Isolation is a strange thing; We’re all a bit used to it by now, but having to figure things out on our own can be quite daunting. Elechead have fun in isolation; it is made by a single developer, NamaTakahashi (EShop Game Developer of 2019 Battlloon), and throughout the game, all you have is yourself and your head.
Elechead is a puzzle platformer where your character’s head is the source of electricity. The start of the game consists of simple platforming challenges centered around this mechanic. Very quickly, however, you get your head thrown, and the simple jigsaw puzzle has become one of the most insightful and surprising puzzle games in recent years. Even if it doesn’t last long.
Now we don’t talk Baba is you mind-bending levels that will really get your brain hooked. Elechead doesn’t have to be difficult. However, it strikes an almost perfect balance that is easy enough not to frustrate you; but clever enough to give you the ultimate satisfaction when you finally find the answer to a puzzle.
Where Elechead really shines is in his ability to introduce mechanics in one season, and then you’ll completely rethink what you know about the next game. The puzzles can span multiple screens, making you really think outside (literally). Each worker is skillfully used; even unassuming things like level reset checkpoints are used in interesting ways. The last part of the game perfectly embodies this style with one of the most impressive puzzles we’ve seen in this style of game.
If the core puzzles aren’t interesting enough for you, collectibles can also be included, requiring you to completely rethink certain parts of the game. These include new color palettes for the game, a remote control – which collects all 20 levels giving you access to the alternate ending – and even new moves for your Elechead. These can be hidden, while others are clearly visible but require thorough research of the room to get to.
Elechead is presented in a simple two-tone style with pretty basic pixel art, but there’s something very charming about the way it’s presented. Your main hero is cute and has nice little animations, such as his head sometimes upside down depending on how you capture it. The rooms evoke a Mega Man vibes with large industrial platforms on a serene space-like background. The aforementioned hidden color palettes change things up if you’re bored with blues and oranges, however, some of them (looking at you, black and white) are a bit of a headache.
A great chiptune soundtrack with Tsuyomi’s help turns everything upside down; it perfectly encapsulates that quiet, isolated feeling, while knowing the perfect time to develop things. While the game doesn’t last long (it goes on for about two hours), it uses every second wisely and never goes beyond its welcome, even if you want a little more.
