Uurnog Uurnlimited
Review
Uurnlimited Possibilities
by Amber Hall
reviewed on PC
A charming oddity
Uurnog Uurnlimited is an oddly named game that's fitting of its oddly crafted aesthetic. Uurnog's world is mostly neon colored blocks set against darker backgrounds to really make each object pop. These colorful blocks are the foundation of Uurnog Uurnlimited's gameplay as every block can be used in different ways to solve the game's witty puzzles. The blocks take on different shapes and characteristics, making it so that each puzzle has many ways in which it can be solved. At its core, Uurnog Uurnlimited is a puzzle platformer where you collect blocks and keys to progress to new levels.
Solutions galore
Although that sounds simple enough, Uurnog Uurnlimited is a much more complicated game than its simple graphics and concept may bring one to believe. This is because each puzzle has many solutions, perhaps even "uurnlimited" solutions. Throughout every level are teleporters which allow you to teleport any item into the game's hub area. This area is the only are that isn't reset upon death, which means that a player could store countless blocks of all different types in their base. These blocks can then be brought into different puzzle areas, meaning that the number of solutions for each puzzle are really only limited by the player's imagination.
Besides blocks, there are also animals, guns, and enemies. Like blocks, these can all be picked up and each have their own unique effect. There are birds that help you fly or glide, a variety of different guns with unique shot styles, and even some of the enemies can be picked up and used in different ways. These things can be found throughout each area, but they may also be purchased from shops with money the player finds or earns. This money, however, is all lost upon a death or a puzzle reset. I can understand losing the money due to a death, but losing it when willingly resetting a puzzle because one block was accidently pushed in such a way where your path is blocked seems a bit excessive to me. These instances are situational and avoidable, but I wish there had been less of a penalty for resetting a puzzle in a puzzle game that is otherwise very open to experimentation on the player's part.
Uurnlimited clutter
Nearly every block type can be brought back you your base as well, and because you can bring these back with you, the base can become quite cluttered. It's easy to accidently bring bombs and enemies through with you, thus wreaking havoc and potentially destroying important blocks. However, the biggest issue with the hub area being the only places that isn't reset after death is that some puzzles are longer and more dangerous than others, meaning that a death will set your progress back quite a bit. In the grand scheme of things, this isn't too bad as puzzles in each area don't have to be redone once you get the important blocks and keys from them. However, it does provide a bit of annoyance when you've got to do a puzzle over again because of smaller mistakes like moving blocks into areas that block your path.
My uurltimate thoughts
Overall, I'm impressed with Uurnog Uurnlimited's open approach to puzzle solving and its simple yet effective graphics. Each puzzle's solution is as unique as the player can make it, allowing for some silly and rewarding puzzle solving. I appreciate that the game takes a hard penalty on death, but resetting puzzles has the same penalties as a death, which feels excessive and otherwise limiting on a puzzle game that relies on and is made stronger by its multiplicity of solutions.
7.0
fun score
Pros
Fun and unique puzzle solving, Colorful graphics
Cons
Unforgiving reset system combats with the game's encouragement for experimentation
