We were fans of the last game this studio produced, the minimal space adventure
RymdResa, so we welcomed the news of their newest joint,
imprint-X. The legacy that developer Morgondag seems intent on leaving is to jam tons of fresh gameplay into a very retro setting, and it totally works. It’s of course on trend to create new 8- and 16-bit games, which means there are all level of quality out there. One thing we liked about
imprint-X is that it shows off great appreciation for color, to the point that recognizing color plays a role in solving some of the game’s puzzles. There’s also a strong focus on matching shapes and sizes, and symmetry is a strong force behind multiple puzzles.
The music is a nice blend of driving electronic themes and ambient background tones, relatively well-matched to the action on screen. Sound itself plays a role in solving puzzles, but we’d still say that conquering imprint-X is more about following visual patterns and movement than sound. The character you play doesn’t have a real speaking role, but will give you some indication of success or failure depending on your actions. The entire aesthetic here is retro but futuristic at the same time; a bit like a distant future where the '80s survived intact.