Baba is you

[Sméagol]

Baba is you

It basically combines sliding block puzzles and programming. The trailer does a good job of showing the basics.

It's fun! It's simple! It's also fucking hard!

First few levels you think "Hey, I can do this!" Then the real levels start!  But the game is divided into areas, and every area has easier levels to start off with, so there's is always something to check out even if you have various other levels you are stumped on. You also don't need to clear each level in an area to clear the area itself (though obviously, for 100% completion..). Also, each area introduces new mechanics, as in new keywords. What you see in the trailer is nothing. Every level will feel fresh, and some really need some out of the box thinking.

I will maybe edit in some very general hints in this post later, though keep in mind that even general hints are minor spoilers. Finding out what effects certain keywords have is usually one step to completing a level. But some intricacies are a bit more obscure than others.

I'll start with these hints though:

Spoiler

 

1] the game assumes you read from left to right and up to down. Sounds obvious, until you try to figure out what kind of rules (= code) you can make. 

Assume you have a "Baba" block, an "is" block, and a "you" block. "Baba is you" is valid. "You is Baba" doesn't do anything. Baba is you vertically is also valid. Rules generally follows the rule of object / verb / keyword, though later levels will make things more complex.

2] "You" is important, as it represents you the player, and connects it to an object (usually, but not necessarily, the titular Baba). Never disconnect it! Always make sure "something is you"!

3] You can usualy recognise rules that are meant to be "hard" rules which you can't modify. They're tucked in corners or inside walls so you can't manipulate them. Try to think of stuff you can do with the blocks that you can manipulate.

4] Blocks are usually there for a reason.

5] Levels can have multiple solutions.

6] General objects don't have inherent attributes or behaviour. Rules decide what those are.

 

When you do clear a level (usually touching the flag), it's very satisfying.

If you like puzzle games, this is a must-buy. A no-brainer. Actually playing the game, well that's a brainer.

Edit: Another no-brainer would be a level editor, but that's not included in the game. Yet! Apparently the developer is working on it.

Edited March 19, 2019 by Sméagol

[MindFreak]

The concept seems amazing and seems to combine the ideas behind Scribblenauts and Human Resource Machine. I like it. May get around to trying it out when I'm done with my other games.

[bob]

Bought this thought. It's great! Every level has me amazed at how clever the solution is.

[Tim B]

I love it, but it gets so so hard after the first couple of hours. Currently I'm really struggling and have been relying on YouTube for solutions, not being able to believe how I missed some of them.

[Sméagol]

I'm stuck with a lot of them, but have so far not resorted to external help (with the excep[tion of a tweet to the developer to ask how I get my level back, the one I turned into Baba. He mentioned something, but it doesn't even seem to work..).

To me this is just going to be one of the games I'll fire up for quick sessions, just have a quick go at something, then go do something else again.

[bob]

I just spent about 20 mins staring at a level wondering how the hell I was supposed to do it. Then moved a bit of text by accident, and it all flowed from there.

It is hard, but I'm determined not to cheat.

[MindFreak]

This is really awesome. The creativeness and cleverness of the solutions are just too much to handle, it's so nice. This is truly a game design wonder.

I spent 20 minutes on a level yesterday that I went back to today and solved within 20 seconds because I just had the idea of how to clear it from a later level. I love that kind of puzzles (though they are a bit frustrating but then you can just move on). I've just started the third area after having cleared everything up till then.