Simon Says!
It might be a bit of homebrewed puzzle fun but Otra is surpisingly clever and inventive stuff which is perfect for fans of similar colour matching games and abstract puzzlers like Klax and E-Motion. This one is pretty simple in concept, being a sort of variation on the classic Simon and which tests the player's memory and reactions in a fun series of challenges. The game starts out easy, requiring players to reproduce a simple sequence of flashing lights and musical notes, but as you progress through the rounds, things get more difficult pretty quickly, with the sequences becoming more complex and more challenging. You rack up points for getting sequences nailed down correctly and lose them for hitting the wrong button and if you can complete a sequence perfectly, well that's where the big bonuses come in. There's little to the game other than being a high score chaser, similar to arcade classics like Pacman, and it is best played in multiplayer mode where your points might actually mean something so you can compete for bragging rights over who is the fastest and best player, with associated prizes and forfeits for the winners and losers. There's nothing overly original on display here but it's executed well enough that any such shortcomings can easily be ignored. The visuals are about as simple as they come but this doesn't really prevent the game from being enjoyable and if you can get together a small group of friends, this makes for an entertainingly chaotic way to wile away a miserable Sunday afternoon.
