RETSNOM Review: The Man in the Mirror

As you can see from the trailer, RETSNOM is a very unique game. It is a hardcore puzzle game that requires a lot of thinking to pass many of the stages. This is both a blessing and a curse for this game. The difficulty is definitely welcomed and makes you think, but could turn some players away.

A game of mirrors

RESTSNOM is a game all about mirrors, as shown in the title. The core game mechanics are what makes this game so different. You have to break part of the map, then mirror it to another side to reach certain areas. This gets very complex as you can use this to kill zombies, reach higher areas, cross gaps, and more.

The game does a good job at explaining how mirrors work and easing you into a new mirror feature. Just when you think you’ve got the game down, it shows a new feature that flips the world upside-down, sometimes literally.

It is so satisfying to finally complete a hard puzzle because you had to come up with clever ideas on how to use the game’s mechanics. This is great, but after getting deeper into the game, I felt like this could be used for more than a puzzle game.

For the hardcore puzzle gamer

I appreciate this game, and its difficulty, but it seems like a game that is not accessible to the average gamer. Only people who really love puzzle games will play this game to the end. The features are so thought out, that I think this could be used for something even bigger.

Right now RETSNOM focuses solely on puzzles, nothing wrong with that because it is a puzzle platformer, but what if these features were in a different genre? The mirror features are unique and could be used in an adventure game or role-playing game. The mirrors could be a big part of the game, but not the only focus. 

A puzzle game with a story

There is a narrative and it is actually a good one. It is not revolutionary or anything, but it does add more depth to the game. Instead of just being someone running through and trying to complete the level, you have a goal to save your daughter from a zombie virus.

There is dialogue at certain points in the game and messages that make you think even when you’re not doing puzzles. This is probably what I like most about the game because it actually gives you a reason to do these puzzles other than just to complete them.

Worth a purchase?

I’d say even if you aren’t a huge puzzle fan, unless you really hate puzzles, pick this game up on Steam. This game is complex, fun, and it is only $5. For a puzzle game developed by one person, SOMI, this exceeds expectations. I can say for sure that RETSNOM is one of the most unique, difficult, and fun puzzle games I have played in a long time.