My First Dive Into OctoMaze
Booting up the game drops you straight into a calm, mystical little pocket of nature, a river drifting by, sunlight slicing through the trees, fairies drifting through the air, and glowing blue mushrooms scattered across the floor.
The kind of mushrooms that look all magical until you realise one bite probably has you seeing through people instead of at them.
Like, “why can I suddenly see your skeleton, bro?”.
The whole scene is backed by a gorgeous ambient soundtrack, birds chirping like they’re welcoming you personally. From the very first frame, you can tell the devs built this world with pure intention and heart.
Oh, and don’t forget the baby-blue squids absolutely KO’d on the floor, snoozing like they paid rent today.
AwwwwWHHHH luk at da widdle babyyyy, oh my DAYS, da ikkle face, come ’ere you precious aquatic chicken nugget.
“I hereby name you Sebastian Quentin Ulysses Ignatius Somerset-Harrington.”
…
Okay nope, that name is longer than my lifespan.
We’re calling you Squish.
Yes. Squish.
Lil Squishy-wishy baby poo.
AwwwwH WHO’S DA CUTEST WIDDLE
ahem.
Right. Professional mode, Returning…
Maybe.
You can feel the devs didn’t just make this, they nurtured it. You can sense the care in every corner before you even press start.
And this is exactly what the gaming market needs right now: passion, love, and real heart woven into games. That genuine sense of stepping into another world and losing yourself in it, and forgetting your real-world problems for a while.
Cosy Squid Vibes
Before you even play, the game sets the tone, that cosy-after-a-long-day energy.You know how it is: you get home like a tired NPC, drop your bag, kick your shoes off harder than you meant to, collapse onto the sofa…
and then a tentacle taps you on the shoulder like: “Shhhh… it’s okay. You can relax now.”
It’s the kind of game you sink into instantly, not literally (don’t bite the tentacle), but in that “finally, something chill” way.
You load it up with a small smile like,
“Yep… this is exactly what I needed.”
It’s warm.
It’s soft.
It feels like the digital version of a blanket straight from the dryer, quietly saying:
“Long day? No stress. I’ll handle the cosy.”
And just like that, the tension drops.
Your brain unclenches.
Your inner gremlin retires for the evening.
And your inner octopus awakens.
It’s not just cosy,
it’s chaotically cosy in the best way.
The kind of cosy that resets you and makes your whole body go,
“Ahh… we’re home.”
Gameplay Impressions
When you hit Start, the soundtrack somehow gets even more relaxing.
I swear it’s like alpha waves are gently probing my brain cells, whispering:
“Shhh… let it happen… don’t let this feeling leave…”
You get your first proper look at the environment and it’s a sushi-chef’s kiss, with a hint of squid.
Sunshine glowing in the background, those mystical blue mushrooms lighting up the scene even more, and
hold on…
is that… a bite mark the size of my student debt on the side of a tree?
*hears rustling*
…Squish?
Is that you???
Everything looks even more stunning up closely.
Even Octopus looks incredible…
and absolutely pissed off.
Like he’s behind on his squid rent this month and has been raging ever since the devs patched out his coordination. 😉
Bro is stressing about squid bills in 4K.
Straight off the bat, the gameplay is highly engaging, that dangerous kind where you tell yourself, “Just one more,” the same way you did that one time you ate a whole pack of Cadbury chocolate fingers.
You kept saying “one more” as you devoured the entire packet, and before you knew it, you’ve lost track of time, hydration, and possibly your kid’s last chocolate stash, the one they were expecting after school, the day before shopping.
Next thing you know, your co-workers are wondering why you’ve got bags under your eyes and you’re falling asleep at your desk.
It hooks you instantly and refuses to let go.
And it’s not repetitive either. One moment you’re avoiding Squish’s extended family reunion, the next you’re dodging stink mutants, flipping switches under pressure, weaving past spikes like you’re training for underwater parkour, and collecting bombs to blow up walls, enemies, and maybe even make some fried squid in the process.
Every move counts, especially with the way you have to control that tentacle. One wrong wiggle and you’re starting back at the beginning with regrets.
This game isn’t just fun, it’s absolutely Tentacular.
Love you guys at Octagon Game Studios, keep shining. 🌟
Other articles:
Leave a Reply