BLOW IT UP REVIEW: Challenging Puzzle with Satisfying Explosions!

Blow It Up Review Main Page

Blow It Up is a game that uses the concept of a physics destruction game, showcasing the objective destruction of objects within the game.

This game was released on February 18, 2025, developed and published by Brain Seal Entertainment, an indie game studio known for producing games with almost exclusively positive reviews, such as Dark Quest 2, Story of a Gladiator, and several others.

Blow It Up Review

What kind of mechanics will Blow It Up offer to gamers? Let’s take a look at the Blow It Up Review.

Game Specifications

Blow It Up can be played on PC via the Steam application, with the minimum requirements as follows:

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 10 64-bit
  • Processor: Quad Core 1.6 GHz
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: Shader Model 5.0 GPU
  • DirectX: Version 11
  • Storage: 1 GB available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

Recommended Specifications

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS: Windows 10 64-bit
  • Processor: The more the better
  • Memory: 16 GB RAM
  • Graphics: GTX Series
  • DirectX: Version 12
  • Storage: 1 GB available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX Compatible

First Impression of Blow It Up

First-Impression-Blow-It-Up
Source: Esportnesia

The initial impression of this game is rather lukewarm. Apart from the graphics shown through photos and video trailers on the Steam page, there isn’t much that truly captivates the reviewer.

Upon entering the main menu, the features “Creator” and “Steamwork” sparked some interest. These are rare features to find in typical games.

When starting to play, the game introduces a conflict within the story, presented in a cinematic comic style. Although there is no dialogue in these scenes, the reviewer could still grasp the storyline. This was the first time they experienced understanding a cinematic comic story without any dialogue.

Moving into the tutorial phase, the graphics impressed the reviewer. However, they were surprised by the controller flexibility, which includes using a directional keypad, WASD controller, and even a mouse.

During the tutorial, the reviewer found it easy to understand because the game mechanics were familiar, reminiscent of the well-known game Angry Birds from their childhood.

While playing, the reviewer not only engaged in the main gameplay but also enjoyed a bit of freedom to explore the surrounding area and interact with some objects.

As the game progresses, the challenges become more difficult. Some scenarios require players to think outside the box to complete the game.

Occasionally, the reviewer encountered new bombs—or in comparison to Angry Birds, new birds—to assist in completing the game.

The reviewer admitted that the game is addictive, with a satisfying feeling of watching buildings collapse and a desire to keep trying after failing to complete a level.

Interface of Blow It Up

Blow It Up Review Interface
Source: Esportnesia

Main Menu

The first thing to note is the simple, neatly arranged main menu. There aren’t too many features, which makes it easy for players to understand the provided options.

Heads-Up Display (HUD)

The HUD is also designed simply and neatly, ensuring that it doesn’t obstruct the player’s view during gameplay. Icons display information like the amount of collected coins, making it easy for players to understand, whether they are exploring or engaging in the main gameplay.

If players find the HUD distracting, they can hide it to fully enjoy the game’s graphics by pressing the ‘H’ key on the keyboard—something the reviewer discovered accidentally.

HUD Shortcomings

However, the reviewer found a minor flaw in the HUD during the main gameplay. The bomb selection feature appears cluttered, with HUD elements overlapping, which can lead to players accidentally choosing the wrong bomb.

Another drawback is that players need to press any button to return to the exploration area after finishing a game, whether they win or lose.

Blow It Up Gameplay

Blow It Up Review Gameplay
Source: Esportnesia

Blow It Up combines puzzle elements with physics destruction, challenging players to solve puzzles by destroying objects and exploring new areas.

Story

The game’s story is presented in a cinematic comic style without dialogue. Comic panels appear gradually to unfold the narrative. Despite the lack of dialogue, players can easily understand the storyline due to its simplicity and the clear comic illustrations.

However, there’s a slight inconsistency noted by the reviewer: guards who have captured bombs can be bribed with coins to unlock areas and features, despite being antagonists in the story.

Exploration Mechanics

Players can explore surrounding areas to select stages and interact with various objects like enemy NPCs and environmental items.

Grinding for coins is necessary to acquire new bombs and access new areas guarded by enemies. Certain hidden spots in the game offer extra coins, although these hidden areas are easily found by adults.

Puzzle Mechanics

The puzzle mechanics resemble those of Angry Birds, where players launch bombs using a slingshot to destroy structures and defeat enemies. Each bomb has unique abilities that can be activated with the left mouse button to help solve puzzles.

The gameplay is engaging due to the freedom to use any bomb for different solutions and the satisfaction of watching objects get destroyed. However, each puzzle has a limited number of bombs, requiring careful management.

Controller Issues

The reviewer points out some control issues, such as occasional missclicks when activating bomb abilities, which can be disruptive.

Overall Experience

After approximately 1.5 hours of gameplay, the reviewer concludes that creativity, timing, and perseverance are essential to solving the puzzles.

Although the gameplay mechanics may seem repetitive, each puzzle offers a wide range of solutions, providing a dynamic playing experience.

Graphics and Sound of “Blow It Up”

Blow It Up Review Graphics
Source: Esportnesia

Blow It Up offers background music (BGM) that conveys a calm and relaxed atmosphere. This BGM is suitable for starting exploration and enjoying a fun, leisurely gameplay experience.

The sound effects (SFX) are also well-executed, depicting actions like the slingshot firing bombs with the sound of the slingshot strings.

The game’s graphics feature voxel or 3D pixel art that is quite impressive, with dynamic shapes that feel more alive, such as clouds that can change form.

Ease and Replayability of “Blow It Up”

The game is relatively easy to complete due to the freedom in solving puzzles, although some puzzles require specific bombs. Players will face various challenges that can be annoying at times, but these challenges are generally easy to overcome with out-of-the-box thinking.

Unlike many other games, each puzzle is unpredictable and does not provide difficulty levels, as players are free to explore and choose stages. Blow It Up offers high replayability with various puzzle scenarios, player-created puzzles, and freedom for grinding, keeping players engaged for long periods.

The story, gameplay, and family-friendly elements make this game suitable for players of all ages, including children. However, parental guidance and understanding of the game content are recommended to avoid misunderstandings.

Worth to Buy Or Not?

According to the reviewer, the game is worth buying for gamers who enjoy and want to play relaxed puzzle games. It can also be a good option for parents looking for games for their children. Priced at IDR 47,499 or $2.91, Blow It Up is considered affordable for both gamers and parents.

Conclusion

Overall, Blow It Up provides an entertaining gameplay experience with a satisfying physics destruction approach. The combination of puzzle mechanics and exploration freedom offers a unique dynamic for players. Despite some control and interface shortcomings, these do not significantly detract from the essence of the game, which emphasizes creativity and strategy in solving challenges.

With the creator feature and Steam Workshop support, players can extend the game’s longevity by creating or trying community-made puzzles. For fans of puzzle and physics destruction games, Blow It Up is a worthy addition to their collection.