Game Review: Aqualux

produced by Milkman Games, LLC

Review by Troy Hepfner

Aqualux is a new puzzle game from fellow indie developer Milkman Games. The premise of the game is a simple one: arrange pipes of various shapes to guide the flow from the faucet to the drain. Some pieces can be swapped with adjacent pieces, while other pieces must be rotated in place. There are obstacles like large bricks or pipes that can't be moved or rotated, which you must work around in order to solve a level.

Although the idea itself isn't an original one, it in no way detracts from this game. First, the gameplay mechanic hasn't been used much in recent years, so it provides a somewhat fresh puzzle game experience. Second, the game is a very polished effort, with smooth gameplay and some new twists (no pun intended).

Overall, Aqualux is a very fun game. The graphics are bright and colorful, with backgrounds that change every dozen levels or so and a variety of colored liquids that ooze through the pipes. The music is very catchy, and enhances the fun factor of the game. There are trophies to collect, and each level has a par score and time challenge, so there's a lot of replay value here. There's also a hidden game mode called "Mirror Mode", in which you have to arrange the pieces to recreate the backwards mirror image that you're given.

Another great feature is the game's level creator. This mode allows you to design your own levels, which you can upload to the servers at Milkman Games for other players to enjoy. Some user-created levels aren't very exciting, but there are some very clever designs from a few particular users that are really fun and challenging.

If you're looking for a good puzzle game that is not a match-3, I highly recommend Aqualux.

Aqualux is available for Mac and Windows for $14.95 USD. The developer also provided us with a Flash version that you can play in your web browser for free!