There must have been a time before I played Tetris Effect. I can't remember it. More precisely, I can't remember it without a Tetris playfield, called a matrix, superimposed over my memory. The matrix entered my mind when I loaded the first level of this game and it hasn't left.

Beautiful and varied levels; engrossing music; sharp controls; flawless implementation of modern Tetris gameplay; variety of standard and creative modes

On default settings; visuals obscure gameplay on occasion

Tetris Effect is an enthralling, hypnotic experience, and easily the best Tetris game since Tetris DS. It takes the immaculate, trance-inducing audio-visual presentation of Mizuguchi's previous games Lumines and Rez and merges it with the beautiful simplicity of Tetris to produce an extraordinary...

Beautiful music and visuals; Plenty of variety, with just enough gimmicks to enhance the gameplay without diluting the feeling of Tetris

No two-player mode

Tetris ‘ addictive pull is so intense that a certain brand of hallucinations was named after it. TETRIS EFFECT is both the umbrella name for those hallucinations and the title of the newest Tetris game.

Impeccable soundtrack that bounces and changes with gameplay; Hypnotic visuals; Classic Tetris puzzle mechanics

Harsh difficulty curve can ruin the flow; Zone Mode isn't flexible or as useful to non experts; Tags

Tetris Effect comes off as more of a novelty title than a game targeted toward serious Tetris gamers (if any are left). Tetris was born out of simplicity; a game playable and just as enjoyable on a black and white Macintosh decades ago.

Positives + Mesmerizing soundtrack + Dazzling videos + Competent VR mode + Weekly community challenges

Negatives; Presentation distracts from game; No multiplayer modes

Sometimes Tetris Effect dances into the profound: wherein the music, the visuals, and the act of playing Tetris can make you-dare I say it-emotional. Then there's the other side of Tetris Effect, the tedium with instant-fast speeds and hard-to-discern tetrominos in more than just a few levels.

Now this is how you do it. Tetris Effect is precisely how you take one of the greatest games of all-time in Tetris and bring it absolutely, bang-up-to-date in what is assuredly the best incarnation this industry icon has ever seen.

There are few among us who haven't heard of Tetris , the surprisingly addictive puzzle video game in which players must move and rotate tetromino pieces in order to form and clear horizontal lines.

Whether on CRT monitors, HDTVs, or the Game Boy's monochromatic display, Tetris has long been a reliable source of entertainment (and jaw-clenching stress) for puzzle-seeking players. Its elegant simplicity has made it an enduring success, but with Tetris Effect, Monstars Inc.

Tetris Effect is the next evolution in the long-running puzzle franchise, surrounding you with fantastic, fully three-dimensional worlds that react and evolve based on how you play.

Who would think that a new version of a simple game like Tetris could deliver such a thoroughly absorbing experience The merging of time-tested gameplay with the synesthesia-inducing sound and visual design of Tetsuya Mizuguchi creates something you've likely never experienced.