Dropping a key into the model will make tiny jingling sounds as it bounces around, and that’s paired with deep, metallic clanks behind you from its larger counterpart. Those impressive aesthetics also extend into its otherworldly particle effects as objects phase in or out of place, as well as its top-notch audio design. Its use of vibrant colors and ornate, warped architecture is some of the most beautiful I’ve seen in any puzzle game. Part of that immediate appeal is thanks to how jaw-droppingly gorgeous Maquette can be. It’s a phenomenally clever concept, and one that’s an absolute joy to mess around with when you’re first getting your bearings. Drop an item – like a key or a bridge – into the model and a to-scale version will appear in the same spot behind you, only much larger – alternatively, pick something small out of the model and you’ll suddenly have a tiny version to use in your regular-sized world.
The use of colorful illustrations to represent those found within the sketchbook are another nice touch and one that helps to enhance overall the tones of the narrative.In the center of each chapter’s contained puzzle area is a little model (a maquette, if you will) of the terrain around you. There are a few levels near the end that are nearly devoid of color, which creates a powerful contrast to the rest of the game and drives home the sense of sadness and isolation. Nearly every set piece is filled with vibrant colors and enticing visuals. Still, there’s no denying that Maquette is a gorgeous game. The majority of the puzzles are incredibly easy to figure out, although a couple have some truly outlandish solutions that make them more aggravating than thought provoking. However, Maquette never makes that leap into the delightfully bizarre, it stays in the safe zone of manipulating object sizes for the most part. I was hoping for some some truly outside the box thinking with regards to some of the solutions, like those found in Superliminal. There’s rarely anything different to be found throughout the entire game. It’s a fun and inventive gameplay mechanic for a while, but it’s not too long before you realize that’s really all this game has to offer. This is the key bridge I was referring to. This will make it the correct size to use in the locked door’s keyhole. From here, you can pick up the smaller version of the key from its respective location within the miniature map and proceed to take it outside of the dome where it will maintain its small size. So you’ll drop the large key outside of the central domed structure and enter the dome which has a miniature version of the map inside of it. You’ll find the key, but it is much too large to fit the key hole. Bringing things inside and outside of the main dome will affect the sizes of objects depending on where you pick them up and place them.įor example, at one point you’ll need to get past a locked door. Maquette is a recursive puzzle game in which you use miniatures, or maquettes, in order to manipulate the size and layout of specific items found within the map.
The story consists of about half of the focus of the game, the other half centers around solving puzzles. His inner thoughts will appear in writing in various spots around the map.
You’ll also see his thoughts appear across various walls and landscapes as you progress, giving you more of an insight as to how he truly feels about things. The rest of the game is spent solving puzzles while you hear dialogue from some of their most memorable moments. He finds an old sketchbook when going through some of their things and it makes him reflect upon their past time together. This game is in a first-person perspective in which you control the man in the duo. Maquette centers around the relationship of a young couple. Now I just had to see if the experience was as enjoyable as it looked. So when I saw the announcement for Maquette, a trippy puzzle game from one of my now-favorite publishers, I was immediately onboard. While not all of their titles achieve the success they were hoping for, such as Telling Lies, most of them provide enjoyable and thought provoking experiences like The Pathless, Gorogoa, and Outer Wilds. They have made it their mission to publish games that are usually a far cry from the norm. I have spoken many times about how much respect I have for Annapurna Interactive.