CLARC is a block puzzler wrapped in the strangely sympathetic tale of a small repair droid trying to save the world and find love. 

After an explosion takes out an entire block of the Martian colony he calls home, CLARC is charged with repairing the damage. Before long the little machine finds itself falling in love with a missile, and trying to save the planet from the invading forces of M.O.T.H.E.R.

To achieve all of these goals, CLARC has a single tool at his disposal: the ability to carry objects - primarily blocks - around the world. The tiny robot must utilise every object it can find to activate doors and neutralise hazards. Lasers are the most common of these dangers, and are capable of reducing any machines caught in their path to scrap.

Unfortunately, lasers are also necessary to power the switches and gates that litter the world. This makes each area a potentially lethal puzzle for CLARC to solve. This interplay between danger and experimentation creates some thrilling moments, as you juggle timing and orientation to unlock new areas.

You guide CLARC around this beautifully rendered isometic world using a virtual d-pad. Meanwhile, a quick swipe of your right thumb rotates CLARC, and the view, 90 degrees, allowing you to position blocks as required. For the most part, it's a very solid and reliable system, though you can run into issues on the smaller iPhone screen when forced into complicated dances against M.O.T.H.E.R.’s invading forces

The cel-shaded graphic novel visuals are faultless, however, with thick outlines and gritty textures helping the characters and locations pop off the screen. The robots you encounter in the world, from lazy, dancing droids to M.O.T.H.E.R.’s tanks, appear all the more charming and comical as a result, making exploration and interaction a real pleasure.

CLARC is a genuinely endearing puzzle adventure, with just the slightest hint of melancholy for added flavour. Occasionally fiddly controls can cause the odd hiccup, but nothing that tarnishes what is a fantastically entertaining journey.