Take on the trials of a brilliant mind in The House of Tesla

Make your mark on world history by embodying the life of genius inventor and curious Croatian-American scientist Nikola Tesla in the latest synapse-sizzling puzzler from Blue Brain Games. Certain that lightning can in fact strike twice, the team behind The House of Da Vinci trilogy of 3D brain teasers are back with more peculiar puzzles and unorthodox solutions in The House of Tesla.

You step into the shoes of America's greatest inventor shortly after one of the many mishaps he hoped would lead to a revolution in free energy. With his radio equipment out of commission and shattered glass strewn about the place, your first step involves finding a way out of a disaster-stricken workshop.

In the aftermath of his latest setback, Tesla's estate is in a sorry state of disrepair. Elevators have failed, cogs have split in two, and his marvellously electrified workshop is without an easy means of escape.

This grounded 3D poin-and-click adventure has you search through the rooms, corridors, and assembly halls of Tesla's veritable playground of curiosities, sliding doors and grasping gizmos to reveal secret passages, panels, and more doohickeies, contraption scraps, and schematics.

Already perplexed? Worry not, as there's no immediate sense of danger in The House of Tesla. You're free to go about solving its riddles in your own time. Due care and compassion from the team at Blue Brain Games ensures you're never punished for your mistakes, of which there will be many.

With countless secrets to discover, you're also sometimes rewarded for indulging in your insatiable (and frankly commendable) curiosity. There are no game over screens and no realistic risk of electrocution or major malfunction. And thanks to clear points of no return, you won't spend hours endlessly retreading a room with nothing left to offer.

A handy cursor even lets you know when you've run your pointer over something deserving of your attention, with a series of hints unlocking over time to encourage you to give things the old college try before asking for help.

Six distinct chapters retell vital times in Tesla's life. Dig deep through his dwelling and you'll find not only historical anecdotes of the legendary Greek symbol of advancement, Prometheus, sitting on his desk, but tantalizing (and potentially slanderous) tidbits of his trials and tribulations, including the daily newspaper reporting on his practices, revealing secrets, and echoing the general public's confliced feelings on the man.

Press on and you'll discover the depth of his talents. You'll write and review findings in his diary and see the past from his perspective as you solve puzzle boxes and piece together contraptions while he narrates the decisive moment tied to that sentimental object.

Its enjoyably tactile gameplay involves tapping on areas of interest around each room. Spot a suspicious screw or protruding panel and you can go in for a closer look, using clicks, spins, pushes, and pulls to tinker with each creation.

You'll put Tesla's fantastical coils into newfangled machines and piece together tools you'll carry throughout the remainder of your adventure. Paired with carefully extracted bulbs, pulleys, gears, and more, you'll repair the damage done to his past creations while making great strides towards his next.

All this happens in the opening chapter under the peaceful rumble of a soft storm, creating a sombre ambience as Tesla quite literally attempts to pick up the pieces of his life, learning about his famous rivalries, partnerships, and his struggles to convince a capitalist America to embrace his idea for free electricity for the masses.

At around ten hours for an average playthrough, The House of Tesla is also a perfectly portable experience that's ideal as a bite-sized and slow-burning adventure on a lengthy commute or as an eye-opening marathon of American history on a long flight. Early on, the story touches on Tesla's partnership with famed financier J.P. Morgan, so you'll see for yourself what led to the tightly wound War of the Currents.

Ready to try your hand at steering through a tumultuous turning point of the American Industrial Revolution? The House of Tesla is coming to PC via Steam on September 23. Jump into the mind of one of America's greatest inventors right now with The House of Tesla demo covering a large portion of the puzzler's opening.