Kine is a 3D, musical puzzle game about getting the band back together.
Kine, from Gwen Frey, is a 3D puzzle game where players move and extend robots who want to be instruments, helping them manoeuvre tight, narrow levels and explore a clever, interlinking world of lofty rooftops.
Puzzle games come in a variety of shapes and sizes, those that play with the shape of objects to challenge players — games like Stephen’s Sausage Roll and Voodoo Dice — are always welcome. Kine is one of those games. Each playable character is a little cuboid robot with instrument parts extending from it. A lot of these instrument parts, like accordions or stands, can be activated with a button press, extending or altering the shape of the little bot. It’s all you have at the your disposal — in the early levels, at least — to move each robot to the note sheets that launch them to the next levels. Later levels include sliding platforms, having to use the other robots for movement and more.
It’s such a simple idea, like with the best puzzle games, and one that is communicated naturally. As you’re introduced to each character, you spend a few levels learning the differences between them — who extends, who slides along the instrument stand that runs through their core. Once you’re at ease with them, the difficulty ramps, and before you know it you’re crossing gaps with ease and pivoting through danger with grace.
I was lucky enough to play a dozen-or-so levels of Kine when it featured in the Leftfield Collection at EGX. Although initially drawn to the game by its style, music theme and interesting-looking level design, it was the characters, how they talked to each other and their differences that really drew me to it.
Kine is currently in development for PC. To stay up to date with the game, you can wishlist it on Steam or follow the developer on her Twitter @diregoldfish.
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