-repent loci- The Orb

Ok, this is my second experience with the Repent Loci series made by Zorga.
The first, Severed Waters, was a sort of adventure with minor puzzles that were really easy and short. This game instead is more puzzle (and gameplay) and less story (and dialogues), even if there is something in common that links the two adventures, BUT you have to play it.

Oh, my gameplay was about 1 hour and 30 (probably it was a little more of effective playtime considering that I had to reload some times, and especially in the last level due to a nasty but but I'll tell about this later!).


Alphonse is satisfied, and so I am, since we completed another level!

The Good
The story is about Alphonse: in the short and nice introduction we learn that Alphonse has lost his job and, before leaving, has snatched an orb (the Orb of the title!) that capture the sunlight and works as a sort of lamp. Ok, so out unluckly friend soon discover that he has nothing besides this orb, he takes residence in an abandoned building and starts stealing vegetables to survive.

The game is rather simple: we control Alphonse and, using the Action Key, we pull the various platforms to cover the leaves, since walking on the leaves makes noise, and this means game over! Some platforms are also "empty" but can be useful (as a sort of bridge) to reach other platforms that are too distant.
Another feature is that leaving the area lets you save the game and also resets the puzzle, but the collected vegetables are mantained and often it's mandatory to reset the puzzle in order to collect all the vegetables and go to the next level (there are seven days for seven levels!).
It's a classic game, nothing new or particularly exctiting, but I like a lot this kind of games that are relaxing but requires strategic thinking and planning.

Besides the puzzle there are sometimes some minor tasks in which you have to find and use the right items to gain access to the gardens, but nothing complex or difficult.

Story is very good, even if as usual (for what concern the Repent Loci series) many details are left unexplained, but it's a disturbing story full of atmosphere. I like the stylistic choice to use anonymous grey shades for unnamed and secondary characters, that is a feature of this series. I also like music (the theme is catchy) and graphics.

The Bad
Game is good, the puzzle is simple but well realized and entertaining, since I realized that cometimes there are different solutions that can work, not just one "true path". Unfortunately, during the last level, exactly when I had to take the last vegetable, the dialogue appeared and two platform moved... trapping Alphonse!
I did that again other two times, until I found a solution that moved two useless platforms, without blocking an escape route. But yes, it was unnerving and totally unfair! Anyway this is the only issue I had with this game.


Oh-oh the unnamed secondary characters are suspecting something!

Verdict
I liked this game probably more than Severed Waters, maybe because it was more challenging (a simple but well thought out and organized puzzle with a balanced difficulty), but I also found interesting the references to the other game, and setting. Considering that you start collecting some vegetables and the number increase with the passing of levels, you get the idea that Alphonse is becoming more and more greedy as the scenario around him degrades. It's a powerful disturbing atmosphere and a creepy story, that despite being short, simple and devoid of violence and gore is still unsettling and mysterious. That's cool, I think!

My rating is 4, pity for that bug (I also saw a single typo so there isn't much else to complain!), but I hope to see more games linked to this series, because I am really curious to understand the role of a particular character and location.
Are you curious now? Well, start collecting some vegetables, then!