Thomas Was Alone: PS3 Review

Thomas Was Alone: PS3 Review

Sometimes, there are titles which just sing from the moment you start them.

I'd first heard of Thomas Was Alone when its narrator, the wonderful Danny Wallace, picked up a gaming BAFTA for his vocal contribution. It's a simple title, but one which would be well worth investing your time in.

And investing your time in something is certainly easier to do when you have a PlayStation Plus account. I'd first been a little reticent to dabble with this given that you don't permanently own the gaming content once the subscription lapses (and I've been known to go back and play titles again that I completed a few years ago) but given that the non stop rain on the weekend precluded me from my outside chores, faffing around in the PlayStation store was the next best thing that I could do (in my opinion).

Along with online storage and a fair few doozies of game titles which are added to monthly, the benefits of having the PS Plus account are that you're tempted to dabble and gamble on a title more than you would if it costed.

One of this month's titles is the brilliant Thomas Was Alone - and I'd encourage all PS Plus owners to download it and play, because its simplicity is deceptive, but its gameplay is fiendishly addictive.

You are a rectangle (bear with me on this one) trapped in a series of mazes, and you have to jump your way through obstacles as the platformer progresses. Also, as it progresses, you get other shapes entering into the equation, all of which need to be moved through the levels and out of the portals to complete each one.

As the lo-fi game progresses (trust me, it takes minimalism to a whole new level) you find you have to team up with other shapes within the level to ensure your completion. And co-op playing (with yourself and the other shapes within each game) becomes a necessity to beat the puzzling on offer.

Combined with the wonderful narration from the aforementioned Danny Wallace, Thomas Was Alone is a real doozy of a head scratcher at times, but its graphic simplicity belies how impressive and encompassing it is once you crack into it.  But it's the mix of all the elements which add together to make this a superb freebie title from the PS Plus range....the music, the art, the concept all combine to make this game an absolute must own if you're a puzzler or platformer.

Along with Sound Shapes from earlier last year, it shows that the best games don't have to be all bangs, whistles, and stunning FX and cut scenes as they go about their business.

Thomas Was Alone is an unmissable experience, proof that smart and creative gaming isn't dwindling and that an intelligent and compassionately executed idea is all you need. Who knew that I'd lose so much time worrying about how to get rectangles and shapes to happiness??

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Find out more about Thomas Was Alone and PlayStation Plus here...