PC REVIEW | Ambidextro

I adore innovation in games; something different to get the old brain working is always welcome when the mood hits me. The mood has hit, and this wee game just managed to hit those buttons in the right way… mostly. Ambidextro is advertised as a multiplayer game for single players , and yes, it manages to be just that. You play as a wizard who has been split in half so that he/they can save the prince and princess who have been kidnapped by a witch at the exact same time. In terms of gameplay, this means that you have to control both halves of the wizard simultaneously in order to complete each level within a set time limit in order to rescue said royal kids. Yeah, I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but then it doesn’t have to – a basic storyline for a complicatedly simple game. Let’s get into the fine details.

Things I liked!

• Retro Style | Ambidextro is a game that celebrates its retro style; it could have been easily at home on the Spectrum 128k+ or Commodore Amiga back in the day. It is simple to play, works exactly as it should, and it plays like you would expect it to. In fact, if I didn’t know better, I would say that it was a game from back in the good old days that had managed to survive into the modern era without losing any of its charm.

• The controls | The control scheme of Ambidextro works well on both keyboard and control pad; personally, if I’m playing it on PC, I prefer to use the keyboard, as it helps immerse me into the whole retro feel of the game, but it works just as well on the Steam Deck as well. Playing as two characters can take a little getting used to, especially on later levels, but you soon get the hang of it, and it very quickly becomes second nature; just don’t get too used to mirroring your controls, as there are twists on every level that will throw you off.
  
• Difficulty | There are games that are difficult, there are games that are rage-inducing and there are games that can mix both aspects together to make something satisfying, and Ambidextro is one of those games. Yes, you might find yourself gnashing your teeth as you fail to make the timer by a split second, but you know that if you just jump a little earlier, you will make it. What I mean is this game will test your patience, but every success feels like it has been earned. There were times, admittedly, where I got a little bit sweary, but then I am Scottish… Long story short – it’s hard but not impossible.

Mixed & disliked!

• The story | It’s not really needed other than to give some gamers a little bit of a background into what might be happening, but as someone who grew up in the days of the Spectrum, I find that games like these don’t often need too much of a story to begin with. In saying that, though, it’s not exactly a memorable tale; you read it once, then forgot because you were too busy trying to get through the levels.

CONCLUSION

Score: 80/100

Ambidextro is a game that you can sum up in a few words: retro puzzle insanity. You will find yourself grinding your teeth; you will also find yourself patting your own back as you complete yet another level and promising yourself that just one more shot will be fine; you can stop to sleep any time you feel like it. I don’t know if Ambidextro will be a game for everyone, but for those of us who like a bit of a retro challenge, it’s a fun wee game indeed.