Some of you casual gamers may recall a nifty little puzzler from Eugene Karataev in 2008. You may also remember cleaving wooden shapes with a carpenter's finesse, and perhaps you faintly recollect escorting a grinning little fellow across gauntlets of blocks and bricks. If you're really unfortunate, you'll remember the unsettling main menu graphic, where that same little fellow watched your cursor, dagger in hand, as he smiled from ear to ear. Hey, don't feel bad. That's what I remembered.
Karataev is at it again in Splitter 2, the sequel to his fiendishly addictive physics puzzler from yesteryear. The basic premise remains unchanged: your charge, a yellow smiley face with eyes eerily glued to your mouse, must make its way to the exit circle in each level one way or another. All you've got are whatever contraptions are lying around the level, your wits, and a cursor that can slice right through solid wood like it was string cheese. 32 mind-bending levels await your dicing prowess, and what's more, Karataev has graciously included a robust level editor this time around, allowing those with Casual Collective profiles to engineer their own obstacle courses.
Much of the magic that accompanied the original Splitter returns, such as the elegant simplicity of the level design and the fluidity of the animation. The game's hypnotic reset also makes a comeback; there's something oddly entertaining about watching your failed attempt piece itself back together, like watching a building explode in reverse. While some of the puzzles seem to rely a little more on timing, nailing that perfect angle on your cut, or sheer dumb luck, the vast majority are genuine brain-teasers that ought to stir up more than a couple of neurons.
Thanks for sending this one in, Anthony!
Walkthrough Guide
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WALKTHROUGH:
Level 1:
Cut the wood just to the left of the rightmost "brick circle"
Level 2:
Cut the string
Level 3:
Make a vertical cut just to the left of the top most anchor
Level 4:
Think about cutting the string just before the ball hits the stick
Level 5:
Make horizontal cuts on the big wooden shape so that wood falls and more or less fills the hole for the ball to roll over
Level 6:
Make vertical cuts to the protruding wood, the wheel will then move the stick up
Level 7:
Make a vertical cut to the left of the leftmost anchor (detach the wood from the anchors, the ball will fall down)
Level 8:
Make a horizontal cut across the backwards "C". DO NOT CUT THE STRING. The top part of the wood will fall down below the brick. Cut the string connecting the gear and the wood. As the ball swings over, cut the string connecting the ball and the wood.
Level 9:
Cut the "+" away from the square (make the cut from bottom right to upper left. The "+" will turn, but get caught on the bottom. Cut away at the "+" so that it turns until the ball falls into the goal
Level 10:
Make vertical cuts to disconnect the right and left anchors.
Level 11:
Cut the leftmost string. Cut the skinny section of wood blocking the ball from falling into the goal. Once it falls, cut away at it again to allow the ball to finish falling.
Level 12:
This is a little tricky. Start the cut at the left side of the wood, just where the brick ends. Cut up, to the right, almost to the corner. Make a similar cut again. If you're lucky, the ball will fall and roll into the goal.
Level 13:
Cut the lower "F" at the base, cutting away a "C" shape. The upper "F" will fling the "C" at the ball, and the ball will roll to the goal.
Level 14:
Make a vertical cut just to the right of the left anchor. The wood will fling the ball to the goal.
Level 15:
Be quick! Cut away the left part of the heart AND all of the strings attached to the ball.
Level 16:
Cut away the section that is (at the start) on the top left. It will slide down the bottom piece, hit the ball, and the ball swings to the goal.
Level 17:
Cut away the protruding skinny piece of wood, just above the triangle, from bottom left to upper right. The piece will slide onto the balance. Cut the piece in half, tipping the scales.
Level 18:
Wait for the ball to roll over to the right side of the brick. Cut from the right side of the brick to the lower right corner of the hunk of wood. If you do it right, the bottom will make a ramp for the ball, which will roll down the turning piece and into the goal.
Level 19:
Make a horizontal cut at the little bump of wood just to the right of the ball. Make a cut a little to the right of the left anchor, from lower right to upper left. Ball is tipped into goal.
Level 20:
At the right of the screen, there is a tiny ramp, going up to the goal. Cut from lower left to upper right at the ramp, so that the tip of it slides off. Cut away a tiny piece of wood, just under the ball. If you do it right, the ball will roll into the goal. If not, try cutting away the upper tip of the fan, which should jiggle the ball into the goal.
Level 21:
Cut the upper left wood square, from outside corner to outside corner. The X will roll across the brick and push the ball to the goal.
Level 22:
Cut out a triangle of the rectangle's top left area. One vertex is the corner, one is above the anchor, and the other is to the left of the ball. Ball is pushed over the brick, into the goal.
Level 23:
Cut away the rope so that it forms an "S" shape. That is, only cut the tiny vertical pieces of string. The bottom row, cut from the left edge to the right, leaving one on the right. Do the opposite on the row above. Ball swings into goal.
Level 24:
Cut from the top left corner of the wood all the way to the right. The line should end up being just below the top third of wood in the middle column. The ball should fall to the right. If not, try again. When you get it, cut away the remaining wood, the ball falls into the goal.
Level 25:
Cut away the pillar of wood, from the bottom, in little sections, so that the wood falls into the first hole. It might take a few tries, but the ball should bounce on the wood, over the second hole, and into the goal.
Level 26:
This is a little tricky. Make a horizontal cut so that just a smidge of the wider part is left connected to the bottom. Now, make another horizontal cut just above the top most, horizontal grid line (only counting the major grid lines). The wood will swat that tiny piece you cut off at the ball, and the ball rolls into the hole. Yay!
Level 27:
Cut the string as the ball swings to the right. When the ball falls onto the lower platform and is almost over the goal, cut away the left anchor, allowing the ball to fall into the goal.
Level 28:
Just wait. Yay!
Level 29:
Wait for all of the circles to fall out of the spinning wood. Now, cut away The bottom piece of the spiral, so that it covers the left hole. Now cut the string. Yay!
Level 30:
Cut an X into the square. That is, cut from just above the lower left anchor, up to the left of the top right anchor (this will require some adjusting, I've had the best luck if it's not right at the corner). Now cut from below the top left pin, down, ABOVE the bottom right pin. A ramp falls out! Make another cut (identical to what you juts did, except BELOW the pin). Some wood should swing the ball into the goal. It might take another cut to free up the swing. With some adjustments, you should get it. :)
Level 31:
This is the last tricky one, I promise. Cut away the top left corner of the right stick. As the stick swings, cut off the bottom. This part should (takes a few tries) push the ball slightly to the left. After you cut off the flying piece, quickly cut off the top right corner of the left stick, which should swat the ball into the goal. It's not TOO bad.
Level 32:
Yay! The end! Just make a vertical cut across the screen, at about the left and right part of the "H" 's "bridge". The ball should fall right to the goal. :)
Posted by: INL
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July 31, 2009 2:01 PM