For 90% of the time, Thomas Was Alone is a great indie puzzler. Developer Mike Bithell somehow transforms the existence of several coloured polygons into a cast of whimsical characters who each have their strengths and downfalls.
It really says something about the power of the writing in the game, when you find yourself caring more about an orange square than you do about Infamous’ Cole McGrath, for example.
Whether it’s John’s superiority complex or Laura and Chris’ burgeoning romance, each coloured block has a story to tell.
The simplistic game-play relies on the use of three buttons and the analogue stick: one to jump (X) and two to switch between blocks (L1 and R1). Rarely will you get frustrated at the precision platforming thanks to the intelligent level design that ensures you never get lost for too long.
Thomas Was Alone has an air of Portal about it, but we can’t quite put our finger on exactly what makes it that way. Perhaps it is the abundance of in-game jokes and pop culture awareness, such as Thomas’ 12-minute glimpse into the internet:
“He had seen the cats who cannot spell. He had heard of the arrow through the knee. He felt that there was a thing called cake, but that it was a lie.”
The scripting is top-notch. Brilliantly narrated by comedian/actor/writer Danny Wallace, who you may recognise as Shaun Hastings from Assassin’s Creed II (onwards). Couple this with a spritely soundtrack that fits the mood perfectly and you’ve got the ingredients for a truly memorable game.
So, I hear you ask, what about the 10% that isn’t so great? Well, my friends, that would be the last portion of the game. Whilst there is nothing fundamentally wrong with it, it seems as if Mr Bithell has got a bit lost in his own world, things happen that should be signposted or explained better. The game makes many assumptions that are not fully explained and leaves the player feeling a bit confused and lost, which is a shame given that this, otherwise enjoyable, game had provided many good elements up until this point.
At just under four hours long, Thomas Was Alone is a fantastic story-driven platformer. It is currently available on PS Vita and PS3 for free on PS+ (or £6.99 otherwise), so you’ve got no excuse to not give it a go!