Collaborative Physics Puzzler Dreii Coming In February
Towers with strangers
A physics puzzler with collaborative cross-platform multiplayer? Ooh do tell me more, good sir! Sorry. That's a bit- I don't know why I called you "good sir." No, it's- sorry. No, it's okay. Shall we- yes, let's. I'll go first.
Dreii [official site] is a collaborative puzzler where colourful little avatars drag blocks around on physics tethers to build towers, a bit like Just Cause 3 but with no guns, anti-destruction, and gentler sounds. Lovely! It's coming our way soon, on February 2nd.
Dreii's actually an expanded version of pocket telephone game and 2014 IGF finalist Drei. Motherflippers act like they forgot about it. Here's the big idea:
"In Dreii your mission is simple; build a tower to a specified point and hold it there. Sounds simple? Like anything in life, things get in the way of reaching your goals including gravity, explosives, magnetism, thunderstorms and incompetent colleagues."
Players on Windows, Mac, Linux, and pocket telephones can all play together, but it sounds like PlayStation 4 and Vita folks will be off in their own toybox. Communication through twelve preset phrases (including "Blimey!" and "Sorry", which is Englishness in a nutshell) mean folks across eighteen languages can understand each other too. And! Each player's little doodad has its own musical instrument, making noises together as they hover around. Lovely.
Dreii does have a wee trailer with nice colours and sounds, but this old video for the original Drei probably shows the game better: