Tetris Effect

User Rating: 9 | Tetris Effect PS4

This game is an absolute blast. Yes, I know that it's still tetris, but this game takes tetris and ramps it up to an 11.

The real reason to play this game is the Journey mode, where you are trying to get to a certain number of points in each level to move on. In addition to the normal Tetris mechanics, you are able to slow time and create huge combos when you clear enough blocks, resulting in massive point gains that can boost you to the next level.

But what really makes the game special is the way the environments interact with you while you play. This game has one of the best soundtracks of all time, and it completely fits into the gameplay. The music starts out slow, as you slowly accumulate points. As you gain more points and the blocks start falling faster (each level is progressively more difficult, with the blocks falling faster and faster each level - but the levels also switch it up so it's not the same speed throughout the level but instead short bursts of speed that settle back down, meaning you never know when you need to be ready to get your butt in gear or use the slow-down effect) the music speeds up and eventually almost melds into the game itself. The environments move around when you clear blocks, and the music reacts as well to your every move. As it speeds up, the bass intensifies and the environment moves almost constantly to echo your movements and what's going on in the game.

My only real complaint is that the game doesn't have multiplayer. I understand that it's supposed to be a game where the music molds with you, but why can't I play someone on a different PS4 who would have a different screen? Or why can't they have a mode that just reacts to both of your screens differently or use a split screen? There are several other modes, including time trials and various other ways to play, but leaving multiplayer out of Tetris to me is baffling. I know they have fixed this on PC and will fix on PS4 eventually, but that is something that I would really like to see before giving it a higher score.

9/10