appreciate the quality slider. Still playable on my ageing laptop. I think I solved the first puzzle, not entirely sure.

 

[Axisofweevils]

Thanks for drawing my attention to this. It's on my radar now.

 

[Setsune]

Intriguing idea, but I think I'd have way more trouble with this than Antichamber.

 

[Axisofweevils]

OK, so I bought this. Really clever stuff. The feeling of going from being completely confused to it suddenly clicking is amazing. It sort of reminds me of The Witness. It definitely can make you feel disoriented tho. I think it will take way longer than 3 hours for me to complete.

 

[SteveWinwood]

Thanks for the thread. I'll be buying this when I get home.

 

[Redmoon]

From the games how it's made on their website, it says each level was hand coded. Wonder if its built like a demoscene intro.

 

[JODOROWSKY51]

Oh wow! That looks really cool.

Thanks More_Badass!

 

[inpHilltr8r]

I "solved" the first one without moving. Then I accidentally hit control, and now it's a lot clearer what's going on. Also Mr Foddy's comments make sense now.

 

[SapientWolf]

The video alone broke my mind. I can't even imagine what playing it must be like.

 

[Skyebaron]

It's actually pretty simple to explain: it's a Sokoban-style puzzler but set in 3D non-Euclidean spaces.​

Click to shrink...

I mean... ill try it. But I feel stupid already.

 

[Deleted member 733]

One of the Steam reviews said the game needs an epilepsy warning -- any idea why?

 

[chrominance]

I had to look up Sokoban.

"Sokoban (倉庫番 sōko-ban, "warehouse keeper") is a type of puzzle video game, in which the player pushes crates or boxes around in a warehouse, trying to get them to storage locations."

That made things a lot clearer. I feel like anyone who's played JRPGs before has run into this at some point or another.

Anything that plays in the same ballpark as Antichamber is a-ok by me, so I'll put this on my wishlist.

 

[inpHilltr8r]

So far the puzzles haven't been that hard, once you get your head around how the space works, and what the things you can change are, and where the thing that moves is, and what the holes look like. Yeah, easy. O_O

Actually I'm a little scared of this thing. Like a little worried that it's going to rewire my brain into something capable of hosting an eldritch horror.

 

[Vipu]

I got Antichamber feels from that trailer, i gotta try this. Thx OP.

 

[Imperial Bishop]

This is triggering my anxiety for some reason.

 

[Sai]

Fuuuuck yeah, this looks awesome.

 

[Axisofweevils]

So, I dreamed about this game last night. This is doing strange things to my brain...