“Volcano Snek” by JUSTCAMH & ClockMaker.
“The volcano wants to erupt. The snake wants to escape. Slither around and bonk walls to raise the lava level. Collect some new abilities to solve […] puzzles.”
Admittedly “Volcano Snek” has a very preposterous narrative premise, but it also is adorable as well. An anthropomorphized volcano and a strong snake find to each other, as the serpent somehow was thrown right into the hot spot. Of course, the snake wants to escape the heat, and the volcano feels somewhat under the weather too, as it wants to erupt but is not able to do so without any outside influence. The unusual team comes up with a plan: The reptile should bump its head against the rocky walls, so that the energetic impact boosts the lava somehow, which will hurry the eruption along. The snake however can then reach new plateaus inside the volcano as the platforms inside of it will rise along with the molten magma.
To spice the level design up a bit, “Volcano Snek” is not a pure puzzle platformer, but more like a little metroidvania. For instance, you cannot push around the platforms in the beginning, but later that is possible after unlocking the appropriate skill. This decision opens up new possibilities in regards to the puzzles, as previously traversed rooms suddenly can hold the key to the next goal. Another neat element you will encounter are the water leaks, which can cool down the lava and prevent it from heating up. [PLAY]
