English Country Tune PC
User Score
8.5 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4

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  1. mrnice
    Jan 2, 2013
    8
    Despite the lack of achievements and a social aspect, this discreetly encompassing game is one of the most alluring puzzle challenges I've played all year. Gone is the 20 hour plot, along with the loading screens and the ornate graphics. What remains is pure unobstructed gameplay. Mind you, it's difficult and requires patience and analysis. But I'm sure you're capable of that. What weighs down in the score is how each puzzle is self-contained, short and concentrated on one gameplay mechanic. The puzzle genre excelled in games like Portal partly because you would initially approach each problem with an open mind, and have to apply/extend the mechanic suitably. Here, you know what limited tool is available for each type of task, making the game do a chunk of the creative thinking for you. Another point of criticism is that you mostly get quantity and variety of objectives instead of true focus and refinement in a few types of play. Still, each type is creatively explored and designed with at least a couple of puzzles, so that's kind of fine. I was impressed several times while playing, challenged and put to exotic tests . Excellent.… Expand
  2. I_Am_Turok
    Aug 14, 2012
    6
    A good 6 for being an interesting puzzler. Similar to Puzzle Dimension (PD), you move a ball or block around a maze, this time pushing it or some boundary attached to it. And it starts easy but gets tougher as levels increase. However, it's basic audio (that space-eerie music of Osmos comes to mind) doesn't hold the attention, and the abstract simple design looks good when new to the game, but after a while you yearn for something more visually interesting in colours and backgrounds. That would help spending time in the game. And the simple design could do with one or two improvements, for example, would it kill them to insert the word "Completed" when you've done a world to make it obvious when a world is completed. And the picking of Worlds, a la SpinDizzy (or again Osmos) style, is nice but takes up time, you simply want to enter a world quickly. After all, it is a game of 15-20 minutes bursts of play, so make it quick to get into each level, or the one after the most recently played. Overall, an interesting puzzler and fun to play, but struggles to hold the attention except in short bursts of play.… Expand
  3. floogles
    Apr 29, 2013
    10
    Superb game, and near-perfect in it's execution and atmosphere, English Country Tune is a deep meditation on 3-dimensional space.

    The game presents a series of puzzles in a rich and mysterious world that even in the beginning can be quite challenging. Through the rapid introduction of interacting variables in the puzzle space, the challenge reaches such a degree of difficulty that only     sustained meditation and visualisation of possibilities will generate a solution.

    This could have been a lot of un-fun work, but somehow the combination of atmospheric and uninterrupted music, colours and a space that is utterly joyous to navigate make this game one of the most incredible experiences of any I've played. I distinctly remember feeling moments where my neurons connected in ways I did not think possible, and the satisfaction of finding a solution was often overwhelmingly pleasurable.

    Highly recommended, very original, and best played without a walkthough, and resetting puzzles instead of using the undo function.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
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No score yet - based on 3 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. PC PowerPlay
    Oct 11, 2012
    80
    An ingenious, original puzzler hiding behind a highly difficult barrier. [Oct 2012, p.84]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Mar 8, 2012
    80
    Independent logical piece with a title beyond all understanding will test your spatial imagination. Minimalistic audio-visual style perfectly fits in this case. [Feb 2012]
  3. PC Gamer
    Jan 26, 2012
    85
    Stylish and obscure, this is a fascination exploration of abstract puzzle design. No idea where the name comes from though. [Mar 2012, p.76]
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