Developed by Bulkhead Interactive
Published by Square Enix
Released for Xbox One (8/2016)
Also on PC/PS4
The Turing Test is a first-person title where you solve puzzles in order to progress to the next area. Upon reaching the next area you'll be greeted with another test and so on until you reach the next level. The game is similar in structure to Portal or the more recently released Pneuma: Breath of Life. The tests generally focus on activating switches, with some of them utilizing cameras and robots to assist.
The Turing Test does have some sort of narrative, but I'm going to be completely honest with you I really didn't pay much attention to it. More than half of the time I played this game I had music or videos on. That's not to say that the sound design is bad, just that there's really not much going on in this game and if you're like me (not the best attention span) this can cause drowsiness, which I would combat by putting on something else as I played. Unfortunately, I missed out on a lot of the dialogue as I didn't think to switch on the subtitles until I was almost done with the game. Since The Turing Test is a puzzle game, missing out on tidbits of the story doesn't really have any impact on the actual gameplay. Besides, if you know anything about what the Turing Test actually is chances are you'll see the ending coming from a mile away.
The Turing Test is a bit short and most people who play it all the way through will probably spend around 4-5 hours in order to complete the 7 levels. Puzzles typically involve picking up and placing power cubes into slots to open doors/activate switches. Later on in the game you'll be able to use your gun to suck up and shoot the power orbs into the slots. While there is a bit of variety and a few puzzles that almost stumped me, overall I didn't find the game too challenging. The sterile environments, while nice-looking, tend to be a bit generic. The minimalist music and monotone voice-over that talks to you throughout are a bit boring as well, though it could also be seen as a laid-back type of game that doesn't get too difficult.
During my time with the Turing Test the game locked up on me once, but with a system reset I was able to pick up from the last checkpoint and didn't run into the issue again. Also, the game's loading screens are long. There were several instances where I was just about to reset my console when the loading bar would stop for a while, but it would always load up the game eventually. Considering that the game's graphics really aren't that spectacular, one really has to wonder why the loading takes so long. Also, while traveling through the tunnels that connect the areas together the game will stop to load again, so you'll be seeing these lengthy load sessions quite a few times through the game.
While I do admit the game did bore me a bit at times (partially due to playing at late hours), I didn't hate the game at all and at times rather enjoyed parts of it. There are a few challenging puzzles and I don't regret spending the time it took to complete the title, though I don't see myself ever coming back to it. If you're a fan of first-person puzzle games or just want something a bit chill, you may want to give the Turing Test a look.
Final Verdict: The Turing Test is a first-person puzzle game which is rather short in length but is still recommended for those who enjoy solving puzzles, though it isn't terribly difficult.
Related Links:
Buy Turing Test - Microsoft Store
Related Links:
Pneuma: Breath of Life Review - Xbox Overview
Bulkhead Interactive - Official Site
Square Enix - Official Site
The Turing Test Achievement Guide - XboxAchievements.com
The Turing Test - GameFAQs
The Turing Test Trailer - YouTube
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