There are only so many times you can reinvent the wheel. However, Temple of Snek proves that there are far more ways you could reinvent the game Snake! Developed by Aetheric Games and published by Pixeljam, this game is a fresh and interesting take on a classic.
PREMISE
Temple of Snek follows the life of a snake that lives in a temple inhabited by humans. Various puzzles litter the rooms, leaving it up to the player to guide the snake through them. Along the way, the snake can also swallow humans in order to grow larger. As the player progresses throughout the game, the puzzles increase in difficulty. Many of the puzzles often rely on the snake’s length in order to be solved.
Interestingly enough, the terror of the humans makes it seem as if the snake the player is controlling is more of an antagonist rather than a protagonist.
GAMEPLAY
Relying on WASD controls, the player must navigate the snake precariously around spikes in order to hit door-opening buttons. If a player hits a wall or obstacle, they lose and restart the level.
But that’s not the only danger the player faces! As the game continues, the player must avoid deathly spikes which are sometimes activated by buttons needed to open doors. Here, the player must rely on strategy to pass the level.
Some levels require the player to use the snake’s length to avoid spikes and press the needed buttons. In order to lengthen one’s snake, as mentioned before, the player must eat humans! Simple, right? Well… no. Humans can still very much harm the snake, causing the player to lose the level!
Players can also choose to speed up the pace of the snake by either pressing F or Shift, but at a price. While in fast mode, players cannot turn the snake using the WASD controls. Because of this, the fast mode should be used cautiously.
The real meat (or human, haha) of this game are the puzzles. Located in each room, the puzzles range from easy to absolutely mind boggling. Temple of Snek requires quite a lot of thinking power- at times- in order to advance.
FUTURE
Temple of Snek, as it is now, is only available as an Early Access game via Steam. The developers themselves have stated that the game is only roughly 25% completed. Meaning, there are several more features to come!
Right now, the main available feature of this game is the Story Mode, but other modes such as Snek Workshop, Mek-a-Snek, and even Classic Mode are soon to come. The developers have also stated plans for a level editor mode, which would allow players to make and share their own Snek Puzzles!
The developers plan for the final version of the game to be a “continuous, interwoven metroidvania-like puzzle dungeon.” They also plan on implementing more achievements into the game, which players can unlock as they play.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Temple of Snek was a pleasant surprise to me. I’m sure everyone has played the classic game, Snake, at least once. It’s a simple game: you keep going until you’re too long and you lose. Yet somehow, the developers at Aetheric Games have managed to put a whole new spin on it.
By incorporating dungeon and puzzle elements, they have created a unique experience that any gamer would enjoy (and rage at). Every aspect of this game- the design, the puzzles, the music– oozes passion and talent.
Despite a few bugs here and there, this early access game is quick to get a player excited and leave them hungry for more. I can say confidently that I am very much looking forward to playing the finished game.
Temple of Snek will be available for PC via Steam Early Access on August 18, 2021. You can wishlist it right now.
Victoria's fascination with games dates as far back to the early days of Newgrounds, where she became enthralled with the patchwork flash games that the site boasted. From there, she continued onward, playing a multitude of different games, diversifying her taste with every new day. Whether it was talking to Alduin at Skyrim's peak, or romancing Sebastian in Stardew Valley, she has always been fixated on the mechanics of games, as well as the diversified culture that backgrounds them. Even to this day she continues trying new genres: from RPGs, to Roguelites, to even more quaint experiences found in Cozy games.
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