Monochro Observer:
The Black and White Puzzle Game
Anyone who's ever fallen in love with a rough-and-tumble beauty from the wrong side of the tracks will understand the passionate heart of game developer Tatsuya Koyama. His creation Monochro Observer is a tragic, lovely little puzzle game about two people from opposite sides of the visual spectrum, learning to work together towards a common goal, to finally taste the forbidden love that sparks between the deepest shadow and the shiniest, twinkliest, luminescent-i-est-iest light.
Your goal for 20 brain-teasing levels is to join these star-crossed children of fate by bringing them to the flashing gray exit. The catch is that the black person can only move in the light world, and the white person only in the dark. Each character has the ability to create or destroy blocks of the opposite color. A block that behaves like a wall or a stepping stone in one world acts as a pathway in the other.
You may recognize the general idea from Yin Yang or Sean Howard's blog, but this is much more of a puzzle game and much less of a platformer. There's not even a jump button; your avatars can only climb the height of a single block.
Switch control between the two lead characters with [Shift], and walk with the [Arrow Keys]. To create or destroy a platform at your feet, press [Z], which works so long as the space isn't already occupied by a two-tone solid wall. The other controls are the hotkeys for the user interface. [X] undoes the last move you made, and can take you all the way back to the beginning of the level, one step at a time (very useful). Restart the level immediately with [C], return to the stage select with [S], and restart the entire game with [1]. Turn the music on or off with [M].
You see where it says [Shift + Del] at the bottom of the stage select screen? That evil combination of keys erases all your progress. I have sacrificed a percentage of my life so you don't have to. Normally, the game remembers your progress between play sessions.
Analysis: I should mention that the developer didn't actually put anything in Monochro Observer to indicate romantic undertones, but there's something about the delicate presentation that makes me want to don my Exaggerational Interpreting Hat. Just look at those little munchkins, staring at each other across the impassable divide between worlds. Lonesome. Longing. The fire of passion smoldering in their eyes…okay, I'll stop.
But I don't have much to say about the actual design of the game. It's a good set of puzzles. They thoroughly explore the central idea, rewarding and challenging in more-or-less ideal balance. It's helpful to think through the solutions, but if you are better with practice than theory, the forgiving Undo Button lets you fart around as much as you'd like without penalty.
It's just interesting that such a simple concept, built with a traditional eye for game design, can be so evocative. Although the direction is ambiguous, the game still takes you somewhere, just by making strong choices with the music and graphics, and by having a curious title. I can't touch you, but I'm observing you, you monochromatic thing from another realm of being. What are you feeling? What is the difference between us? What will happen if we cooperate? Where will that exit take us, and is it worth the struggle to get there? Are you single? What do your lips taste like? Do they taste like cherries? All I want is delicious smooches! Why won't you loooove meeeee???
Um…sorry about that. Go enjoy some puzzles. I'll be okay.
Walkthrough Guide
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Walkthrough for Monochro Observer
Level 1:
White: Put a block to the gap.
Black: Move to goal.
White: Move to the abyss and remove one block to make a way to goal. Move to goal.
Level 2:
Black: Build the bridge over the first abyss and drop into second abyss. Combine the two lines with a block.
White: Move to goal.
Black: Remove one block just above the line and move to goal.
Level 3:
White: Put a block to the gap and remove the one just right from it. Remove the block you made in first step. Combine the upper lines with a white block. Remove the block creating a diagonal black line from floor to roof. Combine the line to make a way to the black. Make a bridge with a white to get to another side of the big gap. Move to goal.
Black: Move to goal.
Level 4:
Black: Create a block to just right from the fifth cross.
White: Create a bridge to just one square below from the "gap of crosses".
Black: Jump down. Do you see 2 "deep gaps"? Delete the square from the right one and create the block to make a way to white. Go right until you're passed the blue crosses. Make a long bridge above the crosses. Walk to gap on right.
White: Delete 2 blocks between the solid blocks so you can jump down. Move right. Make a bridge from crosses to a solid block. Make a block to above the black. Delete the block from left of solid block so you can move to goal. Move to goal. When you swap, black goes itself to goal.
Level 5:
Black: Trigger all blue sensors except the one near the goal.
White: Move as near goal as you can, but bewore swapping stand on a solid block.
Black: black guy should drop itself on the sensor. Make a block to left-below from the black guy. Jump left. Remove a block to get to goal. Trigger the blue sensor near the goal.
White: Move to goal.
Black: Move to goal.
Level 6:
Black: Drop down. Move up by making a diagonal row of blocks. Make a bridge to same diagonal line than solid block line. Delete the block near the "solid block gap". Move standing on the block which is on solid layer and make a line leaving one line between the line and the pyramid. Continue the line to the goal. Move to goal.
White: Move to goal by standing on a block then creating a block to "block abyss" creating a block pile.
Move to goal.
Level 7:
Black: Make a block to gap. Delete a block from the inner corner of the second shape from left, and delete the block left from it. Create a block above the blue cross.
White: Make a bridge over the red crosses. Create a block to inner corner of a right-most center shape. Create a block northwest from it. Delete the east one from the previous block. Create a block to center of a right-most center shape. Create a block to northwest from it. Delete the east one from the previous block.
Black: Delete the block you created at begin. Stand on blue cross and delete the right above block. Jump all the way to the right until you reach the gap. Stop to left of the gap.
White: Delete the block northeast from the black and drop to the gap. Make a bridge so black can get to goal. Delete the block from northeast from the gap. Delete the block from the right gap. Fix the bridge.
Black: Move to goal.
White: Delete 2 blocks to get to goal.
Level 8:
Black: Make a bridge to activate the uppest trigger. Do not remove the bridge. Delete the block above the "sensor corridor". Enter the corridor. Make a bridge continuing the corridor until the sensor line. Trigger the second switch. Jump down triggering a sensor. Trigger a left-most sensor. Jump to solid block corridor and make a bridge until the activated corridor as activating the sensor. Jump up activating the last blue sensor.
White: Jump to gap on the right and make a bridge to get to gap. Jump down triggering four sensors. Move to goal.
Black: Move to goal.
Level 9:
Black: Create a block to south-east from the black. Delete the one above it. Make a block to combine the 3 blocks. Make a block to right of the upper block. Make another to next to the block you just created. Delete the block at southwest of the black. Make a block to inner corner.
White: Delete the left-center block above the gap. Delete the block right from the previous block. Create blocks to both gap.
Black: Delete the block northeast from white. Jump down. Create a block combinating the 2 block pairs. White: Delete a block from southwest of white. Jump down triggering a sensor. Trigger another sensor. Delete the block in center and jump down.
Black: Move to goal.
Level 10:
White: Create a block to 3 gaps on the right.
Black: Jump all way to right and delete a block. Jump down. Delete block. Jump down. Delete a block from a center of a cross near the goal.
White: Create a block to a gap. Move to standing near the gap. Delete the block near the gap. Delete another block from left of the previous block. Delete the block so you can drop down. Make this again and again until you reach the goal. Before going to goal make sure black has a way to goal. Don't ever use the gap to drop.
Black: Move to goal.
Level 11:
Black: Trigger 8 sensors, but stay standing on 9th sensor.
White: Jump down. Go right, up and down.
Black: Activate the sensor. Move left. Delete the block from southeast.
White: Move down.
Black: Make a block to fix the gap. Activate 6 sensors.
White: Move down, right up and down.
Black: Move all way to right.
White: Move to goal.
Black: Move to goal.
Level 12:
Black: Make a bridge. Delete the box above the sensor. Munp down and activate 5 sensors.
White: Activate 3 sensors. Make a block under the first sensor. Move left once. Make a block to left of that block you previously created. Go left, jump down and go right. Delete the block below the right-most sensor. Jump down.
Black: Go left. Jump down. Go right and jump down. Go left and jump down. Activate the blue sensor.
White: Delete the block to right of the solid block. Drop down and move to goal.
Black: Move to goal.
Level 13:
White: Go to right. Activate the sensor. |Make a block to right. Move right.| (do the steps inside the brackets 5 times) Delete a block from left. Make a block to right. Move right. Delete a block from left. Make a block to right. Move right. Delete a block from left. Go to the edge of a gap and make a bridge with 3 blocks. Make a block to inner corner. Jump up. Delete the leftmost block of the bridge. Make a block to inner corner. Jump up. Delete the leftmost block from the bridge. Make a block to inner corner. Jump up and delete the last block of the bridge. Delete the new bridge moving to left. Go left, jump down and go right. Make 3 blocks bridge. Jump to right and make 4 blocks to create a bridge. Jump left and make 4 blocks to create a bridge again. Delete the block below the right-most red cross and jump down. Make a block to the missing spot. Jump to right-most up. Make a block to left of the block in corner. Go near the goal, but don't go to goal yet.
Black: Move to right and hop twice right. Make a bridge. Go to the first sensor and make a block to prevent falling. Move to goal.
White: Hop to goal.
Level 14:
Black: Move left and delete the block from inner corner.
White: Make 6 blocks to bridge and hop down. Go right and hop down. Jump to above the black.
Black: Create a block to fix the hole. Move left and make that hole again. Delete the block from left of that block.
White: Activate the sensor. Jump down activating 2 sensors.
Black: Move left once and delete the block from right. Jump up and create the block to right of a sensor. Move left.
White: Jump right and fix a hole. Jump up. Make a block to right. Make another block to right of the previous block. Move right once. Delete the left block. Make a block to right. Move right once. Delete the left block. Jump down left and delete the block from right of the sensor which has another sensor above it. Delete the right block from the previous block. Jump down and delete the block to south-east from the sensor which i mentioned earlier. Jump to above right of sensor and make a bridge. Go left destroying the same bridge you made. Go left and jump down. Go right and jump up to the top of pyramid. Make a block to left and move on it. Destroy the block you moved from. Jump down and jump up using the track on right. Make a block to gap. Jump down. activating the second sensor from right. Go on the fifth goal from right and delete the block on left.
Black: Go to left and hop up activating two sensors. Go right. Delete the block between 2 sensors.
White: Jump down activating one sensor. Hop left twice. Jump right.
Black: Make a block between the sensors and go all way to right. Jump left. Hop up. Make 2 blocks to fix the gap. Destroy a block from below of the blue sensor. Destroy another from right of the previous block. Destroy the block from right of the white. Make a 2-block bridge to fix the gap. Destroy the first block of the bridge moving left. Go standing on the goal at southwest of the blue sensor.
White: Hop up twice.
Black: Move to white.
Level 15:
White: Move left once. Delete the block at left. Jump down. Go up. Hop down. Go left once. Delete the block from right. Go left twice. Delete the block from right. Go left twice. Delete the block from right. Hop down and go right. Delete the block from right.
Black: Go right and jump down. Go right. Jump down. Go left once. Fix the hole. Go left twice. Fix the hole. Jump down. Go all way to right. Hop up. Fix the hole. Move to goal.
White: Go right twice. Fix the hole. Jump down. Move to goal.
Level 16:
Black: Fix the hole on left. Remove the block left from the fixed gap. Make a block to inner corner. Delete the block above it. Hop down and delete the block at the corner. Make a block to inner corner. Hop all way to up. Delete the blocks and add blocks to inner corners until you can reach the cave on left. Fix the black path. Hop up all way to up and make a bridge from the block room to the black path.
White: Make a bridge by creating 2 blocks between the blocks. Delete the block near the gap. Add one to inner corner. Delete the blocks and add them to inner corners until you can reach the right cave. Fix the white path. Hop all way up and move to goal.
Black: Move right. Delete the block which is blocking the way and move to goal.
Level 17:
Black: Make 2 blocks to create a bridge to right. Hop down once, do not fall all way down. Make 2 block bridge. Go right. Destroy the leftmost block in 5-block row and make one to inner corner. Hop up, destroy the leftmost block and add one to inner corner. Hop up, destroy the leftmost block and add one to inner corner. Hop up, destroy the leftmost block. Hop down. Destroy the block on left. Hop down. Add the block to right. Hop right. Add block to left. Destroy the one right of the previous block. Destroy the block in inner corner. Hop left. Destroy the block on left and add one to right. Move right once. Destroy left one. Create one to right. Hop up. Create a block to left. Stand on it. Destroy the block on right. Hop right down. Destroy left. Hop up left. Create block to right. Stand on it. Destroy left one. Hop up to stand on solid blocks. Create one block to create 3-in-a-row. Create one on previous block's left. Hop left. Create 2-block bridge. Stand on the left one. Destroy the right one. Do this until you get to other side. Jump left and down. Destroy the right one block. Jump down. Trigger the sensor, but do not jump. Hop right down triggering a sensor. Go left near the gap. Create the bridge with 2 blocks. Create the block to inner corner. Hop right and destroy the leftmost block. Add one to inner corner. Hop right and destroy the leftmost block. Add one to inner corner. Delete the block above the left sensor. Hop right and destroy the block. Destroy the block above the another sensor. Activate both sensors. Walk all way to right to stand on the block. Create 2 blocks to left of it. Hop left. Create a block to right. Hop right. Create 2 block to left of the block you're standing on. Hop all way to up left. Fix the bridge. Go left and destroy the block above the sensor. Jump down. Hop right and stand in the start of the "corridor".
White: Go right. Hop down. Hop right. Create the block to left. Go standing on it. Destroy the block on right. Create a block to left of a sensor. Hop standing on top left block. Create a block to right and hop right. Create a bridge and activate 4 sensors. While standing on 4th sensor, destroy the right block. Hop down and destroy inner corner block. Go standing on sensor and destroy the left block. Hop down. Destroy the block in inner corner. Destroy the block to the right of it. Hop down. Destroy the left block. Hop down. Destroy the inner right block. Hop right and create blocks to right and left.
Black: Create a block to left and hop up. Create a bridge with 2 blocks. Move to goal.
White: Destroy the block on left and hop down. Destroy block on right and the one on left of it. Jump down and dstroy the left block. Move to goal.
Level 18:
Black: Destroy the block on left. Move right. Destroy the block in inner corner. Hop right. Create a block to left. Go left and hop down activating 4 sensors. Destroy the block below you. Move right. Hop up twice. Destroy the block in inner corner. Hop up. Create a block to left. Hop, hop, hop.
White: Move left and destroy the block in inner corner. Hop left. Create a block to right. Hop right. Go right and hop down activating 3 sensors. Go left and destroy the block below the sensor.
Black: Jump left and down. Walk right.
White: Hop down and go left. Hop, hop. Destroy the block in inner corner. Hop. Create a block to right. Hop, hop, hop. Activate 1 sensor, then walk left. Fall, fall, fall. Destroy the block on right. Fall, fall, fall. Walk to right.
Black: Destroy the block on left. Hop down activating 3 sensors. Destroy the block near the hole. Hop, hop, hop, hop, hop. Create a block to left. Hop, hop, hop, hop, hop. Move to goal.
White: Destroy the block on right. Hop. Go left. Hop, hop, hop, hop, hop. Create a block to right. Hop, hop, hop, hop, hop. Move to goal.
Level 19:
Black: Go over the second diagonal row. Destroy the block above the right empty. Destroy the block right of it. Hop down twice. Go left once. Destroy the block on left. Move left once. Destroy the left block. Move left once. Destroy the left block. Move left once. Destroy the left block. Move left once. Destroy the left block. Destroy the block in inner corner. Destroy the block in left of it. Hop down. Destroy the block on right. Hop down. Destroy the block on right. Hop up. Create a block to right. Create another to right of the previous block. Hop up. Create a block to right. Hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop. Gi right standing near the gap.
White: Go right until you reach solid blocks. Create a bridge with 7 blocks.
Black: Destroy the corner block. Put one to inner corner. Destroy blocks and put them to inner corners until you have 11 square space in row above sensors. Don't destroy blocks in same row than the sensors are. Remember to fill the right end with a block.
White: Move right. Fix the gap. Destroy the block on left. Go right. Fix the gap. Go right. Fix the gap. Destroy the block which touches the solid block. Hop down. Create a block to left. Stand on it. Destroy the block on right. Create one to left. Stand on it. Destroy the one on right. Jump to down.
Black: Do you see the block between the lines? Destroy the block above it. Destroy another from left of the previous block. Hop down and go left. Destroy the second, third and fourth block from the left. Destroy the block above fourth block. Destroy the one left of it. Jump down. Destroy the left block. Jump down. Destroy the right one. Jump up. Create block to left. Hop up. Create block to right. Hop down. Destroy left one. Jump up. Create a block to right. Destroy the block 2 squares left from the previous square. Hop up. Make a bridge with 3 blocks. Hop up. Create a block to left. Destroy the block on right. Go right. Destroy a block in corner. Hop down. Create a block to right. Activate a sensor. Hop up and fix the gap. Hop up twice and make a bridge with 2 blocks. Destroy the block above the block between lines. Destroy the one on right of it. Activate a sensor. Hop up and create a block to inner corner. Hop up. Create a bridge with 2 blocks. Destroy the block on left of the bridge you just created. Destroy another block on right of the previous block. Activate the sensor. Hop up twice. Destroy a block below black. Hop down. Destroy the block on right.
White: Walk left. Hop, hop, hop. Make a bridge. When you're standing on first sensor, destroy the left block.
Black: Hop right. Destroy the block on right. Hop up twice. Make a bridge with 3 blocks, destroy 2 first blocks when you have walked over them. Let 3rd be. Destroy the block which is touching the wall. Hop down. Create a block to inner corner. Destroy the block on right of the sensor. Hop down. Destroy the block on right. Hop down. Go left and hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop. Make a bridge to other side. Hop down.
White: Delete a block on right and jump. Move to goal.
Black: Move to goal.
Level 20:
Black: Move right once and touch the sensor. Destroy the block on left. Jump up. Go right and destroy the block in inner corner. Go left and destroy the gap block. Move to over the touched sensor and create a block to left of it. Create another block on left of that block you just created. Go right. Hop down. Go left. Hop up. Trigger the 2 sensors.
White: Drop down and destroy the block in inner corner. Hop up and create a block to right. Create another block next to it. Destroy inner corner. Go left. Hop left. Make 2 blocks to right. Hop right. Trigger 3 sensors. Hop right and down. Create a block to inner corner. Hop up. Create a block to left. Stand on it. Destroy right block.
Black: Hop left and create a block to right. Hop right and trigger 2 sensors. Go left, don't hop.
White: Go thru the sensor path and trigger all sensors in that path except the one which is under the black. Stand next to red cross.
Black: Jump left and right. Create a block to left. Create a bridge to right.
White: Destroy the block on right. Drop. Go right. Hop, hop, hop, hop. Stand on a red cross and destroy the block in inner corner. Go left. Hop down twice. Jump down. Hop up. Create a block to right.
Black: Destroy the block below the sensor. Destroy the block right of that block you just destroyed. Jump down once. Create 2 new blocks. Trigger a sensor.
White: Hop right and create a bridge. Jump left once. Create a block to right of it. Stand on the block you just created. Destroy the block on left. Jump all way down. Trigger one sensor. Hop right once. Make a bridge to sensor. Trigger the sensor. Hop up twice. Make a bridge to the sensor on air, make a block under it too. Trigger the sensor. Move on the sensor block. Create a block to right. Jump right. Create a block to left. Jump left. Move to goal.
Black: Jump right. Move right once. Destroy the right block. Jump down. Walk right. Destroy the block in the way. Hop down. Hop, hop, hop. Destroy the block in inner corner. Destroy the block next to it. Make a block to the gap. Hop up. Make a block to right. Hop right. Make 3 blocks to left, destroy 2 right-most. Hop down. Destroy right one. Jump left and create a block below the sensor. Create another to left of it. Jump on the sensor block. Jump on another sensor block. Delete the inner corner block. Create a block to next to sensor. Hop, go right. Hop, jump. Go left. Hop twice. Create a block to right. Stand on it. Destroy the left one. Jump. Make a 2-block bridge over the gap. Go standing on first sensor, then create a block to left. Go left once. Hop right. Hop left. Create a block to right. Hop right. Make 2-block bridge. Hop, hop, hop. Make a block to right. Hop. Make a block to left. Hop, hop. Jump left. Create a block to left. Move left. Make a block to left. Hop. Hop. Fall. Fall. Fall. VICTORY!
Posted by: Vike91
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April 23, 2009 2:11 PM