Full Void review: Makes a case for being the best puzzle platformer of 2023

Full Void has hooked me in a way few video games have in recent months. It combines a few really interesting gameplay mechanics and gives no real instructions other than the button inputs. Other than that, it’s up to you to solve the puzzles and put the pieces of the puzzle together. It’s a truly unique game that only has one or two very minor flaws. If you miss games like Prince of Persia and Flashback, this is a puzzle title you aren’t going to want to miss out on.

It’s going to frustrate many players when they first begin - or at the very least, it did me - as I took the time to figure out exactly what was going on. With no knowledge of the game when I began, I just knew it was a puzzle platformer. It combines smart puzzles, a tense, dark theme, and reliable controls to give a nearly perfect puzzle-solving experience.

Full Void brings classic, non-combat puzzle platforming back in a major way

Coming close to any of those robots in Full Void will mean your doom. (Image via OutOfTheBit Limited)

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When I was much younger, non-combat puzzle games really became popular. Flashback, Out of This World, and similar titles clearly inspired the modern Full Void. This is then combined with the original Prince of Persia’s platforming style. You have a decent jump and can climb up or climb down, but you can’t fall too far, or you’ll perish.

The gameplay is pretty simple. Mysterious entities are chasing the protagonist, and if they catch up to him for any reason, he dies. He can also die from falling, getting hit with steam, getting hit with water, being electrocuted, or any other number of really unpleasant means.

Thankfully, the game gets sorted into mini-chapters, so you never really back very far. Many screens in the game have a little puzzle to solve so you can progress, but this isn’t the case on all of them.

However, you do have to think fast when you’re being chased. I also really liked the controls. They weren't ultra-sharp and precise, but they fit the clumsy nature of the character. The protagonist is a more competent Lester the Unlikely.

Full Void: Prepare to Die Edition

Let me tell you: I died a lot while playing Full Void. The first screen or two alone, I probably died four or five times, maybe more, just trying to avoid the monster that was chasing me. It appears to be the same mysterious entity throughout the game, giving it a real horror movie feel.

One of the best parts about Full Void is its gameplay, though. It’s incredibly simple, but it’s brilliant in its own way. You need to climb, push, jump, and crawl your way to safety. Eventually, you’ll get a robot pal to help you solve puzzles, too. This also feels like a sort of cyberpunk game.

You have to hack your way into terminals and use your robot buddy to climb and pull switches - sometimes at the same time, to give you just enough time to sprint through a door.

I think the part I enjoyed the most is that none of the deaths felt unfair. They don’t punt you back a crazy distance in Full Void. You’ll have to repeat steps a few times, but it felt satisfying to solve these various puzzles. The only real downside to the game is that it’s short.

You could probably beat this game in about three or four hours, and with that in mind, some might think the asking price is a little steep. I don’t think so, though. I think it’s worth it for this level of quiet, thematic storytelling.

While I did perish quite a lot in the game, I never felt frustrated by it. The puzzles felt good, and they fit the game and the story they were trying to tell. I cannot say enough good things about how all the puzzle pieces fit together for me.

The visuals and animations are expertly crafted

The story of Full Void isn’t told through text-based cutscenes or intense dialogue. It’s all in the visuals. The animations, the backdrop, how everything looks so dreadful and foreboding.

There’s a real sense of terror lurking around every corner. I love how the animations look, from the brief death animations to robots rising, the singular red eye lighting up to show that they’re seeking you, and more.

The sound design is simple, but it’s incredible. From the quiet humming of electricity to the fervent steps as the protagonist jogs to safety, it helps a great deal in building tension. The pixel art is top-notch, and you can even add CRT scanlines if you want that real old-school look.

In Conclusion

Full Void is an incredible game. If you’re into those non-combative, puzzle-solving games, this is right up your alley. The only real downside is that it’s short. You can easily beat this game in one to two sittings at the absolute most. It doesn’t seem like there are lots of ways to solve the puzzles, but that’s just me looking at it. I could certainly be wrong.

However, OutOfTheBit have something incredible here. If they continue designing games in this genre, I hope for something with more game time in it. I haven’t been hooked or immersed in a puzzle-solving game this way since I was a kid, playing Afterlife and Out Of This World. It’s a must-play.