God of Light Review

God of Light is an app that expands on an already well-traversed universe of physics-based puzzle games. By effectively merging and infusing a distinct visual style and a standout score from hip hop act UNKLE, God of Light turns this brain twister into a sublime, if not occasionally evocative, experience.

If you're in a reflective mind set, playing God of Light may perfectly complement your current mood. On the surface, it's simply a puzzler that uses light and shadow to pave the way, but even if they may not admit it, the developers at Playmous are aiming for a much deeper journey.

The storyline has gamers aiding a game mascot named Shiny, a creature who spills light rays across the darkness and aims to bring a bit of clarity into the world. Shiny's powers can only be effective if his light is reflected off different mirrors that are hidden from plain view. To successfully complete each level, Shiny must use the reflected angles of his light to find a hub, which is named the Source of Life, that will send him off into daunting section of pitch black terrain.

Playmous Inc.

Along with tapping the Source of Life to enter another stage, you will also hold your finger on your device to aim the light in different directions. Certain levels allow movement for select mirrors, you will slide your finger to send these objects to their desired direction.

Three crystals are located within your stages, and if you connect all of them while also reaching the Source of Life, you will attain a higher score for each level. Solving the puzzle in an expedient fashion will also grant you a better score, but considering every single detail of Gold of Light is eye catching, I prefer luxuriating amidst my surroundings.

Playmous Inc.

When navigating Shiny's own light doesn't help you solve the puzzle, fireflies are available to offer up hints on how to complete the level. These beautiful insects are offered up in a bundle via in-app purchases but, if you’re patient, you won’t need to shell out any cash since some of them are actually hiding in plain sight. Once you shine your rays onto their direction, they will be added to your firefly collection. To check out how many fireflies you have to spare, just take a peek at the number below the icon that's located on the upper right hand side of your device.

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Fans of such dark silhouette designed titles as Hero of Many and Badland will find an aesthetic kinship with God of Light but, as its moniker suggests, the storyline's drive comes from an entirely different place. Once you find the Source of Life within each stage the seemingly unforgivable landscape changes before your very eyes. What was once a modern day version of the Twilight Zone is now a lush, green paradise. All you need to create your new world is to solve a few puzzles and connect the dots. The end of your journey is a beautiful one, especially if you hold a soft spot for Mother Nature.

Playmous Inc.

One may look at God of Light and wonder if it has any kind of religious or spiritual overtones. That interpretation is entirely up to the individual, and if you want an eye catching puzzler that consistently surprises you with its offerings, then you won't get a better deal for a $0.99 download. I love reading into things, and for me this app isn't simply about light and mirrors or gathering as many crystals as possible. Rather, finding one’s way in the world really requires connecting as many dots as possible, even if you start off in a place of darkness. Who knows what light will shine our way if we just keep on our respective path of enlightenment. God of Light is a total keeper, and don't be surprised if the Source of Life is a portal you'll continue to tap into.

This review was based on a purchased copy of God of Light for iOS.