Not gonna lie, I was really hoping this game was going to be one of those barely functional, bug-riddled games. If that were the case, I would have had a field day with the puns. Unfortunately, all we're left with is a game that's designed to be frustrating rather than a game that's just not very well designed.
Aesthetically, the game is quite similar to 0xCELERATOR, which was one of the least aesthetically pleasing games on this list. Actually, though, Buggy X isn't that hard on the eyes. It's presented in a kind of blueprint style that takes me back to the good ol days of playing Spy Fox where they had that mysterious blueberry flavored blueprint stuff...man, I should replay that game...
Where was I? ah, yes. Buggy X really wanted to test my patience, it seems. The game is unforgiving to say the least. I swear there are certain levels that you will fail straight away if you aren't perfect. And when I say perfect, I mean perfect. One nanosecond of delay can mean the difference between life and death in certain stages (*cough* level 7 *cough*). This is mostly because of the absolutely asinine braking mechanic. I get that the designers were trying to do something new, and yes, the levels are designed around the braking mechanic, but when would it ever seem like a good idea to have a simple press of the down arrow key instantaneously cancel all momentum? This should have been some kind of secondary function, not the main method for braking. It works in the air, too, which just defies the natural human urge to follow the laws of physics. Often I found myself braking in anticipation only to have my car stop moving midair and gracefully fall into the void.
Maybe I'm just being a baby about this. Maybe this game is only meant for true hardcore gamers who can conquer any challenge. But you know what? I've been gaming for 17 years (literally my entire life). I should be able to at least stand a chance, or I'm sorry, but your game is just not very well designed. I have no problem with unrelenting difficulty if it actually feels rewarding to carry on, but in Buggy X, the only part that feels good is actually making it to the finish line.
Okay, okay, that was a bit harsh. Manipulating the braking mechanics to your advantage takes a lot of skill and pulling it off can be quite rewarding, and in all fairness, they do provide a ghost for you to follow which always completes the level perfectly, meaning you wont have to waste brainpower trying to solve some of the less fair stage puzzles. In all honesty, it's not a bad game until you hit level 9, which made me ragequit faster than a rabbit soaked in kerosene during a forest fire. It's one of those levels that makes you play it at its own pace. You know, the kind where you're constantly standing still waiting for elevators and stuff. The first 8 levels are at the very end of the "challenging but fair" spectrum, and if you're willing to put your skills as a gamer to the test, I say try it out. Do yourself a favor and skip level 9, but check out level 10 when you're done with the first 8. Let's just say it made me smile. Though if any of you out there send me a video of yourselves getting a gold medal on level 10, I will personally mail you a tray of home-baked cookies.
This game was pretty close to getting my seal of approval, but it just took a few too many steps away from fairness and into frustration. Good effort, but it doesn't quite do it for me yet.
Until next time, stay calm and don't cut yourself with the shattered remains of your keyboard.
Links
ARRRGH WHYYY: https://www.digipen.edu/?id=1170&proj=24354
Monday, February 4, 2013
Brake n Break
I assume this is one of those games a student threw together over a weekend for extra credit or something. It's literally just Snake. You know, that game that's kinda like the lightbikes from Tron. Also goes by the name Centipede...
Mind you, it's the most enjoyable version of snake I've ever played because you can press a button to speed up mid-game rather than just selecting one single speed throughout. In addition, the power ups are nice and add a little spice to the experience, but that doesn't stop the fact that this game is just Snake
I'm not mad or anything, it's just...Snake!
If you like Snake, download it. If not, don't.
That's all for now. Stay shiny.
Links
https://www.digipen.edu/?id=1170&proj=24630
Mind you, it's the most enjoyable version of snake I've ever played because you can press a button to speed up mid-game rather than just selecting one single speed throughout. In addition, the power ups are nice and add a little spice to the experience, but that doesn't stop the fact that this game is just Snake
I'm not mad or anything, it's just...Snake!
If you like Snake, download it. If not, don't.
That's all for now. Stay shiny.
Links
https://www.digipen.edu/?id=1170&proj=24630
Bounce Bounce Fun
uuughhh
Alright, I'll review this...thing in a second, but first, a brief amusing anecdote
When I woke up this morning I had a case of the sniffles, so my nose was makin all kinds of weird noises. When I started up this game, I was greeted by a chorus of whistling that I thought was actually a well composed little tune, but then I noticed that half of it was just me. My nose just decided to join in the chorus, and it actually worked from a musical perspective.
Alright enough beating around the bush. Let's dive in. Again, quick disclaimer: I'm not a game designer. I'm sure whoever made this game knows way more about game design than I do, but this is just a review from a consumer's perspective. I'm not going to be nice.
Bounce Bounce Fun almost reviews itself in the title. 2 out of the three words are correct. Can ya guess which ones? Indeed, a more accurate name would have been "Bounce Bounce Frustration"
This is one of those games that's just completely devoid of game feel. The amount of helpful feedback you're given is almost nil. It was halfway through the first level that I even figured out that this game was played from a third person perspective rather than a first person perspective, and even then I had to decipher which of the bouncing things I was controlling. Once I figured that out, I realized why it was so difficult to arrive at that conclusion. The control is beyond awful. You're supposed to use the mouse to turn your character any of 360 degrees, and the way he's facing would determine where he goes. Think about this for a second: using the mouse to control rotary movement. If your wrist works in such a way that you can turn it 360 degrees, you should spend your time in a lab being studied rather than on a computer playing Bounce Bounce Fun. If your wrist doesn't work like that, then I'm sorry, but Bounce Bounce Fun just wasn't designed for you.
Put all that together and what do you get? A game that is simply bounce bounce unenjoyable. It's a bit patronizing, too. Even after I failed the first 2 levels, the game still let me progress. I assume this is because the actual goal of a level is conveyed so poorly that they figure nobody will ever figure out what they need to do. Thus, they just hold your hand and walk you straight on through the game regardless of how badly you screw up.
In short, I'm chalking this one up to another case of senioritis. Nothing about this game was competently executed. The sound direction is a mess, the graphics are meh at best, the gameplay just defies human design, and it's just not a fun game to play. Don't waste your time on this one.
Alright, I'll review this...thing in a second, but first, a brief amusing anecdote
When I woke up this morning I had a case of the sniffles, so my nose was makin all kinds of weird noises. When I started up this game, I was greeted by a chorus of whistling that I thought was actually a well composed little tune, but then I noticed that half of it was just me. My nose just decided to join in the chorus, and it actually worked from a musical perspective.
Alright enough beating around the bush. Let's dive in. Again, quick disclaimer: I'm not a game designer. I'm sure whoever made this game knows way more about game design than I do, but this is just a review from a consumer's perspective. I'm not going to be nice.
Bounce Bounce Fun almost reviews itself in the title. 2 out of the three words are correct. Can ya guess which ones? Indeed, a more accurate name would have been "Bounce Bounce Frustration"
This is one of those games that's just completely devoid of game feel. The amount of helpful feedback you're given is almost nil. It was halfway through the first level that I even figured out that this game was played from a third person perspective rather than a first person perspective, and even then I had to decipher which of the bouncing things I was controlling. Once I figured that out, I realized why it was so difficult to arrive at that conclusion. The control is beyond awful. You're supposed to use the mouse to turn your character any of 360 degrees, and the way he's facing would determine where he goes. Think about this for a second: using the mouse to control rotary movement. If your wrist works in such a way that you can turn it 360 degrees, you should spend your time in a lab being studied rather than on a computer playing Bounce Bounce Fun. If your wrist doesn't work like that, then I'm sorry, but Bounce Bounce Fun just wasn't designed for you.
Put all that together and what do you get? A game that is simply bounce bounce unenjoyable. It's a bit patronizing, too. Even after I failed the first 2 levels, the game still let me progress. I assume this is because the actual goal of a level is conveyed so poorly that they figure nobody will ever figure out what they need to do. Thus, they just hold your hand and walk you straight on through the game regardless of how badly you screw up.
In short, I'm chalking this one up to another case of senioritis. Nothing about this game was competently executed. The sound direction is a mess, the graphics are meh at best, the gameplay just defies human design, and it's just not a fun game to play. Don't waste your time on this one.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)