In case you were unaware, a Turing Test is a test designed to differentiate humans from robots. This is the entire basis, believe it or not, of Square Enix‘s newest Nintendo Switch port, The Turing Test. While yes, this game has been out for a while on other systems, Nintendo fans finally get to play it for themselves while on the go.

First things first, this game looks great on Switch. The biggest concern of bringing any game from the more powerful consoles to the Switch is the reduction in quality. This isn’t as apparent in the Switch version of The Turing Test. Even playing in handheld, all the text is legible, and the items in the distance can be recognized separately from the background. On top of that, this is actually one of the best puzzle games you could play on Switch in terms of how it’s laid out. Switch is best known for being a pick up and play system, and The Turing Test is a game that can easily be picked up for twenty minutes, make your way through two or three chambers (very similar to Portal‘s lay out of test chambers) and pop the switch away.

That being said, once you start listening to the dynamic between the main characters Ava and T.O.M., it’s a very tough game to put down. Something The Turing Test does much better than most puzzle games is continue to introduce new mechanics right as you start to get used to what you have. Getting used to the energy balls? Here’s green energy balls that turn on and off. Getting used to those? Great, here’s purple ones that are on a different pattern.

If you’re good enough at the game, the conversation between the characters will flow almost perfectly, without stopping. Bigger rooms have more dialogue than the smaller ones, so theoretically on a perfect run, it’ll be a perfectly flowing conversation. Which given the twists and turns in the story, would be very interesting to hear. On the other hand, if you take too long to finish the puzzles it feels like the game punishes you. Even the background music will eventually stop looping and you essentially just sit in awkward silence and frustration not being able to figure out a puzzle.

The Turing Test may only be new to some people who play it on Switch, but it’s a game that lends itself perfectly to the platform. For those who want to sit down and play for a while, the story feels rewarding and doesn’t drag. For someone who may want to have a game they can play casually, the sections are fairly short and in twenty minutes you can easily clear two to three levels in one sitting, at least until further into the game. The story is spectacular and engaging if you’re a fan of storytelling, and if you want to just knock out some puzzles and feel smart, you don’t need to listen to the dialogue. Even though it’s all story based, no one tells you what to do in order to progress. All in all, a perfect game for Switch and given the ending and the side/optional rooms, it’s a game that definitely demands at least a couple playthroughs.

 

Graphics: 9.0 Looks outstanding on Switch. It doesn’t really feel downgraded at all from the other versions that I’ve seen. The only complaint being that some of the rooms feel a little bland in terms of design.	Gameplay: 10 Easily one of the smartest and most satisfying puzzle games out there at the moment.
Sound: 9.0 The dialogue between the characters is perfect. The timing and delivery of everything is spot on. Only complaint is the way the music stops looping randomly if you take too long.	Fun Factor: 9.5 It’s a very clever game. You feel like a genius when you solve its puzzles. There’s nothing overly complicated, but any puzzle fan will know, you’ll over complicate it anyways.
Final Verdict: 9.5

The Turing Test is available now on Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.

Reviewed on Nintendo Switch.

A copy of The Turing Test was provided by the publisher.