By Linnie W. Phillips 
At the moment, very good puzzles are coming on the market and since this is one of my favorite genres, I’m all for it. The problem with puzzle games in general (outside the field of puzzle adventures like The Witness, for example) is that they are usually not of any size. They are usually quite two-dimensional, and in most matters, once you have learned the rules, simply rinse them off and repeat them with increased difficulty. I don’t expect the crossword I’m doing to suddenly grow a pair of legs and perform backflips. The point I’m making is that there doesn’t seem to be much space in between. These are either puzzles that are within their own limits, or the matter when there are no limits and you have to search for the puzzles. Tin Hearts, a game I’m currently playing, could have easily fallen into the first of these two camps, but it’s just different enough to put it in the realm of something unique.
In Tin Hearts, we guide a small troop of tin soldiers from a starting point to an exit. If we reduce the mechanics to its simplest form, that’s literally all this game is. I can absolutely confirm that there’s a wonderful amount of love about this title beyond that, but that’s the foundation we’re building on. It is also an increase of a classic puzzle type where you have to take your character from A to B, but he can only walk in a straight line. You have to push them in different directions to get them to where they need to go. This game is the best on steroids.
What makes Tin Hearts really special, apart from the beautifully haunting and bittersweet story, is the greatness of this game. The levels will start small as you learn how to make your small troop of soldiers change direction. First of all, this is done by placing colored blocks that form corner tiles. When the soldiers hit the blocks, they move in the direction they are pointing. However, as you continue to play, More levels will be added to your strategy. This includes the ability to control time, something that you will use a lot.
The levels will also increase significantly in size. In a level, you can move your troops from one side of a room to the other. This may involve bouncing on drums to reach another table where the next obstacles await you. The blocks I mentioned earlier start at hand and you will notice that as you progress, you will have to cross the room to look for them. All this only adds to the addictive fun that basically accompanies playing with toys.
As a backstory, you assume the role of a toy manufacturer. In addition to the wonderful creations of his workshop, all his pride is his wife and daughter. You will learn more about the history of the toymaker as you progress through the game, but the plot has a real sense of sadness that seems to unfold like a series of memories. These Memories appear in the form of spectral characters when you play. I don’t go into details because I’m also learning as I go along. I’m kind of in the second act now, enjoying every beat of the narrative.
I like the fact that you can move freely through the levels. You can take the time to determine the path you should take by bodily maneuvering from one point to another and determining where your soldiers should go. Ideally, you should really be able to solve the level before you even let your men out of their box. However, this is not always possible and some levels must be completed gradually. That’s why the ability to rewind and pause time is so important. It allows you to plan your next set of moves without losing all your troops. By the way, it’s not just about placing blocks for you, you will have an ever-increasing litany of obstacles to overcome If you want to succeed.