Review by: Brian Rowe

My initial experience with Droplitz was limited to a scant, two-minute demo, and I callously cast it off as a Pipe Dream-wannabe destined for the island of forgotten XBLA games. First impressions are rarely so deceiving. Like the harmless demeanors of Bejeweled and Peggle, the vibrant colors and almost childish simplicity of rotating tiles to capture drops of neon liquid betrays Droplitz’s addictive nature and the vicious levels of competition at the highest rungs.

Limited supplies of droplitz pour incessantly from the reservoirs while you twist the tiles below to forge paths to the collectors. Moments later, connected tiles disintegrate to make room for a fresh batch. The flow begins with a dribble but, like a crumbling dam, escalates into a torrential outpouring. In a battle against the tides of entropy, a test of speed and cognizance, survival hinges on your ability to create combos of branching paths that replicate the precious drops of fluid.

There is barely a break between stages, and at the highest levels even a cursory glance at the score can decimate the flow. Your only monitor of progress is a soundtrack that echoes the vaporous melodies of Mirror’s Edge. It morphs from a gentle mélange to a pulsing rhythm, luring you forward with every successful combo until it releases you into the next stage. Like Pavlov, it trains you to crave more, to claim every combo on the board for a momentary brush with audible serenity.

When you reach that place of euphoria, the geometries of the tiles melt into unified streams of connective pathways. The droplitz fall with ferocious intensity, but your mind proceeds in slow-motion. Eventually, you realize that you’re not playing the tiles. You are battling the program, acting on intuition over logic, and predicting the patterns in an unpredictable environment. At the pinnacle, a single slip of the finger or a moment of hesitation equals catastrophic failure.

Nine boards of various sizes and difficulties, and three additional modes, all unlockables, round out the experience. Power-Up is brutal, yet merciful with gifts of tile-destroying bombs and time-altering effects. A virus in Infected meanders across the board, slowing the twist of the tiles, and Zendurance trades breakneck speed for continuous gauntlets of streams. Unfortunately, some players will struggle, to the point of futility, to meet the scores required to open new boards and modes. Even so, they are perks, offering variety to an already addictive game.

For players with the dedication to succeed and the incomprehensible desire for perfection, Droplitz is one of the most refined puzzle games available. It’s relentless, demanding, mesmerizing, and soothing, as though the mind is soldiering forward and admitting defeat at the same time. What began as an innocuous, weekend plaything has turned into an obsession that permeates every spare moment.