Created, Developed, and published by solo game developer Brendan Votano under his company name Blue Volcano Studio, Side Decide is a puzzle game where players will have to match objects on a cube they control to progress across a board of shapes to reach the goal.

Side Decide supports keyboard and full controller layouts in terms of controls and it is straightforward to learn, which is a great idea for younger players. There are also camera controls, so players are able to zoom in or spin the camera if they can’t see the board behind the player cube.

As you progress, the game will inform you of any new additions, such as blocks that allow you to change where a pattern will be on the player cube, so if a triangle is not going to match up in the direction you need it to, you can spin around and find the correct alignment.

Each shape will have a colour assigned to it like pink being a square, blue being a circle, and green a triangle. This will be the colour of the board you progress across, while also coming across yellow blocks which have the shape of a star.

Any shape can be used on these yellow blocks, just be sure to check if the yellow block has a red “!” icon, as the block will fall away after you move off it, so be sure you count your moves before rushing in.

There are also brown blocks that anything can go on, and then by pressing the spacebar you can teleport to another brown block located on the level. Again, it’s a good idea to see what patterns are at the exit location, as you may need to adjust the player cube before teleporting.

As you are playing there is a nice relaxing musical presence with the right level of volume, giving off a bit of blissful happiness while relaxing with a fun puzzle.

Side Decide is a game that is not meant to be played fast, and while some puzzles are ridiculously easy at the start, they do get harder and will require more time planning moves. I have recommended and purchased Side Decide for my nephew and niece so they can work together to solve puzzles, and for the work of a solo developer, it is an amazing feat.

I can’t recommend this title enough. It holds many hours of fun as you can replay levels to see if you can beat previous attempts. Side Decide is a great game for the year we are having in and out of lockdowns, as it will help entertain and keep people thinking.

Written by: Shane Walsh