Morphopolis [iOS, Android, Windows and Mac]
If you enjoyed Osmos HD, you must check out Morphopolis, an under-rated gem lying hidden in the loads of all that shiny stuff which is not gold. Morphopolis is, and let’s see why.
If you enjoy slow-paced, relaxed and laid-back kind of games with innovative, unique puzzles that make your gray cells work; if you prefer aesthetic treat to branded, marketers titles; if you enjoy atmospheric background music that sings in tune with nature – Morphopolis is the right game for your brain and a treat to your senses.
Pros
- gorgeous, stunning, fascinating, beautiful hand-drawn 2D world of insects and living forest
- soothing soundtracks of harps, bird chirping, xylophones and bongo beats
- challenging puzzles to stimulate your brain activity
- unique environment with traditional hidden-object gameplay
- displays the beauty and peacefulness of the world of insects – vibrant, slow and natural, so this may be the right game to treat your insect-related phobias
Cons
- savvy gamers will find the puzzles somewhat shallow
- there are no tips, guides or tutorials to guide you through the game. There is a little question mark at the top of the screen, but in most cases you will have to figure out for yourself what is it that you have to do, which may leave some of the impatient folks aggravated
- not the adequate game for colorblind people
- sometimes, the bug refuses to move the direction you try to take it, but this is probably in the bug’s nature
- not too many levels, so the gameplay leaves you wanting more, but also makes you come back to relive the experience and maybe take a different approach
- some puzzles will make you search for online tips, especially the big orange flower
Gameplay
Who studies bugs – children and scientists, and probably artists. Watching them move to the peaceful heartbeat of nature is an enchanting experience brought to you by Micro Macro Games, the developer behind Morphopolis. The game takes you to the world of the living forests, where you get to explore the life of the bug, or the tiny creature that needs to turn into a bug. You get to experience the everyday routine of the critters to help one little brave creature metamorphose into more developed and complex life forms, sometimes bloodsucking on others.
The game is divided into five chapters, each more difficult and longer than the previous one. The first chapter tasks you with finding the protagonist and taking it by dragging from screen to screen through an amazingly detailed hand-drawn world of subdued greens, vibrant magentas and fuchsias.
Even though you may get a bit lost at the beginning due to overwhelmingly detailed environment, the bugs movements are predictable and linear, which makes it a tad easier to figure out what to do and where to go.
The next chapter requires you find the creature, plant or bug, and find hidden objects for it, which requires a lot of tapping on anything that you see on screen. There are no tips and hints as to what things you can interact with on-screen, so you’ll have to do a lot of searching, however when you get used to it, you will get the knack of the game.
When you find the creature for the level, its icon appears to the left of the screen along with a number of items you have to find for it. Usually, these items are scattered all over multiple screens, and while you search for them, you unlock more scenes and objects, which eventually help you solve the puzzle at the end of the chapter. Sometimes, it’s the puzzle that you have to solve at the end of chapter, sometimes is just a scene to watch.
Graphics
Obviously, a lot of hard work, meticulous and thoughtful, has been put into Morphopolis, which made it one-of-a-kind game with its unique aesthetic. You see the insects, both strange and beautiful, in all their mysterious vulnerability, vibrant colors, fight for life. Visuals are by far the greatest virtue of this game, so if you’re the kind of gamer who appreciates artwork, not just thoughtless shooting, that’s the right game for you.
Visuals are perfectly blended with subtle sounds of harps, crickets chirping and nature’s soothing beat, creating a unique, slo-mo world you will enjoy being in.
Puzzles
Now, puzzles and challenges take a backseat to graphical delight, but, nevertheless, they are creative, innovative and stylish. You will succeed always, provided you understand the main message of the game – gamer is here not to change course of nature, but to help the little protagonist a little bit and enjoy the atmosphere. If you adopt this approach, sit back and relax, you will surely enjoy the gameplay.
Depending on how savvy you are with hidden-object games and puzzles, it may take you from one hour to several hours to solve everything, but provided you don’t have that much time to dedicate to the game in a single go, you’ll surely enjoy it over long periods of time, so the replay value is good here.
There are some things that may upset you, though. For one, there is no save option, so each time you have to go through all the stages from the beginning. Nevertheless, there are things that you can do differently, so that the adventure takes a different twist. I haven’t found it frustrating to have to go through all the stages each time.
The game features a very minimalistic menu, while the puzzles come without instructions, so you have to figure out for yourself what is that you have to do – a feature some impatient gamers find quite frustrating, while those of you who like to relax will surely enjoy this ambient and unique experience.
There are no in-app purchases, which is a delight.
Conclusion
Morphopolis is a work of art, and a visual masterpiece, I dare say. It’s not just a game; it’s a fascinating experience, which gives you an insight into how delicate, fragile and beautiful the surrounding nature is – a fact we tend to forget living in big cities, surrounded by technology. It is also an appropriately casual challenge for your brain, with its fresh and beautiful puzzles and challenges. Morphopolis is a beautiful mystery and a world full of life and love for life. My guess is most of you will fall in love with it, just like I did.
