Review: Jellies vs Paul
Score:
80%
Look past the quirky name that sounds like a comedy cop show on Bravo TV and you'll find that Jellies vs Paul is a smart puzzle game for Windows Phone, mixing "obsessive collection" with the "escape the maze" genre. This is definitely one for the puzzle fans out there, but it's accessible enough that it could become a sleeper hit for the platform.
Version Reviewed: 1.31.0.0
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What I like about Jellies vs Paul is that the game itself takes many elements I've seen down the years in various titles, but manages to make them feel fresh by using them in a way I've not seen before. Movement in the game is created by the 'jelly' creatures that populate the levels. Tap them so they grow and burst, with their jelly droplets flying around the level. If they hit our titular hero then he'll be pushed in that direction until he hits an obstacle (which will stop him) or a direction tile (in which case he'll keep moving, but in the new direction).
Even restricted to just horizontal and vertical movement, there's enough complexity to make Paul's trip to the exit square something that needs to be considered carefully, because those jelly droplets will destroy the direction tiles if they touch them, with a satisfying crunch of sound effects.
You actually have two puzzles to solve in each level. As well as getting Paul to the exit, you also have to try and collect as many stars as you can. You don't need to do this to win the level - if it's too much, just get Paul to the exit, you can come back later if you want to go for 100% completion - but adding in this second layer makes things much more attractive for the puzzle fan.
Why? Because Paul doesn't capture the stars, he destroys them. The only way to capture a star in a level is for a jelly droplet to touch a star, then you get to keep it. So the jelly needs to act both as the capturing element as well as the destructive and movement element.
Naturally there is a trade off here, as you have to decide if moving Paul at this point is more important than capturing a star. Every level does have a full solution, but they also have extra elements designed to put you off the solution - not every jelly needs to explode, not every direction tile is needed. The level construction here is evil.
Oh and it's not just based around discrete steps. There are moments when you will need to trigger Jelly explosions to get Paul moving, and then explode another Jelly while he is moving to capture a star that is accessible for just a few moments before it becomes unobtainable again. Split second timing will be needed to make sure you clear a level of every star. Yes, that sort of evil.
On top of the level construction, the puzzles, and the pitch perfect learning curve, you have a wicked sense of style on show in the graphics. It is a touch cartoonish, but not in a cutesy way. It feels a little subversive, almost punk-like, but contributes well to the game. This hasn't been rushed together, it's had time and care spent on it.
The trial version has the first ten levels available to play from the full complement of fifty levels. It's a frustratingly brilliant puzzle game, and one you should all have a look at.
Reviewed by Ewan Spence at