Developer: Afterburn
Publisher: 7Levels
Platform: iOS, Android, Switch, PC
Tested on: Switch
Golf Peaks – Review
Golf, it’s a sport that is enjoyed by a lot of people, certainly with the addition of mini-Golf. Now the developers from Golf Peaks saw an opportunity to take a relaxing sport and add the also relaxing puzzle genre to it. Those two genres created the calming Golf Peaks, a game where you, like golf, try to get the ball in the hole with the flag. Simple, you might think, but the terrain isn’t just letting you get to the hole easily, and in combination with limited move actions make for a fun puzzle experience. Golf Peaks was developed by Afterburn and published by 7Levels and we got a chance to test the game.
Story
Golf Peaks is a puzzle game where you try to get the ball in the hole, like golf. There is no story to accompany the gameplay, but it’s also not needed.
Graphics
The graphics from Golf Peaks are simple but well designed. Every level is made up of blocks with different basic blocks for every world. Each world has its own theme from grassier to desert sand. When other blocks get added, they stand out from the basic ones, so you can tell which blocks to watch out for. The red flag clearly directs you where to go like the flags in golf would. There are also sloped blocks which are clear by itself, but the developers also added arrows just to make sure you know which direction you will roll if you end up on them. There is nothing present in the background, besides a gradient fading out in white at the bottom. The gradient does make it seem as if the level is on a high mountain that fades into the clouds.
Sound
The music in Golf Peaks is incredibly relaxing and calming. None of the sounds in the game are too over the top which makes Golf Peaks even more relaxing. There are no hyped-up tracks or anything to make you tense, just a soft celebration sound when you manage to get the ball in the hole. The calming music does cause you to feel relaxed while solving the puzzle and it also helps you concentrate. Sound effects in the game are mostly focused on events with the ball, with a little plop when it happens to fall in the water, or a slurping sound when you end up on mud.
Gameplay
Golf Peaks is a puzzle sports game, with the sports part quite obvious, as the title spoils it, “golf”. When you start the game, you get a simple tutorial that just shows the buttons you need to use while playing the game. The basics are incredibly simple, you aim the ball and press a, or let go if you’re using the touch screen, and the ball will go that direction. To make it a bit harder, you get a set of cards which have a number of moves on them. You can only use these cards to move but you can switch the order you use them in. Later in the game, you will also unlock the jump on the cards.
There could be cards with a 3 on it, this means you will move 3 squares straight to the direction you are aiming. You can only aim in a straight line horizontal, or vertical. There are no cards with turns on them, so this means you’ll have to turn by using another card and aiming in another direction. Some walls have a corner block that will bounce you in another direction which you could also use, they will however only bounce you if you still have some “move” left after ending up on the block.
A lot of different blocks are used in the game, with some having a special effect on the ball. Some will cause your ball to stop on them and others will cause your ball to get absorbed. Besides the more special blocks, there are also the slopes we talked about in graphics, if there are multiple slopes your ball will keep rolling until there is a flat surface again. If you use this to your advantage, it will help you to get further with even a one move card. Usually, the number of cards you get will be the number of cards you use. The order you use the cards in is the most deciding factor for victory, even though some levels might have a few different solutions.
If you make a mistake, not to worry, you can go back one card at the time or just fully restart the level. It’s incredibly handy to be able to go back one card at the time since you might have only made a mistake with the third card and having to do it all over would be annoying. Sometimes you also have to test out new special blocks, since they don’t come with a description. Going back quickly, when they end up being bad for your ball, is a nice option. Some levels require a clever solution, for example when you fall in the water you respawn to the last block you touched before falling in the water. Using this information, you can use water and the respawn point to your advantage, to make a turn or to get closer to be able to jump over the water. There are many possibilities that you just have to think of.
Every time the game introduces a new block, it does use a level with only those blocks and then slowly introduces more special blocks with each level. The combination of each block makes for interesting puzzles. Of course, your cards also play a huge role, sometimes you will have more moves then what you think you need. Making it so you have to bounce off or over blocks so you don’t jump over the goal.
Conclusion
Golf Peaks is a fun and relaxing game. The calming music and not overly loud sound effects cause you to be able to concentrate on the puzzles and just unwind. Golf Peaks is a game that is for all ages, once you get a hang of the basics, you will be able to start solving the puzzles. If you have a Switch, Golf Peaks is definitely a recommendation, certainly for people that want a simple game to relax at home or in a waiting room.
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