The Ball

About

The Ball casts you as an archaeologist trapped in a cavern beneath a Mexican volcano. This first-person game blends shooting, platforming, and puzzle-solving as you explore ancient ruins and uncover a strange metallic artifact. The Ball, a glowing orb, serves as both a weapon against hostile creatures and a tool to manipulate environments. You’ll roll it to trigger mechanisms, launch it to destroy obstacles, and use its energy to navigate traps. The game’s single-player campaign pushes you deeper into the volcano’s secrets, balancing action with brain-teasing challenges. What sets The Ball apart is its reliance on a single artifact for both combat and problem-solving. The Ball’s dual role creates moments where you’ll switch between fighting guardians and figuring out puzzles in quick succession. Released in 2010, it runs on PC and Linux, offering an indie take on action-adventure with a focus on creative mechanics. While its visuals show age, the tight control and inventive level design keep it engaging for fans of resourceful gameplay.

Storyline

You reveal ancient ruins that have been hidden from outsiders for centuries and discover a mysterious artifact, a gold and metal shelled Ball. As you progress towards solving the mystery of this amazing place you must unlock the secrets of the Ball and learn to control this ancient artifact. Venturing deeper into the volcano, you reveal some of mankind’s greatest secrets and you will start to encounter not just puzzles and traps, but also various strange creatures – the guardians of this mystery. These creatures have to be overcome, using only the Ball to defend you.