Review: The Room

Developer: Fireproof Games

Platform: Android

Device: LG Google Nexus 4

Fireproof Games first foray into the mobile gaming world is an interactive puzzle game where the player is seeking to gain entrance into a safe, which resides in a curious study.  With stunning visuals, fluid controls, and a story unraveled through cryptic clues, Fireproof Games creates an epic adventure that keeps its audience captivated until the very end.

At the menu screen, you are greeted with a door slightly ajar, eerie music, and a mysterious locking mechanism that provides a tantalizing sneak peek into the unique puzzle adventure awaiting you.  The game begins with you entering the room and being introduced to the safe.  The gorgeous visuals generate a realistic looking safe that can be easily manipulated by swiping, tapping, and tilting your device.  You can swipe to look around the safe, zoom in to focus on a specific area, interact with objects to reveal hidden compartments, use objects to open new areas of the safe, and move pieces around to solve the challenging puzzles.  The seamless controls allow you to feel as if you are actually manipulating the safe as well as the objects with your own hands.

The puzzles themselves do not feel comprised of several small puzzles pieced together, but rather a large cohesive puzzle where each solution draws you further into the confines of the safe and its contents.   The puzzles increase in difficulty as the player proceeds through the game and can proof frustrating at times.  As you proceed through the game, short cryptic messages are placed within the multiple layers of the safe providing snippets of insight as to what your predecessor discovered about the safe and where they may be. These notes are the only means of storytelling in the game and leave a lot to be desired near the end where the conclusion of the story feels unfinished making it the only downfall of an otherwise perfect puzzle experience.  Fireproof Games has stated they will provide an update to the game in summer 2013, which picks up where the game left off.

The Room is a polished and beautifully executed game that creates an immersive gaming experience.  If you enjoy playing puzzle games, I highly recommend playing The Room.   The Room is available from the Apple Store, Google Play, and Amazon Apps for $1.99.

Score

9.5/10