I really like Grapple. This 2015 platformer, developed by Tuesday Society, is honestly a treat. It’s consumed 62 hours of my life so far, and I keep finding myself coming back to it.
So, what is it anyway? It’s a 3d Platformer where you control a blob. You can stick to floors, walls, and ceilings, jump, and grapple onto any surface. The physics in the game feel great, and movement rapidly becomes second nature. Part of the fun of the game is just finding out all the different ways you can get around, and how you can manipulate your own body and the environment. It’s a game heavily designed for speedrunning, a feature which the game handily includes. There is also, thankfully, a time trial mode. You can try every level, and record your best times as well as matching them against the Par time. It’s endlessly satisfying to clear levels faster and faster, nailing down a perfect execution of flinging yourself across space.
Is there much gameplay variety? No, but Tuesday Society really went far with what mechanics are in the game. Every level has the same objective, reach the black hole. The environment is made up of a limited number of blocks. All of a fixed few shapes, and all of a few specific types. Blue walls you can climb on, red walls that kill you, and yellow walls that bounce you away. Sometimes those walls are only visible from close up. There are a few cannons which launch you with a fixed strength in a fixed direction, and different levels have different ways of reaching your goal. There are also some secret collectibles, but good luck. They are NOT easy to find, but incredibly satisfying when you do.
Do I recommend this? Yes, yes I do. And it’s super cheap on steam right now too, so pick it up if it interests you.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/268320/Grapple/