Most everyone needs some time to unwind every day, especially if your day consists of slaving over a keyboard under the ever watchful eye of Dora some nameless evil overlord. So when you're feeling overwhelmed, you might try picking up the very zen like experience of Let There Be Life, from Backward pieS for iOS and Android. Your goal is simple: zone out. Okay, there's a little bit more to it than that, but the game was made with that in mind, and they have achieved it wonderfully by immersing you in nature. You start out with a tree with few branches and no leaves. But trees need leaves to survive, and it's your job to restore the tree back to full health.
Drag a branch from the right to attach it to your tree to increase its health. When the meter on the left is full, your tree is completely healthy and the level ends. You'll know you're in a good spot when the end of the stick lights up. Before you attach it to the tree however, be sure to notice the shadow it casts. There will be a variety of flowers beneath your tree that need a certain amount of light to survive, so you have to watch where you are placing things. The bigger the plant, the more shade it can tolerate and you can tap on a plant to see its energy level. Mushrooms under a tree like the shadows. They will grow with enough shade, and when big enough, restore any energy lost to neighboring flowers. If a flower doesn't have enough sunlight, it dies and you don't pass the level. You may end up with an ugly tree or two, but for the most part you can make them as aesthetically pleasing as you want with out fear of failure, and the ability to place birds and butterflies only enhances the atmosphere. The soundtrack is a perfect accompaniment to the beautiful hand drawn artwork, gorgeous interplay of light and shadow, and relaxing gameplay. While it's probably not a game you're going to want to sit down and play for hours at a time, it's a great way to chill out after work, on a coffee break, or maybe even with the kids after dinner. Whenever you play, it's time to get your zen on.
Let There Be Life (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad)
Android:
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