Game: Dr Kobushi’s Labyrinthine Laboratory
Genre: Puzzle, Strategy
System: Steam (Windows, Mac and Linux)
Developer | Publisher: Nadim Kobeissi, Symbolic Software | Symbolic Software
Age Rating: US 10+ | EU 7+
Price: US $11.99 | UK £ 9.11 | EU € 9,99
Release Date: September 15th, 2022
Review code used, with many thanks to Symbolic Software.
For us gamers, no matter what we play, or when we play, there are plenty of reasons we can give as to why we pick up a game and spend an indefinite amount of time playing it. Be that to enjoy, have fun, feel the pleasure of solving problems, escape from a stressful situation, clear our minds, and many others, games are more than a medium for us to be entertained. But what I think is one of the things that I like most is how a game can inspire.
Dr Kobushi’s Labyrinthine Laboratory, an indie puzzle game, made by the developer Nadim Kobeissi, is a challenging and humoristic experience with very memorable characters and brain-scratching puzzles.
With various inspirations recognized in this game like from Zelda series dungeon mechanics or the corky and clever narrative style from Undertale, Dr Kobushi’s Labyrinthine Laboratory still doesn’t lose its uniqueness. Having been inspired by those games as well, I feel pleased to see games like this released.
Setup and Characters – Ayla & Falafel Into The Tower!
The game introduces Ayla and her dog Falafel, explorers and great friends who together met no match when it came to discovering the undiscovered. Be that in a forest or an unknown land, they unveiled secrets without a sweat. Then one day, Falafel ran inside a high tower deep within the forest. Not knowing what she was going to find, Ayla followed in and got into an unexpected situation.
The tower was filled with traps and deadly robots to catch intruders, which were obstructing her quest to find her dear companion. Not long after the first few rooms, she realized that someone else was there, and so, Anton presents himself as the first of four of the Panic Puppets.
Built and created by the Eccentric entity, Dr Kobushi, they each are in charge of sections of the tower, making sure to trap anyone who dares to pass with their difficult puzzles. Nevertheless, Ayla is not ready to abandon her fluffy friend. To make it even more curious, there is someone always watching you. (Now, who could that be?…)
Complex and Fun Mechanics – Practice Makes Perfection
We could say that this is a game with simple gameplay, the case being that you only move with Ayla in a top-down view screen, where you can move one step at a time (upwards, downwards, or to the left and right). In each room, she needs to find a way to get to the stairs that lead to the next room, simple right? Well, with each room she passes, more twists wait upon each corner, making her search for Falafel a bigger challenge.
After seven levels I realized that the only thing I knew is that I know nothing (It was Socrates who said it, not me, but it is true enough). But wow, I was amazed how the difficulty increased from one level to the other once the DevilBots are introduced into the stage.
These little demon robots have wheels for legs and electric hands that will shock Ayla back to the beginning of the level when they catch her. Not only that but they move faster than her, moving up to two blocks for each block that she moves.
Each session I played of this game, made me sit back and reconsider various ways to try certain levels. Even though its narrative is filled with humorous lines, this game is not joking around. If I felt that with the first 20 levels, you can only imagine what is waiting in the later ones having more than 100 levels to complete.
Narrative with More than Lines – Inspirational
Perceiving Undertale’s influence in Dr Kobushi’s Labyrinthine Laboratory narrative, be that by accident or on purpose, is a good thing if you ask me. Seeing how indie games inspire other developers is beautiful, especially the ones designed by one single developer with so much to say, messages to deliver, and emotions to transmit. I think that is the case here, the game plays good and you can sense the developer’s passion and hard work that was put into it.
Each of the puppets in the tower has a very distinctive personality. Anton has some insecurity that pushes him to be looking for recognition. Maurice is a more formal and proper puppet, with a more fancy way of talking and elegant looks. Janine (honestly, she was scary many times for me), is a cute and deadly puppet, with sweet and creepy lines altogether.
There is Clowes, a more relaxed puppet, not less deadly than the rest and with a more rebellious look. Finally, you have Dr Kobushi, the one behind the puppets and at the top of the tower, arguably, the weirdest of them all.
Amazing Pixel Art and Animations – Matching 8-Bit Music
Besides the main character and the robots, what call the real attention are the puppets and their pronounced expressions combined with their funny lines, or clever remarks. Then, of course, each trap and enemy does have their special animation which is matching of the setting and the style.
I did love the music, but I do have to say, once I got stuck for more than 30 minutes in one room, it can become repetitive. I suppose it is a risk that can happen in most puzzle games. But overall the sounds and music are great.
Conclusion
Dr Kobushi’s Labyrinthine Laboratory is not one of many in its genre. It is not another game inspired by classics that came to give a replica of their gameplay and story. Precisely enough, it was described as a combination of Pac-Man and Chess, and I did feel that, but also much more.
It had those references that brought some type of comfort and sudden giggles. It had numerous surprise factors in every corner I stumbled upon. And it is without saying, that the narrative is brilliantly written, humoristic yet deep, delivering rich personalities with a good plot behind it.
I can without a doubt highly recommend this game to all puzzle and strategic types of players, and for all of those who might not love this genre as much, I can still suggest you give it a go and challenge yourselves to something new.
Even experienced players might find themselves stuck and scratching their heads with these dungeons, and some new players might have an out-of-the-box approach to puzzles that seem impossible. Even accessible for kids, it’s a very well-made game. I can’t wait to complete it myself and reveal all the secrets it has to offer.
Final Verdict: Two Thumbs Up 