Octahedron: Transfixed Edition

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So, I played this game way back in 2019 on the Nintendo Switch. Absolutely loved it. Fast forward to November 2024, when I awakened last night around 11:30, could not sleep afterwards so I began perusing through my enormous backlog and Octahedron came into view. With some trepidation (because I remember how this was a very precise and sometimes twitch platformer), I launched the game and played through the entirety of the first world. All the feelings I had in 2019, were accurate. The aesthetic, the controls, the platforming, the music, the level design, all sublime. I cannot comprehend how this game did not get more recognition while under license from “Square Enix” who did, let me remember, umm, zero marketing for this game. It should be noted that the developer, “Demimonde” is highly talented and created one of my favorite platformers of all time, definitely in my top ten. This game comes highly, highly recommended. -9.5/10-LoA-

Хорошая музыка и простой геймплей. Чуть-чуть трещит котелок, если долго не вылазить с игры. Построены уровни под ритм и уровней немало. Красивый неон и пульсация. Цена дешёвая, наверное на скидках меньше доллара стоит. Вердикт: круто! Спасибо Humble Bundle!

Probably one of my favorite platformers. The controls are tight and the soundtrack kicks ass, complete with level design that plays to it. Not to mention the bright neon aesthetic. Very excited to see what Demimonde will cook next.

The game is gorgeous, really good platformer. Bur somewhere around 3-6 it stopped working with the controller, only with keyboard. Which was a dealbreaker for my kid. I'm actually very sory to not like it and because I didn't have the dexterity to play it myself, but this was my kid's opinion, that it's not worth finishing.

This is probably my favourite game. The levels get progressively more challenging but never feel frustrating (to me at least), with the exception of the last two bonus levels that both cost me multiple hours. I have heard some people had to look up where to find the hidden tetrahedrons, though in my experience they were rather easy to spot (I don't know if it is different in hard mode). The gameplay mostly comes down to timing your moves right. I took my time so my playtime at time of review is exactly one playthrough for someone who doesn't play games like this very often. The sounds and visuals are great and there is a small storyline for a tiny bit of context. During my playthrough, I've encountered only few bugs, none of which are gamebreaking: - In one level (I think it was somewhere in world two) the game would sometimes have lags where everything would slow down for a second or two. - In world 5, I've noticed that the hearts display sometimes shows a lesser amount of hearts and lives than I actually had. - In the finale, retrying the level or exiting to the world map after a loss both crash the game. It's not that bad though, the progress up until that point is saved. Octahedron would be great for speedrunners. It has medals for completing each level under certain amounts of time or using only up to a certain amounts of platforms. As a casual player, I have to admit these challenges look too difficult for me, at least after the first few levels. Overall I'd definitely recommend!

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Octahedron: Transfixed Edition, developed and published by Demimonde, is a dazzling and hypnotic blend of rhythm and precision platforming that transforms the act of jumping and movement into an audiovisual performance. It stands out immediately through its striking neon aesthetic and pulsating soundtrack, immersing players in a world that feels both alien and musical. Every level pulses with energy, light, and rhythm, creating an experience that’s as much about flow and sensation as it is about dexterity and control. Rather than following the conventions of typical 2D platformers, Octahedron challenges players to think vertically, to create their own platforms mid-air, and to treat every jump as an act of creativity within chaos. It’s a bold, high-concept design executed with confidence and flair. At the heart of Octahedron lies a simple but ingenious mechanic: the ability to generate temporary platforms beneath your character. This single mechanic forms the basis for a surprising amount of depth and variety. Each platform can be used to propel yourself higher, reach hidden areas, or interact with obstacles that fill the screen. As the levels grow more complex, the game introduces new elements such as moving hazards, rhythm-synced traps, and different types of platforms that behave in unique ways—some shatter after a short time, others emit energy bursts or reflect projectiles. The game quickly evolves from straightforward climbing into an intricate dance of timing, reflex, and pattern recognition. Each move must be executed with precision, and as you learn to anticipate the beat of the music and the motion of the environment, you begin to flow through levels with a rhythmic grace that feels almost meditative. Visually, Octahedron is a sensory feast. The neon-infused art direction, with its geometric shapes and glowing lights, creates a world that feels suspended between a digital dreamscape and a musical hallucination. Every element of the design pulses in sync with the electronic soundtrack, creating a cohesive rhythm that ties the visuals and gameplay together. The music, composed by a lineup of electronic artists, forms the heartbeat of the game, guiding the tempo of movement and the behavior of enemies and traps. The fusion of sound and motion makes each level feel alive, constantly shifting and reacting to the beat. Yet this sensory richness comes with a trade-off: the abundance of visual effects can sometimes overwhelm the player, making it easy to lose track of hazards hidden within the kaleidoscope of light and color. Still, that overwhelming intensity is part of the game’s identity—it wants to envelop you in its rhythm until you’re no longer simply playing, but performing. The level design in Octahedron is another of its standout achievements. Spread across dozens of stages, the game continuously introduces new mechanics and challenges to keep the experience fresh. Early stages teach the fundamentals of platform spawning and movement, while later levels test mastery through complex patterns, shifting platforms, and enemies that sync with the beat. The Transfixed Edition builds upon the original release by adding time trials, medals, and performance-based challenges that encourage players to revisit stages and perfect their runs. This layered approach to progression rewards precision and experimentation, giving players both freedom and reason to improve. It’s a design philosophy that recalls classic platformers—easy to pick up, difficult to master—but reinterpreted through a distinctly modern lens of rhythm and aesthetic immersion. Octahedron’s difficulty can be both exhilarating and punishing. The controls are tight and responsive, but the margin for error is small, demanding intense focus and fine motor control. Players who thrive on skill-based gameplay will find the challenge rewarding, as each victory feels earned through persistence and rhythmical intuition. However, the steep difficulty curve can alienate those seeking a more relaxed experience. There’s little forgiveness for mistakes, and some later stages verge on chaotic intensity, requiring split-second reactions as enemies, lights, and beats converge. Despite this, the difficulty rarely feels unfair—it’s the kind of challenge that pushes players to refine their technique rather than frustrate through cheap design. When you finally reach the top of a level after multiple attempts, the rush of satisfaction is immense, amplified by the triumphant surge of music that punctuates your success. The game’s artistic ambition extends beyond its visuals and mechanics into its tone and structure. There is minimal narrative in Octahedron, leaving much of its world open to interpretation. You play as a geometric figure ascending through layers of a mysterious realm, a symbolic journey that can be read as a struggle for transcendence or self-mastery. The absence of explicit storytelling allows the rhythm and design to take center stage, making the experience more abstract and introspective. In this way, Octahedron functions less as a story-driven game and more as an emotional and sensory one—a test of rhythm, reflex, and perseverance against a backdrop of pulsating light and sound. Though it’s not a game for everyone, Octahedron: Transfixed Edition succeeds magnificently at what it sets out to do. It’s a love letter to rhythm and precision, an audiovisual playground that rewards flow and mastery. Its blend of reactive music, striking art, and mechanical inventiveness makes it stand out among indie platformers, offering a kind of creative freedom rarely seen in the genre. It challenges players not only to complete its stages but to do so beautifully—to move in harmony with its rhythm and embrace its hypnotic chaos. For those who enjoy testing their skill and immersing themselves in a world of light and sound, Octahedron offers an unforgettable experience. It’s not a casual journey, but for those willing to lose themselves in its beat, it’s one of the most exhilarating and distinctive platformers of its kind. Rating: 8/10