Does Disc Room have what it takes to come out a cut above the competition? Find out in our Disc Room review!

 

Disc Room, from publisher Devolver Digital and developed by Kitty Calis, Jan Willem Nijman, Terri Vellmann, and Doseone, is set during the year 2089, at a time when a giant disc mysteriously appears orbiting Jupiter. You as the player are tasked with donning an oversized space suit and investigate. Turns out the giant disc is filled with dozens of ways to kill you! Do you think you have the dexterity to survive this house of pointy horrors?

 

In Disc Room, you’ll be taking on a series of interconnected rooms. Each room will feature a different unique configuration of REALLY sharp discs. The goal is typically to avoid them as long as you can – the longer you last, the better. You control your astronaut’s movement with the left analog stick, activate your abilities with the A button, and can speed up time with the L or R button. Each room will have a different requirement to unlock its doors, whether that’s staying alive for a certain amount of time, getting killed by different disc types, unlocking a certain number of abilities, and more. The different abilities that change the gameplay introducing mechanics such as being able to slow time or to create clones of yourself. You unlock these in an innovative way: you have to die by way of a specific type of disc.

 

This really is a checkbox type of game. If you’re the kind of person that enjoys chasing the tasks on a checklist, Disc Room will certainly scratch that itch. You spend the majority of your time trying to survive just a little bit longer to unlock the next room, as you learn about the movement and attack patterns of each disc type. It is frustrating in the best of ways, as you’re oh so close to accomplishing your goal. Luckily after each death, it’s super quick to get right back into action.

Since this one is on the Nintendo Switch, I do want to mention that Disc Room plays great both in Handheld and in Docked Mode, which I enjoyed playing on the big screen with a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. I didn’t notice any significant performance dips or graphical glitches in either mode. The art style and music here really enhance the experience. The sound design is atmospheric, and you do at times feel like you’re alone exploring this alien colony. The art style works really well here, making the 2D designs pop on the screen.

 

There are some things that could hold back Disc Room based on what type of gamers you are. The gameplay does get a bit repetitive, since you’ll be replaying any of the rooms to try and complete the pending requirements. Some of the game’s objectives are quite challenging, with some of the rooms considerably driving up the difficulty. These are not deal-breakers, but are something I did have to bring up.

Disc Room has a lot going for it. The time-trial survival gameplay is well executed. The objectives to complete in the rooms are varied, albeit quite difficult at times. Pinpoint accuracy is required, so you’ll need a lot of trial and error to get the most out of your time with this particular release. Just remember: what kills you con only make you stronger. Disc Room is available on the Nintendo Switch for $14.99.

Disclaimer
This Disc Room review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by Devolver Digital.