The advent of the den puzzle game has been one that I’ve really enjoyed in recent years. Take a game mechanic. Make the graphics clean and minimalist. Add a calming soundtrack. Spring Falls is a new example of this formula and it works fantastically well.
Taking inspiration from a waterfall, Spring Falls asks you to terraform blocks of land to let the water spill down the level to give life-giving water to wherever it spills. Doing this will make the land blossom and win the level if you turn your target area a luscious green. You can do this by clicking to remove blocks. This then releases the water down the fall.
Initially, this is all Spring Falls asks you do consider. Then slowly over its duration, new terrain types are introduced. The game gets more tricky as you find some terrain grows when water touches it while others like desert blocks turn neutral. Spring Falls never gets overly complicated and obscure with its solutions. You can go at each level with an element of trial and error. Once you understand where the water will flow, you will be able to make sound decisions on what needs to change to meet the goal.
On top of the satisfying waterfall theme, the game has a beautiful colour palette. It moves through seasons and introduces rain early on which becomes it’s own gameplay mechanic too. A soft ambient soundtrack gently hums away behind the water and rain sounds. It isn’t massively memorable but it suits the game perfectly.
This single-player puzzler is not going to tax you beyond a few hours of gameplay but you’ll thoroughly enjoy your time here – especially if you enjoy peaceful games. There is little to hurry about with Spring Falls and everything to enjoy. A little gem.
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