TerryTori K9 is an exclusively 2-player game, so I wasn't able to play it to its fullest extent. The only thing I can really comment on is the concept. Two dogs move around a map in real time to control territories. Those territories earn points per second for their owner, and the first to reach a certain number of points wins.
It seems like it could make for a really fun game. You can choose a certain special move before the match starts, each with effects like "prevent your opponent from taking your territory" or "stun your opponent," etc. They seem balanced enough to make the game enjoyable and tense. Of course, you'll have to play it with a friend to find out.
Tetragrams, on the other hand, is a one-player game, and a damn fine one at that. As its name sort of alludes to, the game is based heavily off Tetris, but is original enough for me to call it an homage rather than a rip-off. The idea is that there are certain polygonal shapes outlined on the board. Other shapes come in through a conveyor belt, and you have to place them so that the outlined shapes get filled in.
The big seller here is that the game is absolutely frantic. I, of course, forewent the tutorial, and was thoroughly confused by the time the "game over" screen reared its ugly head. There are so many different things going on at once...so much for the player to consider; yet somehow, it never gets so overwhelming that it becomes frustrating. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes (by the way, if anyone can guess what I was just foreshadowing, I will personal mail you a cookie of your choosing), I kept coming back stronger than before every time I lost. The difficulty curve is perfect and each loss only motivated me to keep trying to master the controls.
This is my favorite kind of game: simple, yet perfectly designed. I didn't come across a single flaw in its design (though, in fairness, that might just be because I wasn't able to play far enough to find one). For that, this game gets my seal of approval. That's all I got for now. Until next time, stay strategic.
Links
Woof Woof Piddle Piddle: https://www.digipen.edu/?id=1170&proj=24635
Even More Shape-Related Death than Super Hexagon: https://www.digipen.edu/?id=1170&proj=25000
