Dummy Life

Review

Command initiated. . .  Robot CYPH3R activated. . . Welcome back online, CYPH3R; we have chosen you to test our latest hacking technology. Your goal is to reach the exit on the next 18 levels. This is probably going to be the most important test of your Dummy Life.

Dummy Life is a puzzle game set in a beautiful science fiction environment where you control the robot named CHYPH3R and help him through 16 test sites.

The first sites are basically a simple and effective tutorial. From here, the puzzles will be slightly more complicated. There are two types of perspectives in term of views. Each time you control any robots, including CYPH3R, you’ll see the world in the third person view. When you hack a camera, the view will swap to the first person.

In each of the test sites, your robot will rapidly find itself stuck. Look around for cameras, hack them by clicking on the left button of your mouse and you’ll be able to see the site from that point. In any case, a round circle will appear on each of the objects you are able to hack. The interesting aspect here is that you can jump from one camera to another in order to help you find a button that will either open a security door, activate a platform or even locate and activate a prototype robot which you couldn’t see with CYPH3R. Within each site there are data cubes that are hidden in the scenery, and when you find them, all you have to do is left click on them and you will earn a new skin for your dummy as a reward.

Half way through the game, you’ll come across laser beams. You’ll be able to pass through the orange ones with your robot, but not the purple laser beams; only the prototype robot can go through those. He can’t go through the orange laser beams, however. This will increase the difficulty of the puzzle, which is great. In any case, you’ll finish your first walkthrough in around 3 to 3.5 hours.

Graphically, the game looks great and runs well. The controls are pretty simple and are very easy to use. In regards to the puzzles, they are good but not too challenging.