Connect logic circuits to deliver the right color of light to each bulb in Turn on the lights.
A review copy of Turn on all the lights was provided for this review. No compensation was involved and all thoughts are my own.
Format: PC via Steam
First playthrough time: 42 minutes
Cost: 0.99 USD
Released March 31st, 2021 by Thedox Games
Quick Overview
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It took me an average of a minute per level
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In-Depth Review
Turn on all the lights is a short minimalist logic puzzle game. It is a sequel to the game Turn on the light (review available here) by the same developer. There are 40 levels in which players must create a continuous connection from the lightswitch to each of the lights such that the right colored light can be delivered to the bulb. After doing this with all lights in the level, the level is complete. There are a number of small mechanisms built into the circuits that players will have to figure out and solve in order to make the necessary connections.
An circuit with another circuit embedded inside it
Much like the original Turn on the light game, later levels of Turn on all the lights have circuits embedded within circuits. Rectangles in connection indicate embedded circuits that players can zoom in on, sometimes up to three or four layers deep. Embedded circuits can also have multiple inputs and outputs meaning players will have to memorize and keep track of what kind of light they need to enter or exit the circuit where. In more complex later levels, these circuits are often reused for multiple colors and/or lights.
Zoomed-in on an embedded circuit four layers deep
One thing that seemed new to Turn on all the lights was the use of red herring parts of the circuits. Often there were sections of the circuits that were useless or inefficient to use. I wasn’t the biggest fan of this as a mechanic because it felt like there were sections of the level that were just there to look complicated, but nothing else. Sometimes even after solving a level I went back and fiddled with them because I felt like I was missing something, and sometimes there was an alternative solution in there, but overall the effect was disappointed.
While some node need power in the right order, bulbs can be lit up in any order
Recommendation
Overall, I enjoyed Turn on all the lights. It’s a great sequel to Turn on the light and brings some new widgets and fun circuit reuse to the multi-goal levels. I did however wish the circuits in some levels were more fully utilized, as the ‘red herring’ mechanic didn’t add much for me. I recommend Turn on all the lights for players looking for a good minimalist logic puzzle game, especially if they enjoyed the first game in the series.
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Categories: Desktop games, Video game reviews
Cthulhu's Critiques 