Closure for Linux Review

very good
key review info
  • Game: Closure for Linux
  • Platform: Linux
  • Show system requirements
  • Gamepad support: N/a
  • Reviewed on:
Closure main menu

Closure is an indie game, developed by the Eyebrow Interactive studio, that is good at doing one thing, and that is showing why we like indie games in the first place.

The indie game industry is now booming and more independent studios are making their mark on the gaming community. The rise of Internet 2.0 offered an unexpected helping hand for the developers who had great ideas, but were short on cash or just didn't want to go to proper channels.

The huge publishers that still exist today, like Activision, EA, Ubisoft, and so on, are probably pitched with lots of ideas by third-party studios that want funding and support to build their games, but this is a two-way street.

Pitching a major publisher also means that they will want to interfere with the creative process of the development team because they feel the need to protect their investment.

Indie developers, on the other hand, usually go with their guts and hope that their games will be able to sell just because they're good.

This is just the case with Closure. It started its life as a flash game on Newgrounds, but it became so successful that it was eventually developed for PC, PSN, and Mac OS.

A Linux version has been made available with Humble Indie Bundle 7, and shortly after the Steam for Linux version became playable.

Installation

If you have Closure from the Humble Indie Bundle 7, then you will also know that the developers have provided a single .sh file, which is in fact a simple installer. Just open a terminal and enter the following command, after navigating to the proper folder:

sudo sh ./Closure-Linux-1.1-2012-12-28.sh

Follow the instructions and finish the installation. If you are unable to start the game from the provided shortcut, try running Closure from a terminal to determine if you have some unmet dependencies.

The other solution for Closure is Steam for Linux. The users who acquired the Humble Indie Bundle 7 also received Steam keys for all the games (the one present in the Steam library). Now that Steam for Linux is finally out and because Eyebrow Interactive added their game to the Linux library, the installation is quite simple.

Story and Gameplay

Most indie games don't have a heavy story arc behind them and others don't have anything at all. This is the case with Closure and players won't have any reason to trust or to doubt the world they are exploring.

Stories are usually built in order to give some credence to the type of gameplay proposed by the developers, but in this case it seems to work just fine without it.

The game starts with a simple premise anyone can relate to: darkness is your enemy and light is your friend.

Basically, the user is controlling a spider-like creature, which can also turn itself into a human being wearing a helmet mostly because it can. You only have to stick to the light, because the darkness is actually nothingness.

More precisely, if you step out of the light, you will fall into nothing and the level will restart. Moving from one lit zone to another is pretty simple and the main character can also jump quite consistently, at least at first.

Closure is just one puzzle level after another and they get progressively harder. At first, you will be able to carry a small light source with you to illuminate the dark areas. Soon, you will have to manipulate other light sources, combine them and even rely on quick reflexes.

Each new level is harder and harder and implies more puzzle elements. The player will start the levels from a main hub and unlock them one by one. You won't be able to go straight into the later ones until you have unlocked them by completing the current ones.

You will soon learn how to use certain situations and objects to your advantage; but as soon as you get used to it, another element will be thrown into the mix and you will have to start all over again.

The Bad

Even if we said that Closure lacking a storyline was not really an issue, it would have been nice to know a little about why things are happening or at least how. In some games less is more, but this title would have greatly benefited from a narrative, even a small one.

From a gameplay point of view, we could find only one single flaw. You will be spending a lot of time in some levels because there is no hint of what you are supposed to do and it will soon turn into a grinding party.


The Good

Closure sports a unique graphic style and you can tell that the guys at Eyebrow Interactive have spent a lot of time conceiving the levels and improving it.

It also has a smooth learning curve, with very few exceptions, and it's not all that hard to unlock level after level. The good news is that there are a lot of them, so it's pretty certain that Closure will keep players hooked for a long time.


The Good

  • Interesting concept
  • Challenging levels
  • Beautiful style

The Bad

  • It lacks a hint system
  • It could have benefited from a basic story

Conclusion

Having played Closure, I can only say one thing. It's a puzzle game that will engulf your entire persona and won't let you go until you hit a brick wall. It's unique and offers a gaming atmosphere that will make you come back, not matter how hard the puzzle may prove.

story 5
gameplay 9
concept 10
graphics 8
audio 8
multiplayer 0
final rating 8
Editor's review
very good
 

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Closure main menu
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