Impulsion

This time-bending puzzler might require fast reflexes and pinpoint accuracy, but its repetitive play and difficulty becomes draining after a while. At first glance, Impulsion might sound somewhat familiar: a game about running through a series of tests, armed with color-coded weapons that affect the environment, all while being led around by the disembodied voice of an omniscient AI? No, this isn't a new Portal game, though you'd be forgiven for making that mistake. After all, both games seem to share a lot of the same DNA. But Impulsion feels less like a sibling and more like a third cousin, twice removed. It might have that déjà vu sensation, but it tends to come up just a bit short ... both literally and figuratively.

For starters, Impulsion is a relatively short game. There are just over 20 tests, but most generally take only a couple of minutes to complete -- that is, when you can complete them. The difficulty level ramps up quickly, resulting in multiple restarts and rising frustration. Later stages require pinpoint accuracy and split-second timing that can feel almost superhuman, especially if you have any aspirations of beating the stage with a decent grade. Also, the game's time-bending hook feels gimmicky. Speeding up time gives you a little extra distance in jumps, and slowing time down lets you slip past a few obstacles or get in an extra jump or two. It's not that Impulsion doesn't have its fun moments, but its formulaic gameplay and familiar style makes the whole thing get fairly stale after a short time.