TesserAct

TasserAct is an FPS, physics-based platform game set in a futuristic, three-dimensional environment.

The game plot centers on Sam Tanner, a college student who is suddenly teleported to a strange, decaying high-tech facility where some experiments are being carried out that threaten the existence of humanity. Along the game, your objective will be to help Sam solve a variety of puzzles, find the Catalyst, and use it to prevent catastrophe from happening. And ultimately, help Sam find her way back home.

The game plays mostly as a 3D platformer with a strong emphasis on first-person shooter gameplay and puzzle elements. The action takes place in the Heywood-Bowman facility, a secret research lab where an experimental stardrive could destroy the space time continuum. Your goal will be to help Sam move and jump along a series of platforms, intuitively using the elements you find along the way to create bridges and ladders. As the game progresses, things will start to get more and more complicated. But a new element will give the gameplay an interesting twist. Successfully completing the first episode will activate the Catalyst, a device that can alter some physical properties and manipulate your surroundings to help you solve puzzles. With The Catalyst you can, for example, freeze water for a while so you can walk over or climb waterfalls, and suspend objects in the air. The real challenge is, however, figuring out how and where to use this device.

TesserAct is divided into several chapters, each one representing a particular area of the facility. Checkpoints are created as new sections of the lab become available. The game was produced using the Unreal Development Kit, so 3D graphics are beautiful and well done. Soundtrack is fantastic as well, with sound effects that suit the style of the game.

To sum up, TesserAct is a 3D platformer and first-person shooter that combines a well constructed plot, challenging gameplay, and the right amount of mystery to keep you engaged. The game is available on Steam at $14.99, and a demo version can be downloaded from the developers' site.