It might be a well-worn concept, the stalwart physics game, but something about Vyacheslav Stepanov's latest puzzle game Let It Glow really shines.

If you have played a physics puzzle game before, this should be like digging into a plate of french fries (or chips!): using your mouse you remove blocks from the scene, the aim being to position one of more conductors to let a stream of electricity jump from the power source to the light bulb. It's the type of game you'll know if you recently enjoyed Wake The Royalty or Ice Cube Bear, but with its own novel twist. Instead of knocking something off the screen, you have to reach a perfect equilibrium for at least as long as it takes to form a halo around the lightbulb.

Most conductors are round and will roll, but you get more positionally-stoic square ones. The range of a conductor can differ from puzzle to puzzle, indicated by a feint circle around the conductor. These circles are also around the power supply and lightbulb - as long as the circles touch or overlap, the power will transfer. Adding some variety to the challenge, some pieces are attached to hinged and other ones, made of steel, can't be removed.

Analysis: It is interesting that when you browse through the offerings in the physics genre, they are like a crate of potatoes: seemingly the same, but at closer inspection they vary in size and shape. They all can be used for one thing (french fries) but you have to be more selective with other dishes, like a stew or mash. And they are invariably bland on their own, but with the right ingredients become something quite memorable.

Lots of physics games fall apart because of shoddy engines: bad inertia and unpredictable movement (the ever-present click-and-hold-thumbs gameplay mechanic). That's like using the wrong potato for your dish. Then there is the failure in choosing the wrong ingredients: poor level design. Usually levels are too samey or unpredictable in their difficulty. In the worst-case, you need luck to really get anywhere. To create the perfect starch-enriched physics dish, it is a matter of bringing timing, enjoyment and difficulty into perfect harmony.

The problem with both potatoes and physics games is they often don't appeal in their looks, so many developers love throwing on lots of gravy that invariably makes a slop of thing and slows down your browser. Let It Glow is not an army cook dishing it out to the troops. It's a carefully-crafted experience that may seem unappealing to the newcomer and the casual physics philistine. If you appreciate the subtle nuances of this genre and how with a few small touches, some expert preparation and just the right balance of taste and execution a physics game can really be fun, you'll love Let It Glow. No, it won't blow you away - after all, no matter how deftly you cook a potato it will never trump a steak. But it is familiar, reliable and if done right never lets you down either.

Play Let it Glow