Binaries (PC) Review

Binaries takes the player through each level, controlling both an orange and blue ball. It is quickly realised that any hazard that is the same colour as the ball that touches it will destroy the ball and send them back to the very beginning. It's not a wildly original idea, but there's something special here. Something that makes Binaries different from any other title in the puzzle-platforming genre, or even in games where multitasking is required. The thing is, it's kind of hard to figure out what it is. It's time to try.

One of the first things Binaries has going for is its difficulty. Of course, this isn't especially unusual for a platformer, but the implementation feels very creative. The game manages to mix in equal measure quick reflexes and smart decision making. It's not enough to be quick; you will need to take a moment to assess the layout of the level. Being quick alone will leave players trapped in a corner, with the only option to die. However, focus too much on slow movement and precision and a cannon could easily wipe out the orange ball.

Perhaps it's the simple and minimal neon-coloured levels that makes Binaries so special. It could be the way that the orange and blue blocks seem so basic, yet have so much life resonating from them. Because of the basic design of the environment, the levels are incredibly easy to understand, at least in terms of how they are set up. It's beautifully poignant to have goals that are never muddled or unclear. Because of the clear and concise level design, which is just as creative as it is understandable, it means the player only has to worry about figuring out the best path to the goal.

Of course, not every player is going to appreciate the game early on, especially considering its difficulty. It's going to kill you, multiple times. The addition of a time limit to gain a certain score based on speed adds to the stress. The time limits are very tight, and the hazards are frequent. A lot of players may find the initial difficulty off-putting, as the rewards are as simple as getting to continue.

There are other small issues that could hinder Binaries from being even better, though. For instance, for a game where the levels are so well designed to be understood, the difficulty seems uneven. It gets very difficult very quickly. The plus side is the game allows you to progress by giving multiple levels and paths to choose from. Also, many of the levels feel very similar. The good news is that the game manages to have so many levels, the similarities aren't as noticeable as first thought.

Truth be told, all of this is good reason to believe Binaries is a brilliant game. The other truth is it's clearly not for everyone. Monitoring the two balls will throw people off, and perhaps will make a lot of people turn away early. The game is plenty self-aware when it comes to poking fun at itself and other games with its subtitles in the background. The final, absolute truth is that Binaries will be a lot of fun if willing to put in the work to figure it out early. However, it needs to happen quickly, or you may find it's just not engaging enough to press on.