Waveform Review (Windows PC)

Eden Industries first game is, to say the least, an interesting concept. They took a common object that is easily identifiable by most and turned it into a control mechanism for a game. Similar to other games where you must use an object to manipulate the environment to progress in the game, Waveform introduces an object best described as a "light wave" starring as the vessel that carries a small ball that is used to rack up points. The objective of the game is to collect various orbs of multiple colors, move through power-up rings and orbs, as well as trace colorful lines for score bonuses. You must do all of this while manipulating this wave of light in order to avoid various elements that could impede your progress.

Waveform Gameplay

Waveform brings a fresh new gameplay element to a crowded indie arcade/puzzler world. The player is in control of a light wave that houses a small ball. The player must then move this wave via the mouse either up and down to make the line short or tall, or side to side which makes the line jagged or flat. With that established, you must manipulate the light wave so the ball can hit and collect moving orbs of various colors. Since the screen is constantly side-scrolling, the player has to make the decision about the wave’s movement on the fly. In between and around the collectable items are pieces of “dark matter” which impede or stops the progression of the ball. Not only does the dark matter slow you down, it also knocks out several orbs which then renders it impossible to get a perfect score on the level. This is where the movement of the wave becomes invaluable.

Each orb is worth points but there are many other ways to boost that score. There are also solid lines you have to trace with your ball using the light wave. The percentage of the line you are able to successfully trace will determine your score and, if you can get 100% of the line traced, you get a large bonus at the end of the round. You also have power-up rings that not only help boost your score, but also the size of the ball you are controlling. This is extremely important to achieving those high scores since it is much easier to catch orbs when the ball is four times its normal size. The speed of the ball, "fireworks" orbs (that capture all nearby orbs and clear the path), along with other interesting game pieces add to the enjoyment of Waveform.