Sometimes, all a game needs to hook you is a clever premise. Enter Linelight, a shortish puzzle game with only two actions: move forward and backward. Well, that's not true—there's also "pass time" and "magnetically pulse"—but for the most part, Linelight tasks you with solving puzzles on a single axis. It's not the flashiest hook for a game, but as limitations can often breed interesting gimmicks I was willing to give Linelight a try. And while there's a solid puzzle game here, Linelight's real draw is—unexpectedly—it's emotive soundtrack.
On first listen you might be unimpressed with Linelight's gentle score. But context is key, as the music was written to fit the game as tightly as a glove does a hand. Linelight's entire aesthetic is warm and hopeful, from its playful sounds to its vibrant lights, supported at its base by a mellow piano and electric drum. Other instruments guest star to accentuate each level's particular mood, but the entire journey is underpinned by the first two instruments you'll hear dancing together. That's not to imply the score is saccharine or juvenile either; while optimistic, there's always a tinge wistfulness and yearning to the soundtrack if you listen closely enough. It might seem silly to focus so much on an otherwise background element to most puzzle games, but like Linelight's peculiar gimmick, those that are interested in what they hear will find their time well-spent when the tear-jerking credits roll. And yes—a one-dimensional puzzle game about lines zipping about can get quite emotional, despite whatever preconceptions you might hold.
Coinciding perfectly with the upbeat music are the puzzles, which land in that sweet spot of being neither too hard or brainlessly easy (although the main path veers closer to the latter than the former). Most puzzles are about either sliding into switches or avoiding neighboring blips of light, but every world tacks on its own mechanic. Each is easy to understand but conceals a surprising depth, which Linelight explores every possible angle of. There's the aforementioned magnetism, as well as blips that move only when you do, spirals to extend the length of your line, and a devious gate that will duplicate your movements with lethal accuracy. These sound like the ramblings of a sleep-deprived math teacher, but as with everything in Linelight, playing is believing. Expect to expand your thinking as you play, especially when these mechanics get blended together.
Perhaps my only disappointment is I would've liked a bit more challenge to the game than what's presently here. There's a significant chunk of optional puzzles to burn your brain on (especially in the post-game), but for the most part Linelight is a laid-back and chill ride. In fact, where you'll struggle the most is usually on puzzles that demand some form of dexterity, like weaving through an intersection of blips or executing actions under a tight time constraint. In these cases you've usually figured out the solution but struggle to coordinate your movements with other actors, which can feel a bit trial-and-errory. Linelight's general difficulty definitely fits what the game is going for, but it does emphasize performing your solution as frequently as it does finding it.
I dove into Linelight curious what a one-dimension puzzler would look like, and I can honestly say I'm quite impressed. Oddly, it's not with Brett Taylor's brilliant ideas, but rather his deft execution. Linelight is a tender game, built with passion and care for what could've otherwise been a game jam throwaway. It's a moving experience that lasts the right amount of time, prickling your mind with a couple of thorny thinkers but never seeking to draw any blood. It's as clever as it is creative, as simple as it is beautiful; I'm glad I played it.
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