With a sequel already available on the App Store, Fireproof’s Bafta-winning puzzler may be old news, but it’s a cracker all the same. For those who have yet to bask in its greatness, The Room is an intricately detailed game and one in which players are (literally) forced to think outside the box.
After a brief bit of exposition, players stumble into a darkened room only to find a ornate box perched upon a table. Without explicitly telling you what to do, the game leaves players to examine the object and, eventually, open the box to reveal its contents.
There are only a cluster of stages available though each one can take anywhere between fifteen minutes to half an hour, depending how switched-on you are.
Gameplay itself is conducted entirely through swiping, pinching, and tapping, each box having its own unique interactive features. These gestures are contextual and often inventive with players pulling out drawers, turning keys, and fiddling with all sorts of levels, dials and what not.
Starting each level can be quite daunting. Boxes aren’t always cube-shaped and every surface is often covered in features players need to take note of. Despite The Room’s apparent degree of freedom, however, each puzzle has a set solution. Once you have solved one of the game’s miniature puzzles it will often trigger another to appear somewhere else on the box.
It kind of feels like peeling an onion but with more excitement and less tears. Instead of clouding your eyes with stinging, smelly juices, The Room assaults them with visual splendour.
The amount of effort that has gone into detailing each of The Room’s antique boxes is incredible, both up close and from afar. From fabric inlays and tarnished metals to the fine wood grains, it’s enough to make David Dickinson a very happy man.
Daytime television jokes aside, The Room is a must have if you own a mobile or tablet. Though the latter will do the game more justice, the puzzle-solving experience is just the same on both.
It won’t take long to complete yet it’s one of those gaming experiences that will stick with you for a long time. What’s more, with a bonus level and sequel on-hand, there’s even more puzzle solving to be had when everything is done and dusted.
Kitch
I really enjoyed The Room. I’ll now go and get the sequel. I didn’t even know this was out.
Kitch
Just seen its not on android yet. I’ll be waiting then…..
Moonpie
Finished the room and it’s epilogue yesterday, bit gutted it isn’t available on Android yet.
bunimomike
I started it but lost interest. Will endeavour to return and give it another go. Sadly, my iPhone gaming time is currently full of me blowing stuff up! Far more satisfying. ;-)
Kreisash
Really enjoyed playing this (got it as part of Humble bundle for Android ages ago).
Glad they made a sequel. Just have to wait for it to come over now.
ico
Played The Room on the ipad and one of the best ipad games out there. It’s not long in terms of completion time (and little to no replay value) but as it burns so brightly for its duration all this can be forgiven. If its a case of buying this or a can of fizzy pop at lunchtime give your intellect a treat and your teeth a break and opt for The Room!
P.S. I am in no way affiliated with the dev or publisher I just know a bloddy good game when I see one!
ico
‘Bloody’