Review: MouseCraft

Release Date: 8th July 2014
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, PS Vita, PS3, PS4, Steam
Price: £9.99
Developer: Crunching Koalas
Website: http://mouse-craft.com/
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Mousecraft’s website bills the game as a cross between Tetris and Lemmings with added cheese jokes and that tells you pretty much everything you need to know about it. It’s not bursting with originality but it’s a solid puzzle game built around tried-and-tested mechanics and you can get a good amount of fun out of it.

The story casts you as Schrödinger the cat (yes, really), a struggling scientist who is conducting experiments on mice for, err, some reason. It’s as good a set-up as any for a series of cheese puns (although these are disappointingly scarce) and the design has a charm to it, even if it does feel like it’s been compiled from a dozen other sources. More good news for fans of steampunk and anthropomorphised animals though.

Schrödinger’s tests require you to guide mice through a series of mazes by dropping blocks in the appropriate places, collecting pick-ups, and protecting them from danger. You’re provided with a variety of tools (bombs, blocks made of jelly, etc.) and put up against a variety of obstacles (high falls, water, evil clockwork mice etc.)

Again, it would have been nice to see more creativity in the gameplay. Puzzle game aficionados will be instantly at home with what’s on offer and this can’t help but lend the experience a stale taste. It feels like Schrödinger, for all his ingenuity, was only able to conjure up the most tired features of the genre to fill his labyrinths.

But what it lacks in originality Mousecraft makes up in polish. The puzzles themselves are well thought-out and strike a good balance between challenging and frustrating, pacing out the different power-ups and hazards to mask the repetition of block-stacking. It’s easy enough to stumble through most of the levels but to master them takes thought and perseverance. It’s also a handsome game with some great attention to detail. The way Schrödinger hovers in the background and reacts to what’s going in is a particularly nice touch.

The puzzles themselves are well thought-out and strike a good balance between challenging and frustrating

This is all the more noteworthy since developers Crunching Koalas, a team of just a handful of programmers based in Poland, have made just one game prior to this. It’s always good to see talent emerging from the indie scene, especially when it is showcased on the big consoles.

The game’s length might be a concern to some players. Perfectionists will enjoy scouring every level for rewards but those less prepared to commit themselves can see most of what Mousecraft offers in an afternoon. There’s a level creator that’s easy to get to grips with but it’s hard to shake the feeling that you’re just building inferior versions of the slick levels of the story.

At an asking price of £10 Mousecraft offers decent value for money, especially if you’re looking for something to eat up some time in the summer drought of games. Younger audiences in particular will have a great time with it. Sadly though, Mousecraft lacks the inspiration that could have elevated it above its competitors and made it more memorable.

Game reviewed on PS3

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