From the moment I started playing Toby: The Secret Mine I was struck by two things; how much this game was trying to ape the art style and platform-puzzle gameplay of Limbo/Inside and how much this smacked of an iOS game. It took only a few seconds for Google to track this same game down in the iTunes store; originally released in May of 2016 and now ported to the Xbox One. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I was hoping for something truly original and exclusive like Ori, and not just another mobile silhouette-platformer like Badland.
Even so, the gameplay is quite engaging with its minimalistic approach to storytelling and simplistic presentation that features stark contrasting levels of either pure black (or white in the snow lands) foregrounds against gorgeous multi-color (when it’s not raining) backgrounds that smoothly scroll back in the distance giving you this great multi-layer effect.
You play as Toby who looks like a stylized tiny toon version of Batman. 26 of his fellow villagers have been captured and taken prisoner by some evil dude who looks like a bigger version of Toby with red eyes. He has tossed your friends into cages and stashed them all over the next 3-4 hours of linear platforming levels that will require your endless attention to hidden areas, concealed traps, and untold dangers. There are secret nooks hidden in the inky blackness and squeaky floors you can smash through to find hidden passages. You’ll get to flip switches, find and use keys, and even ride a mine cart in one thrilling section.
There is considerable trial and error in many of the more difficult trap areas with spikes shooting from the ground out of nowhere or pieces of the ceiling falling on you or stone columns that crumble if you stand on them for too long. Dying is pretty inconsequential in The Secret Mine. Checkpoints are numerous, so there is little repetition, although the game does track your death count, both for shaming and Achievement purposes.
For those with HDR TV’s you might want to put on some shades as the lighting effects are as blinding as they are gorgeous. Even in the very first screens the sunlight will often pop from behind distant cover blinding you and kicking up a cool rainbow lens flare. In later levels when you are playing in a wintery wonderland the pure white foregrounds will take several minutes for your eyes to adjust.
One cannot overlook the wonderful soundtrack that accompanies the game in almost dynamic fashion where the intensity of the tribal drums flair up every time you are chasing down the bad guy, then the music settles down to a more relaxing and environmental mix of instruments that makes exploration and puzzle-solving that much more enjoyable.
Controls are delightfully simple with easy analog movement and a jump and action button. There are generous cues and prompts on the screen making it virtually impossible to get stuck for more than a minute or two. Jumping is an issue at first until you learn the limits of Toby’s height and lateral arc. I enjoyed how the game indirectly assisted in some areas like when stacking boxes to be used as stairs and the ground would force the boxes to stagger themselves rather than you having to micromanage both box positions.
Only the most thorough gamers will find all 26 lost villagers on their first pass, so there is certainly some replayability to the game, but even if you do only play it once the $10 price tag is easily worth the enjoyment you’ll find waiting for you and your entire family with Toby: The Secret Mine.
