Tetris Effect: Connected Review - the circle is complete

Tertris Effect, now called Tetris Effect Connected, was given a major update. The update to the 2018 game adds online and local multiplayer game modes where you can test your skills of dropping tetriminos in the right order as quickly and efficiently as possible against other players, all while taking in the soothing music and captivating visuals that make this one of the best Tetris games out today. 

Joseph Choi’s Tetris Effect review back in 2018 remains true and accurate in 2021. Given the quality of the game’s single-player content alone, Tetris fans won’t be disappointed with what Monstars Inc., Resonair, and Stage Games have delivered. The online game modes in Tetris Effect Connected simply apply the same synesthetic visual and audio presentation to online play, so you’ll be bumping to the tunes whether playing Connected with friends, or sweating it out in Ranked mode while competing against the best Tetris wizards in the game’s community.

I dove straight into the multiplayer portion of the game and noted how the music resonates with your block-spinning, as if your gameplay constitutes an essential instrument that completes each song’s melody. Experiencing this for the first time in multiplayer inspired me to play the single-player campaign, and after playing hours switching between both modes, I noticed how my focus on winning lessened the impact of the game’s music and rhythmic elements, including the effects that pop off during your matches.

That’s not to say the particle and background effects were a distraction (you can calibrate their intensity in the options mode); on the contrary, I came to a realization that this game’s presentation feels more captivating and effective with no pressure involved. So if you jump into multiplayer and have not tried the Journey levels, I suggest you do so with a headset on and just take it all in. You won’t regret it. 

We are one but we are many

Multiplayer comes with a fun and relaxing mode that perfectly translates what Tetris Effect Connected is all about. The co-op multiplayer game mode, Connected, pits three players against an AI-controlled boss, and it’s a race to who will be the last side standing. It can get crazy as line clears from the boss can result in players receiving negative effects that can throw off a player and force mistakes. You may suddenly see yourself unable to quickly drop blocks for a short period of time, or certain blocks will be elevated upwards to leave holes and prevent line clears. 

It can be tough for the team of three, but there’s a turning point in the match called The Zone where all three players combine their boards into one, and each player takes turns to help one another in stacking cleared lines that will be sent over to the boss’ side once The Zone ends. The Zone usually happens with the chorus of the music playing, and you know it’s coming as the music slowly builds up as if you’re in a roller coaster rising up at the top, then finally tips over for the big one. It was surprisingly fun, and this is probably the first time I experienced a cooperative Tetris game where you need to coordinate and work together. 

Connected is more accessible now with the application of cross-play between PC and console platforms, and Spectator mode to cater to groups of friends that want to gather and enjoy matches together.

Do the grind, sweat it out!

Aside from the co-op mode, there are three other multiplayer game modes available, constituting the competitive, possibly sweaty side of Tetris Connected. Zone Battle is the most unique and is a 1v1 fast-paced game mode where every line block can be tossed over to the enemy to apply pressure. Line clears fill up the Zone gauge, a mechanic where all the line clears you accumulate during the duration of the effect will stack and be instantly sent to your opponent once it ends. This can be intense, and matches can either end in 50 seconds or 6 minutes, depending on how it all plays out. 

The other two game modes are the more modern versions of Tetris, if you’re not keen on worrying about The Zone or blocks going your way. Score Attack simply pits one player against another to see who can gather the most points before dying - in other words, a standard Tetris Effect Endless Marathon without the worry of line attacks. In Score Attack, the longer the match, the faster the blocks fall. 

The third and last game mode, called Classic Score Attack, is even more old-school Tetris, as it’s just like Score Attack, but without the ability to hard drop blocks or even hold tetrimino to be used later.

During the weekends, a competitive version of the co-op game mode Connected becomes available for a limited time. The difference here is that the boss is controlled by another player, making it an awesome 3v1 game mode that I wish wasn’t restricted to a set number of days. 

Still one of the best Tetris games out there today

The only issue I had with Tetris Effect Connected is that I was frequently on the receiving end of disconnects once I entered a lobby with another player. It’s difficult to know whether it’s a problem on the player’s side or server issues, but it can be frequent on certain days. There are even times when I’m trying to find a match and instead finding myself stuck on a black screen with nothing happening, forcing me to reboot the game. Thankfully, these issues only occur before a match begins and never during a match.

I didn't think I would have this much fun in a Tetris game, nor feel how deep and intricate competitive Tetris can be, clearly showing how long of a way I have to go before reaching respectable levels within any Tetris community. Tetris Effect Connect feels like the complete package that should have been delivered years ago. 

This is a Tetris game where you can find yourself playing for hours against other players, or just relax with the soothing melodies and visuals on any of the available game modes. Tetris Effect Connected made me appreciate this beloved classic and see it in a different light, and it’s hard to see anyone deliver a more captivating experience.

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9/10

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Highlights

PROS

• The Single player Journey campaign is a treat for the eyes and ears

• The dynamic soundtrack makes it hard to enjoy Tetris without it

• Diverse multiplayer experience (online and local) for the competitive, and even for those who want to sit back and play a few games with friends. 

CONS

• Over 10 hours of multiplayer 

• Reached Tier 4 with an overall SR of 2074

• Reached Area 4 in Journey Mode in Expert difficulty

• Played numerous Ranked matches in Zone Battle, Score Attack, Classic Attack, and the limited game Mode Connected vs (played more on Zone Battle)

What I’ve Played

• Over 10 hours of multiplayer 

• Reached Tier 4 with an overall SR of 2074

• Reached Area 4 in Journey Mode in Expert difficulty

• Played numerous Ranked matches in Zone Battle, Score Attack, Classic Attack, and the limited game Mode Connected vs (played more on Zone Battle)

[This review is based on a Steam review code provided by Enhance.]

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