“Even though I’m known as something of a Tetris fanatic, that doesn’t mean I’m going to sit there and cheer for every Tetris-branded game that comes along. With hundreds of different versions over the years, it’s actually very hard to come up with a good new take on the original, which was created by Russian programmer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984.
It turns out some fresh blood was needed, in the form of game designer Tetsuya Mizuguchi, best known for puzzle classics like Lumines and Rez. Tetris Effect keeps the core of the original game but tightly ties it into music and visuals, adds a leveling system for unlocking challenges, and lets you clear an amazing 20 lines at once (if you’re really, really good), which is now called an Ultimatris.
This PS4 exclusive also supports PlayStation VR. Adding virtual reality doesn’t radically change the game, but the visuals and rhythm are so perfectly matched with the VR experience that it’s easily one of the best PSVR experiences you can have, and the ultimate zen/chillout meets frantic action game of the year. — Dan Ackerman”
