The storyline for TurnOn centers around a whole city that has been plunged into darkness. A brave alien-type creature is tasked with returning the light to the whole city after a disastrous accident at the power plant. TurnOn is the first platformer of its kind that actually involves no platforms!
The story, animations and soundtrack are simply superb in TurnOn. Gamers will travel through a delightfully colorful world as a cute little spark. Since there are no platforms, you will make your way around the dark world through power lines. The gameplay is simple yet elegant and this alone manages to really go a long way in capturing the hearts of everyone who plays it.
The puzzles are very fun in TurnOn and involve performing simple tasks for the citizens of the town or even powering up a device. The control system is rather smooth but does suffer from the occasional glitch making movement awkward at times. While this can break the immersion for a few moments, it is nothing so terrible that it takes away from the game's charm and replayability in any way.
TurnOn isn't trying to do anything revolutionary with its gameplay and its simplistic nature is part of its overall appeal. The story features an adorable little spark who crash lands on Earth and wants to help restore power to a nearby town with the help of Professor Brain. This unique story doesn't have the "wow factor" carried by some of bigger releases this month like Overwatch but again that isn't the point of TurnOn. TurnOn got its inspiration from the energy conservation campaign of World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour movement. The game really makes you think about all of the things we take for granted--especially that of electricity. You make your way around a city overcome by darkness and restore light by doing good deeds and helping those around you.
In the end, TurnOn is an exquisitely charming title that manages to tell an impactful story with the aid of beautifully colorful visuals. TurnOn has managed to make a platformer without the use of platforms and brought gamers a unique way to explore this classic gamestyle. If you have been looking for a break from big blockbusters and want to embark on a relaxing journey through the eyes of an alien spark--look no further than TurnOn. To learn more, visit the official TurnOn website.
Reviewed for PC