HOSTLIGHT is a free single-player puzzle game by developer ESDIP_GAMES. This casual adventure game takes place in a mysterious tower filled with puzzles centered on lights and shadows. Players will unveil more about the intriguing tower as they progress through its 24 levels that are designed to be distinct from each other. 

The physics-based puzzles of HOSTLIGHT can feel reminiscent of the award-winning Portal games. The objective of each level is to light up the platform at the center of each room by manipulating lights and silhouettes. This results in colorful puzzles that will truly engage players’ brains.

Gameplay and visuals

HOSTLIGHT’s clever puzzles strike a good balance between challenge and enjoyment. Players will be manipulating beams of light that are in red, blue, and green. There are mirrors, prisms, and filters in each level, which allow players to combine or split the beams into different colors. The controls aren’t bad, but rotating pieces can be wonky with a keyboard. Each level is nicely concluded by a bite-sized shadow puzzle. 

The game forces players to analyze the layout of each level as the puzzle can’t be cracked as a whole. Each puzzle needs to be solved in chunks, making players reuse parts before eventually aligning the light beams with their corresponding receiver. The game will look more colorful as players progress through each puzzle, and the graphics do a great job at presenting it — simple yet vibrant. 

It may be comparable to Portal, but this puzzle game’s story is forgettable. While it doesn’t take away from the exciting puzzles, it’s a wasted opportunity in making the game more interesting to play through. Without a compelling story, the game is basically just a series of puzzles that have no cohesion. You will feel nothing is at stake and it's easy to feel discouraged from finishing the game.

A wasted potential

HOSTLIGHT could have become more than just a series of clever puzzles if it has interesting characters and an engaging story. Spicing up the gameplay with secondary mechanics would have also been helpful in keeping players engaged. Unfortunately, the game really has nothing else to offer beyond its puzzles. It’s worth picking up if you like puzzles but don’t expect the game to do anything more than that.