Tetris Effect Review

Tetris Effect
Developer: Monstars Inc., Resonair
Publisher: Enhance Games
Reviewed on: PS4, PSVR
Available on: PS4, PSVR

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The gameplay of Tetris has changed very little in 34 years. We’re still rotating tetrominos to create horizontal lines that are cleared when completed, and it’s game over if the pieces reach the top of the play area. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

Therefore, when a new version of the game is released, we tend to focus on how those mechanics are presented. That tradition continues with Tetris Effect, which combines stunning graphics and audio to create the best iteration of the classic puzzler since the original.

The multisensory experience is what makes Tetris Effect so engrossing. You’re still playing classic Tetris, but you’re doing so in a series of stages that feature different themes. The game’s first level starts with a dark background and hardly any sound, but as lines are cleared, the music swells and the screen is filled with sea creatures made of light. The acts of rotating and dropping blocks have their own visual and audio effects, which further liven up the scene. This union of gameplay, graphics, and sound makes for a rhythmic and hypnotizing experience, especially once you begin to drop blocks and clear lines at a steady pace. It shakes up the rather sterile Tetris presentation more than anything we’ve ever seen in the past.

Aside from excellent production values, the most significant aspect of Tetris Effect is the new Zone feature. In all previous releases of Tetris, players were only able to clear a maximum of four lines from the board at a time. When Zone mode is activated in this version, any cleared lines are moved to the bottom, and more than 20 lines can be cleared if you’re quick enough. This is a great way to get yourself out of a pinch if the board gets a little messy, or rack up an even better high score.

Journey Mode is the main attraction of Tetris Effect, which features 27 different stages. The themes of these stages vary, and include everything from tranquil, hot air balloon-filled skies to more abstract, color-soaked fever dreams. The normal difficulty level provides a decent challenge, but the speed of drops changes randomly, instead of in a typical linear fashion. I did get a little frustrated at the end, however, as there was pretty massive difficulty spike on the last stage.

In addition to Journey, Tetris Effect has a variety of more standard game modes. Some examples include Marathon, which has players trying for a high score within a 150-line limit, and Ultra, which limits the play session to three minutes. All of these modes include leaderboards, so you can see how your high score stacks up with other Tetris players around the world. The only thing that’s really missing is multiplayer, which is an unfortunate omission for competitive Tetris players. It’s even more glaring when the game’s $40 price tag is taken into consideration, which seems a little steep for the content that’s included.

If you happen to have a PlayStation VR headset, it is definitely the best way to experience Tetris Effect. The game board still remains in front of you, but each stage’s fantastic visuals will wrap around your field of vision, making them even more immersive. It addition, you may even play better by strapping on the headset and a pair of nice headphones. I did so while preparing for this review, and blocking out the external distractions in my apartment allowed me to concentrate more on setting up high-scoring combos. The headset also features a much faster response time than my TV, which aided me in making more accurate moves in-game.

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Final Thoughts:

Aside from the lack of multiplayer and a somewhat steep price tag, there’s nothing negative I can say about Tetris Effect. It keeps the addictive gameplay that the series is known for in place, while wrapping it in a wonderfully captivating presentation. The game gets even better with PlayStation VR and using the headset will likely make you a better player, but those using a standard TV will still have a great time with it. We’ve seen many versions of Tetris over the years, but Tetris Effect stands head and shoulders above the rest.