Tetris has always been able to make players feel something. Whether that’s despair at a loss, or overwhelming joy at a triumph, it has always been able to elicit a feeling. I stress this because Tetris Effect is often burdened with this perception that its combination of lush visuals, emotive music, and satisfying gameplay finally transformed Tetris into some higher form of art. I disagree: Tetris has always been this piercing, Tetris Effect just decided to make it plain as day.
What can be said about Tetris Effect and the rest of the series that hasn’t already been said somewhere else by someone with a bigger and better brain than me. It is the latest incarnation of the video game. Not the first one, but the one that outlined the form long before I was ever even a twinkle in my father’s eye. Before we discoursed ad nauseam about artfulness in games, Tetris was a living, breathing, reactive, and most importantly, challenging mosaic.
Tetris Effect Connected, which adopts the last bit of its title from a song featured in the game, brings further multiplayer capabilities to the title. Like all great art, Tetris Effect Connected is wonderful and edifying to share with others, be they strangers or your closest friends. We’re all connected after all. You can (and should) snag Tetris Effect Connected on PlayStation. The PS4 version, which lacks PSVR2 support, will run you $20, while the PS5 version that does costs $30.
