Loom Above is a new release from Place of Light, one of our very favorite escape game developers! Without doubt a cause for celebration.
Why the title Loom Above? I can't really say, as the game seems to involve neither weaving nor malevolent figures towering menacingly above the player. That's all right, though... such logical inconsistencies aside, the scenario is the usual escape game setup: you find yourself in a locked room and must solve puzzles and collect strange objects in order to break out.
Loom Above is not nearly as long or challenging as Place of Light's previous releases (which may come to some as a relief) and there are far fewer items to find. The puzzles are all fairly straightforward and the game, all in all, will probably take veteran escapers no longer than 10 minutes or so. Despite this, Loom Above is a joy to play because of how well everything fits together. The logical trajectory of the game flows nicely, the transitions from puzzle to puzzle feel seamless and everything just generally makes sense. Place of Light obviously took a lot of time and care to make the game into a well-oiled machine, and it shows.
While not as aesthetically pleasing as their last release, Room Marine (it doesn't help that this game's predominant color scheme is shades of brown, while Room Marine was decorated in gorgeous greens and blues), Loom Above is nevertheless rendered in a professional and attractive style. The room is cozy, if impersonal; a guest bedroom, maybe? The game's interface is clean and intuitive (and simple; you are at no point even required to take a close-up look at any item in your inventory) and a save feature is present, though you probably won't need it. Some music to add atmosphere would have been nice, though not essential.
Despite being what could be described as "Place of Light Lite," Loom Above is nevertheless an unusually inventive and well-created room escape game, with a number of tricks up its metaphorical sleeves. And really, considering how hard Place of Light's games can be, an easier and more forgiving release from the developer is not a bad thing whatsoever; I do wish it had been a bit longer to compensate for the reduction in difficulty, but you can't have everything. I did notice on Place of Light's website that a new escape game, entitled Loom Blend, is coming soon... perhaps, like the equally wonderful developer Neutral, Place of Light is choosing for now to focus on creating easier, shorter games at a faster pace? Time will tell.
Walkthrough Guide
(Please allow page to fully load for spoiler tags to be functional.)
Yay, first walkthrough!:
Open the white cupboard and click on the moon shape to take it. Note the symbols on each side of the cupboard doors, and note that they are connected.
Zoom out and turn right twice. Click on the picture on the wall. Use the moon shape with the white moon shape on the picture to put the moon on the picture. Zoom out.
Turn right once. Click on the plant to zoom in. Note the symbols on the wall, one inside another, and again note that they are connected.
Click around in the leaves of the plant to find a green shape. Zoom out.
Turn left, zoom in on the picture, and use the green shape with the white black spot on the picture. The picture will rise and you will see that you must lift the lampshade off the lamp. Zoom out.
Turn right twice and zoom in to the lamp. Click on the lampshade to take it off. Click on it twice more to take it. You will see there is a key on the end. Zoom out.
Turn left and zoom in on the drawers on the bottom of the bed. Use the lampshade/key on the keyhole on the left drawer to open it. Take the spanner. [Also known as a wrench! ~pineapple]
Turn right once and zoom in on the brown cupboard. Click above it to view the top. Use the spanner to unscrew all the screws in the corners. Remove the top.
Zoom out fully and turn left once. Copy down the pattern hanging on the wall onto the grid on top of the cupboard. Click once to get a white circle, twice for a black circle and thrice to go back to a blank spot. After it is copied down, click the cat on the grid, then click and hold down on it again and note down the connection between those two symbols.
Zoom out and open the cupboard. Take the long stick and the green foot at the bottom.
Zoom out fully, then zoom in on the door in the roof. Use the long stick on it to pull it open. Note the number inside.
Zoom out fully, and open the white cupboard again. Enter that number into the frog. If you want it directly, it is:
2609
Now attach the green foot to the stub on the right of the frog, and click it so it comes down.
Zoom out again, then zoom in on the lamp. Take the green mini shovel.
Zoom out fully, then turn left once. Zoom in on the plant, and use the shovel on the pot to find a circular 'key'. Click on this key to get it.
Zoom out, then turn right once. Zoom in on the broken lamp. Use the circular 'key' with the top of the lampstand. Then click on the hook to hook it on the circle.
Zoom out then open the white cupboard again. Click on the frog's foot. Zoom out then look at the bottom of the table. Note the connection between the symbols.
Zoom out and turn left once. Click on the top of the bed and click on the top of the bed cover to remove it. Note the connection between the symbols. Zoom out then zoom in on the drawers at the bottom of the bed. Open the right one. Flick the switch.
Turn left once and zoom in on where the picture used to be. Basically, you must now figure out the order of the symbols, based on descending weight. If you don't want to figure it out, it is:
Fish>Rabbit>Dog>Bird>Cat
Remember how we linked the symbols to the other star sign symbols? Well go back to that now, and substitute the animal symbols for the star sign symbols. If you didn't do it or didn't write it down, it is:
Cancer = fish
Aries = rabbit
Capricorn = bird
Libra = Cat
Leo = dog
If you don't know the star signs, Google them. [or, check out the screenshot in the next spoiler.]
So now you've got the order of the five star sign symbols. Go to the door and zoom in on the code pad. Enter this code then press the red button. Zoom out and...
Escape :)
[Well done, Pixelated! We took the liberty of adding a few screenshots to the walkthrough. ~pineapple]
Posted by: Pixelated
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April 15, 2009 4:57 AM
WALKTHROUGH:
Go left once. Click the root, and get the green object from the plant. Note the shapes.
Zoom out. Go right once. Open the white drawer above the bed. Pick up the moon and note the shapes.
Zoom out. Go left (or right) twice and click the painting. Put the objects into their places. Note the figures.
Zoom out. Go right (or left) twice and click the lamp. Click the shape 3 times. You get a key.
Zoom out. Go right. Click the drawers just under the bed. Use the "lamp key" to the drawer with a lock. Get a wrench.
Zoom out. Go right. Click above the wardrobe. Open the 4 bolts with a wrench. Click it again.
Zoom out. Go left. Note the beads on the wall. They're important in wardrobe sequence.
Go to the wardrobe. Enter the pattern (the bead sequence). Click cat once and click again. This opens something. Then click and hold. Cat gives a shape. Note it.
Zoom out and open the wardrobe. Get a long pole and frogs arm.
Zoom out. Click the roof. Use the pole on the door. Get a code (2609).
Zoom out. Click the white drawer. Enter the code (2609) to frog and put the arm into it's place. Pull the arm down
Zoom out. There's another frog which pulled put from the roof. Click it and take the scoop.
Zoom out. Go left. Click plant root. Use the scoop to dirt. Get a key.
Zoom out. Go right. Zoom in to the lamp and use the key to it. Click the frog.
Zoom out. Click the drawer and raise the frog's arm.
Zoom out. The nightstand has been raised up. Go left and click the right drawer to open it. Press the switch.
Zoom out. Go left. Click the white wall with 2 red stripes. Figure the logic of the puzzle. (heavies to lightest puzzle). When you have the solution, turn the animals into symbols you noted earlier.
Go to the door and enter code (from heaviest to lightest). Here's a hint:
Fish-Rabbit-Dog-Birg-Cat.
You have escaped!
Do you want to get a door code? Here it is.
http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/4236/solutioni.jpg
Posted by: Vike91
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April 15, 2009 6:02 AM