Never in my life did I think that I’d stay up until 2:00 AM playing a game about building ski lifts, but that is exactly what happened to me playing When Ski Lifts Go Wrong.
This is a physics-based puzzle game that tasks you with constructing either a ski lift or a slope that allows a character to safely move to their objective. Generally, there are limits on the items that you’re given and restrictions in cost that, while unnecessary to complete the level, do give you a better rating.
Successfully building a lift is a feat of engineering that made me feel like a genius every time. The physics in this game is difficult to predict but understandable. When my ski lift failed, the reasoning made sense to me, and I was able to experiment to find a better solution. The process of doing this did take longer than it should have due to some poor UI choices, but this did not detract from the fun I was having and the frustration of trying to solve each level’s physics puzzle.
Every level feels like it can be beaten in multiple different ways, given the amount of freedom you are afforded when placing components. This lack of structure, however, does result in each level feeling slightly repetitive as there isn’t much room for the game to twist the mechanics after the first few levels.
Despite the flaws I’ve mentioned, I maintain that this game is unexpectedly enjoyable. Going into When Ski Lifts Go Wrong, I expected a game I’d only play for a few minutes and discard as something less than memorable, but I was greeted by a truly enjoyable experience. While it’s by no means perfect, I would highly suggest this game to anyone who enjoys a good physics-based puzzler.
What did you think of When Ski Lifts Go Wrong? Let us know in the comments below!
GAME: When Ski Lifts Go Wrong
DEVELOPER: Hugecalf Studios
PUBLISHER: Curve Digital
ESRB: T for Teen (for blood and violence)
MSRP: $14.99
OBTAINED: Press code provided by developer/publisher for review