The Ball Review

Game:  The Ball
Year (s):  2010
Company:  dev.  Teotl Studios
            pub.  Tripwire Interactive
Engine:  Unreal Engine 3
Type:  First-Person Puzzle Game

Price (as of October 17, 2011)

Regular Price on Steam:  19.99
Lowest Buy-it-Now on eBay (new):  18.50

Game Time:  11 hours to do everything

Obligatory Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caIYXaKp-qo


Plot

Thousands of years ago, an advanced race known as the Caretakers had a flourishing underground civilization.  Inside a volcano.  The ancestors of the Aztecs were sheltered there, until one day they stole the source of the Caretaker's power: The Ball.  You, an archaeologist, fall down a pit and enter this realm of ancient technology and monsters.  Plot during the game does not answer all the mysteries, and isn't really a driving force. 


From Unreal 3 Mod to Independent Game

This was originally a mod for Unreal Tournament 3.  Initially, there were a handful of survival maps with rounds of enemies.  Your only weapon is a giant ball you can crush enemies with, and various traps you can trigger.  The retail copy of the game includes all of the survival maps, and adds a single-player campaign. 

Since 2004, Epic has been hosting the Make Something Unreal contest.  The Epic Design Kit can be used freely to make games, ranging from multiplayer shooters like Red Orchestra, to tower defense game Sanctum, to the free bird's-eye-view action game Alien Swarm.  The winner of the contest wins money and a licensed copy of the current Unreal Engine.  The Ball won the million dollar prize, and thus fleshed out a single player campaign and made some sales.  Not bad for a permanent staff of three guys from Sweden.

Further information about Make Something Unreal can be found here : http://www.udk.com/showcase 


Gameplay

There are enemies to kill, but this is primarily a puzzle game.  Most of the puzzles aren't too hard to figure out, and if you hit H the game will tell you exactly what to do.  I prefer this to Portal 2, where I would get stuck, get annoyed, and have to exit the game and visit YouTube to find out what to do.  The ball itself is essential in solving puzzles, and you're pretty defenseless without it.  It is impossible to lose the ball over a cliff or get it otherwise permanently stuck.  Secondary fire rolls the ball toward you, as long as that is physically possible.  Primary fire punches the ball (or small enemies) away. 


Expansions / DLC / Sequels

A free Portal-themed series of puzzles is included with the game.  The Ball was part of The Potato Sack; a multi-game Steam promotion for Portal 2. 


Final Thoughts

Of the 11 hours I spent playing through this, the single player campaign only took 6-7 hours.  I got this on sale, and wouldn't suggest paying full price for it because it's so short.  That being said, if you catch this cheap, it's a fun, laid-back game with a surprising and creative array of uses for a giant friggin' ball. 

Teotl Studios has not made announcements for additional projects.