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 The Ball Review
Platform: PC exclusive
Publisher: Tripwire Interactive
US Price (as reviewed): $20.99 (inc tax)
The Ball is an excellent hybrid that is predominantly a first-person physics puzzler (similar in spirit to Valve's Portal), but with more mummies and exploding monkeys.
Developed by Teotl Studios, a startup game company based in Vittinge, Sweden, The Ball began as a critically-acclaimed mod based upon the Unreal Engine 3. It won 2nd Place at the 2010 edition of Epic Games' "$1,000,000 Make Something Unreal" competition, and also won ModDB's "Best Singleplayer Mod of 2008" award.
Physics puzzler at heart
You take the role of an archaeologist who has an unfortunate run-in with a dormant volcano. Falling into a cavern deep within the Earth, he unwisely delves deeper into a series of ancient caves and ruins instead of awaiting rescue. Soon thereafter, he discovers a strange artifact and the huge metal, multi-purpose ball that the artifact controls.
The basic mechanics of the game are simple: Your artifact 'gun' can attract the ball, drag it along, or 'hammer' it away, shooting it like a giant billiard ball. You can also attach the ball to other items (large stone blocks) to move them out of the way.
You frequently need to manipulate the ball to place it on top of pressure plates, bowl through a blockade, or hit a button across a room, to name just a few challenges. Maneuvering the ball and solving puzzles to clear obstacles are all part of the challenge.
Explode monkeys and mummies
You might think that The Ball would pose a limited set of actions with which to solve puzzles, but the game does a good job of gradually presenting you with new and interesting ways to use your device and your weighted 'companion sphere' as well.
For example, you can attach the ball to giant stone blocks and use it to push or pull them. (This is apparently how the Aztecs built their mighty structures, as opposed to the popular theory that they used trained dinosaurs to do it.)
Another puzzle requires you to roll the ball through a pool of oil, through a fire, and then to a fuse, igniting the fuse and blowing a blockade. You can also manipulate other objects with the ball gun's hammering ability. Some objects, such as a giant turnstile-like device or small stone blocks, for example, can be struck in order to activate or move them.
A dash of FPS
Occasionally, mummy-like creatures will emerge to threaten you, which adds a little action to the game. You can use the ball to block them, or use the 'repel' ability to fire the ball into them, splattering them into pieces if it hits them hard enough.
Although the undead guardians don’t tend to pose a huge threat in smaller numbers, they keep the game interesting and force you to act quickly and stay on your toes. The mummies aren’t too bright, either, and tend to just run straight at you. Regardless, in sufficient numbers they can still pose a threat, so you need to keep moving to avoid being surrounded and overrun.
And as you progress through the game, you'll get to square off against even nastier, more sinister boss creatures—such as an undead gorilla.
You can also use this ability to squash (for reasons unknown) harmless monkeys. Unlike the mummies, who are actually dangerous, the monkeys wander around aimlessly, waiting to be squashed--and the number o monkeys you crush is actually tallied at the end of each level.
In addition to keeping a tally of how many moneys you squish, you can find hidden, secret tablets scattered throughout the game that reveal the secrets of the mysterious ruins, the guardians therein, and the ball artifact itself.
Overall
The Balldoes an excellent job of straddling the line between physics-puzzler and first-person shooter. With about 8 hours of single-player play and 4 additional challenge levels, The Ball is not only an amazing technical achievement by an Indie developer, but well worth its humble $20 asking price on Steam.
The Ball Features
- 8 hours of single-player adventure
- Game mechanics that are very simple to pick up, immersing the user in the physics-based gameplay right from the start
- 8 huge levels to explore
- Includes bonus Survival game mode, with 4 additional levels
- Wide range of enemies to overcome, including mummies and an undead gorilla
- Unique vehicles – an underground train and the mysterious “Ball Chariot”
- 35 secrets hidden away to be discovered, as well as multiple achievements for the player to earn
- Steamworks™ features including achievements and leaderboards
- Casey Vallee
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