Octomaze: A Charming Underground Adventure of Fun and Wonder

Enter the charming underground world of Octomaze, an endearing indie puzzle game that invites players to guide a lovable octopus through an underground journey filled with artifacts and excitement. With its unique twist on puzzle-solving mechanics, adorable protagonist, and captivating gameplay, Octomaze is a delightful addition to the puzzle genre that will warm your heart.

A Puzzle Adventure Beneath Ground
At the heart of Octomaze lies a charming premise – play as a cute and resourceful octopus, but you can only control its tentacles. Exploring a maze-like underworld, seeking to collect coins and hidden artifacts. The selling point here is that the octopus isn’t underwater or even near water for that matter, but rather above ground with its tentacles firmly embedded beneath the ground feeling around the maze-like levels. The game’s vibrant and imaginative art style immediately draws you in, immersing you in a fantastical underground setting.

Delightful Depths and Diverse Challenges
As players progress through Octomaze, they encounter a variety of challenging puzzles that require both logical thinking and skill. From navigating around enemies or destroying them to solving intricate environmental puzzles, each level presents its own set of challenges that keep gameplay fresh and engaging. The gradual increase in difficulty ensures a satisfying learning curve for players of all skill levels.

Tentacles of Ingenuity
Octomaze’s gameplay mechanics are as clever as they are endearing. Controlling the octopus’s tentacles, players maneuver through each level, carefully strategizing their movements to gather coins and uncover hidden artifacts. The clever use of tentacles as a puzzle-solving mechanic including switches, the ability to push boxes, enemies with unique abilities to hinder your progress, and even traps like fire, lasers, and mines. Switches are needed to turn the fires off or on to allow passage or destroy an enemy depending on the levels goal. Mines are needed to time the destruction of certain enemies adding timing as an additional element to your strategy. Lasers and mirrors are used to reflect off and make passage to certain switches which must be activated in order to pass the level, in this way the level requirements are not the same boring old thing over and over again. This all adds depth and challenge to the game. It’s a joy to experiment and find new ways to reach your objectives using the octopus’s unique abilities.

A downside to the way the game is played and of no fault of its own, is the fact your finger can sometimes get in the way of the screen. Even worse is when having to hold your finger down it slips or you don’t remain in contact with it then the tentacle withdraws back to the octopus. This can become frustrating when you have to take an action all in one go without once lifting your finger. You can of course use the saved coins to automatically pass any level which is what I ended up doing a few times. Don’t let this make you think this isn’t a good game though. Every game has its flaws and the pros outweigh the cons.

Artifacts and Sights Under the Ground
Octomaze’s rewarding gameplay goes beyond just solving puzzles. Discovering hidden artifacts and collecting coins adds an extra layer of excitement and satisfaction. Unlocking new areas allows for eager anticipation for what lies ahead. Something else that must be said is the attention to detail of each area’s background. The shading and textures are deeply coloured and look very artistic like a painting. It’s easy to see why Octomaze is such a high-quality game.

The Melodies of the Deep
The immersive experience of Octomaze is further enhanced by its impressive soundtrack. From wistful melodies that accompany moments of peace to cheerful tunes that uplift your spirits, the game’s music adds depth to the underground adventure. The delightful sound effects also resonate with the playful nature of the game, creating a cohesive audio-visual experience. You will even hear background noises that match the setting of each area including a junkyard where you can hear the sound of dogs barking or a city where you can hear the sound of rain. The rain one is my favorite and is rather relaxing.

Conclusion:
Octomaze invites players into a charming and imaginative world where a cute octopus embarks on an underground adventure. With its captivating art style, clever puzzle mechanics, and endearing protagonist, the game conjures a sense of joy and wonder. Whether you’re a fan of puzzle games or simply looking for an enchanting experience, Octomaze is a treasure that will leave you tentacle-in-cheek with delight.

Available on Steam Store

Available on Googe Play

Try the Demo on Google Play

OctoMaze Website Twitter/X Facebook

Octogon Game Studio Itch

Alternative Review from Retrolike.net