- Joined
- Jun 5, 2014
- Messages
- 597
- Reaction score
- 153
- First Language
- English
Downloading now, no guarantees, but I'll try to get around to it.
Rate Each Game out of 5!
- Thread starter C-C-C-Cashmere (old)
- Start date
-
- Tags
- rate
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2012
- Messages
- 4,604
- Reaction score
- 6,482
- First Language
- English
- Primarily Uses
- RMMV
More reviews from me. Already left bigger feedback on the game threads themselves, so these are the condensed versions.
Firstly here are my older reviews:
An update to one of the older reviews:
Goblin Noir - (updated review) Quite possibly one of the most overlooked games in this contest. The verbal battle system is amazing and is incredibly fun, that not only makes you think, but also sheds so much light on the setting and the characters. The eventing behind it to execute each choice must've taken ages to do. Coupled together with a great sense of humour, awesome character art, and a funky music, this game delivers buckets of fun. It's not so often that any game has so many memorable quotes in it despite being only an hour in length. 4.5/5
New reviews:
Rozen - Despite being almost completely made of RTP, the mapping in this game is truly fantastic and shows a lot of hard work, especially with the attention to detail. The concept of finding missing village people is nice as well, however, the game's pacing can be really slow at times, especially in the beginning, where you're required to find other party members. The battle system has each character using their own skillset, but overall it's still too default, and the random encounters are way too frequent. With those few issues sorted out, this game can be better and more fun. 2.5/5
Unraveled - A phenomenal art style coupled with simple platforming elements makes each stage really fun to navigate through (aside from the forest stage, which is a bit too convoluted in my opinion). The battles only happen with the bosses and are very strategic and perfectly executed, encouraging the player to think 2 or 3 moves ahead at all times. In addition to fun gameplay and a number of achievements that provide replay value, the game also has a deep story behind it that's told really well without any character speaking so much as a word. 4.5/5
World Remade - A prologue to a much bigger game, World Remade starts off with action and gets the player into the setting right away. The protagonists are not your typical heroes and are very well-developed. At the core of the gameplay is a battle system where you're required to charge AP in order to use skills. The idea is good and creates potential for some very strategic battles, but most of those felt rather slow-paced and draining. 3/5
Firstly here are my older reviews:
I've tried out a number of games already. Although I've tried many of these prior to the final submission, this is something I'm going to keep in mind in the scores, so I won't base these on the minor bugs which would've been fixed in the final version, but more on whether the game captivated my interest and kept me engaged, how good the atmosphere was, how well the visuals and music worked together, how fun the game mechanics were, and so on. I'm also basing the score on the game's current state and content, so I can't base it on what the game can potentially be in the future, though I might update the reviews if I get to try the future revisions of the game.
I'm posting honest reviews here. Just to note in advance, I do not want to slam any game or to discourage any developers. Instead I hope this feedback proves useful. These are just short reviews. The longer ones I've left on the respective game threads.
Goblin Noir - A great idea to play as a character who isn't human but in a non-fantasy setting so to speak. So far the game doesn't have all that much content, but the idea seems very promising and I really loved the verbal battle system. 4/5 though the score could get higher as more of the game is made.
Ashworth - A well-executed atmosphere and a healthy number of jump scares are ought to make you jump out of your seat and to feel uneasy by the time you've completed the game. Although the horror element is lost a bit in late stages when there are lots of battles with the monsters, the game still keeps you playing to the end to find out what's going on all along. If you like horror and/or PVGames art style, you should check this out. 4/5
Egbert - I don't think there's a thread on this game here, but I came across this on RMN and the idea of playing as a vampire's son seemed rather interesting. The game's visuals give a great atmosphere to its gothic setting whilst the story is kept mostly lighthearted. Admittedly I haven't managed to get to the end of this due to being stuck in one of the dungeons, but from what I've played so far it's not bad and worth a try. 3/5
Jungle Rescue - I really liked the setting of this game and the concept. The stealth aspects of the game are done pretty well, though there have been a lot of times where I simply had to close the game and start over from a previous save due to failing not to be seen so many times, and fighting enemies directly is usually very undesirable. I admit I got frustrated a few times, but maybe because I am bad at stealth games. Those who do like stealth games might enjoy this more. 3/5
Disaster on Aero VI - The idea of being aboard a spaceship was pretty much what got me to try the game. The puzzle mechanics are done really well and there's a lot of technical knowledge involved, which clearly shows the developer has done the research, but my main gripe is that the game often feels confusing and unrewarding. Getting things right never really brought forth any reward. I think this game can be made good with some updates and some players might really dig this, but it's not so much for me. 2.5/5
Beyond Reality - First of, it must be very hard to come up with an entire story that will fit in an hour and plays like an RPG, but this game does this very successfully. Though it doesn't necessarily excel at any aspect, it's a nice game that doesn't really have any gameplay issues and introduces some interesting characters in the process. Some of the pacing could use some work, and the dialogue was a little strange at times, though it seems to me anime lovers might be more into a game like this where dialogue is kept to a less serious tone. I'd say this game is worth a try. 3.5/5
Vultures - A rather fun arena hack and slash with a really beautiful art style. At the moment there isn't all that much to this game, but with future updates this could be very promising. 3.5/5
Aesparia: The Fallen - This game really blew me away. It managed to be strong in every aspect - an incredibly fun battle system that requires strategy, brilliant level design with nice visuals, and fantastic music choices. The game builds up to a climax at the end really well, and aside from a script error (which has now been fixed) there haven't been any problems with it at all. I don't see there being much point to reserve a 5 star rating for some unattainable idea of perfection, so I shall give this game a full 5/5.
Earth Under Attack - A side-scroller space shooter created in RPG maker VX Ace? Sounds unbelievable, but it's true. This game really does shine with its fun gameplay mechanics, a nice art style, and a crazy (yet doable) level of challenge. I think this game has a potential to score higher and to be one of the best entries, though at the moment it has a number of bugs, one of which prevents the players from getting past a certain point in the game, and so I'll have to keep the score fair and to give it a 4/5 as it is in the current state.
It Lurks - Atmospheric and well-executed. Although it's a horror game, it's more about simply solving the case and fighting occasional battles. The battles are pretty fun and require strategy, and the story is nicely concluded for this chapter whilst at the same time leaving the audience with a hint of more to come. 4/5
Sunken Spire - Based on the 2.5 hours of it that I've played, the game has a brilliant presentation with great character art and mapping, as well as very catchy music. The characters are developed well and are fun to follow. The whole experience is only brought down by way too frequent random battles, most of which can't be escaped, and a somewhat lacking battle system that tends to feel repetitive from time to time. 4/5
Crimson Story - This game easily has one of the best-looking art styles in this contest, painting everything in a beautiful combination of red, black, and white. The gameplay itself is an average 3rd person hack and slash, and although limited, does deliver some fun. There's definitely potential here. The game just requires some polish. 3.5/5
I'm posting honest reviews here. Just to note in advance, I do not want to slam any game or to discourage any developers. Instead I hope this feedback proves useful. These are just short reviews. The longer ones I've left on the respective game threads.
Goblin Noir - A great idea to play as a character who isn't human but in a non-fantasy setting so to speak. So far the game doesn't have all that much content, but the idea seems very promising and I really loved the verbal battle system. 4/5 though the score could get higher as more of the game is made.
Ashworth - A well-executed atmosphere and a healthy number of jump scares are ought to make you jump out of your seat and to feel uneasy by the time you've completed the game. Although the horror element is lost a bit in late stages when there are lots of battles with the monsters, the game still keeps you playing to the end to find out what's going on all along. If you like horror and/or PVGames art style, you should check this out. 4/5
Egbert - I don't think there's a thread on this game here, but I came across this on RMN and the idea of playing as a vampire's son seemed rather interesting. The game's visuals give a great atmosphere to its gothic setting whilst the story is kept mostly lighthearted. Admittedly I haven't managed to get to the end of this due to being stuck in one of the dungeons, but from what I've played so far it's not bad and worth a try. 3/5
Jungle Rescue - I really liked the setting of this game and the concept. The stealth aspects of the game are done pretty well, though there have been a lot of times where I simply had to close the game and start over from a previous save due to failing not to be seen so many times, and fighting enemies directly is usually very undesirable. I admit I got frustrated a few times, but maybe because I am bad at stealth games. Those who do like stealth games might enjoy this more. 3/5
Disaster on Aero VI - The idea of being aboard a spaceship was pretty much what got me to try the game. The puzzle mechanics are done really well and there's a lot of technical knowledge involved, which clearly shows the developer has done the research, but my main gripe is that the game often feels confusing and unrewarding. Getting things right never really brought forth any reward. I think this game can be made good with some updates and some players might really dig this, but it's not so much for me. 2.5/5
Beyond Reality - First of, it must be very hard to come up with an entire story that will fit in an hour and plays like an RPG, but this game does this very successfully. Though it doesn't necessarily excel at any aspect, it's a nice game that doesn't really have any gameplay issues and introduces some interesting characters in the process. Some of the pacing could use some work, and the dialogue was a little strange at times, though it seems to me anime lovers might be more into a game like this where dialogue is kept to a less serious tone. I'd say this game is worth a try. 3.5/5
Vultures - A rather fun arena hack and slash with a really beautiful art style. At the moment there isn't all that much to this game, but with future updates this could be very promising. 3.5/5
Aesparia: The Fallen - This game really blew me away. It managed to be strong in every aspect - an incredibly fun battle system that requires strategy, brilliant level design with nice visuals, and fantastic music choices. The game builds up to a climax at the end really well, and aside from a script error (which has now been fixed) there haven't been any problems with it at all. I don't see there being much point to reserve a 5 star rating for some unattainable idea of perfection, so I shall give this game a full 5/5.
Earth Under Attack - A side-scroller space shooter created in RPG maker VX Ace? Sounds unbelievable, but it's true. This game really does shine with its fun gameplay mechanics, a nice art style, and a crazy (yet doable) level of challenge. I think this game has a potential to score higher and to be one of the best entries, though at the moment it has a number of bugs, one of which prevents the players from getting past a certain point in the game, and so I'll have to keep the score fair and to give it a 4/5 as it is in the current state.
It Lurks - Atmospheric and well-executed. Although it's a horror game, it's more about simply solving the case and fighting occasional battles. The battles are pretty fun and require strategy, and the story is nicely concluded for this chapter whilst at the same time leaving the audience with a hint of more to come. 4/5
Sunken Spire - Based on the 2.5 hours of it that I've played, the game has a brilliant presentation with great character art and mapping, as well as very catchy music. The characters are developed well and are fun to follow. The whole experience is only brought down by way too frequent random battles, most of which can't be escaped, and a somewhat lacking battle system that tends to feel repetitive from time to time. 4/5
Crimson Story - This game easily has one of the best-looking art styles in this contest, painting everything in a beautiful combination of red, black, and white. The gameplay itself is an average 3rd person hack and slash, and although limited, does deliver some fun. There's definitely potential here. The game just requires some polish. 3.5/5
Goblin Noir - (updated review) Quite possibly one of the most overlooked games in this contest. The verbal battle system is amazing and is incredibly fun, that not only makes you think, but also sheds so much light on the setting and the characters. The eventing behind it to execute each choice must've taken ages to do. Coupled together with a great sense of humour, awesome character art, and a funky music, this game delivers buckets of fun. It's not so often that any game has so many memorable quotes in it despite being only an hour in length. 4.5/5
New reviews:
Rozen - Despite being almost completely made of RTP, the mapping in this game is truly fantastic and shows a lot of hard work, especially with the attention to detail. The concept of finding missing village people is nice as well, however, the game's pacing can be really slow at times, especially in the beginning, where you're required to find other party members. The battle system has each character using their own skillset, but overall it's still too default, and the random encounters are way too frequent. With those few issues sorted out, this game can be better and more fun. 2.5/5
Unraveled - A phenomenal art style coupled with simple platforming elements makes each stage really fun to navigate through (aside from the forest stage, which is a bit too convoluted in my opinion). The battles only happen with the bosses and are very strategic and perfectly executed, encouraging the player to think 2 or 3 moves ahead at all times. In addition to fun gameplay and a number of achievements that provide replay value, the game also has a deep story behind it that's told really well without any character speaking so much as a word. 4.5/5
World Remade - A prologue to a much bigger game, World Remade starts off with action and gets the player into the setting right away. The protagonists are not your typical heroes and are very well-developed. At the core of the gameplay is a battle system where you're required to charge AP in order to use skills. The idea is good and creates potential for some very strategic battles, but most of those felt rather slow-paced and draining. 3/5
- Joined
- May 31, 2014
- Messages
- 42
- Reaction score
- 8
- First Language
- English
- Primarily Uses
Annnnd, I'm back. With game reviews! And a winning attitude!
But, all y'all probably only care about the game reviews, soooooo....
Unknown Designation
Doomed lovers, rogue A.I.'s and space adventures -- oh my!
What I Liked:
One of UD's greatest assets is its strong characterization and sense of place. The setting is cleverly established, the central characters have distinct personalities, and the use of full-character busts with several emotionally varied faces helped tell the story.
The various sci-fi narrative hooks (an intergalactic neural network, disposable clones, etc.) are concisely explained, drawing players into the tale without dropping a wall of text on their heads. Complimenting the interesting premise is a multitude of very well designed maps. The game's locales are far more varied than I was expecting from a sci-fi outing, which generated plenty of anticipation about where the story would go next.
UD's combat is seriously deep -- you have options on top of options on top of options, all up ins. Additionally, you have your choice of 3 different equipment sets, each of which offers up different skill sets AND play-styles.
Finally, the game's intro and outro are incredibly well down, the former making excellent use of the scrolling map feature and the latter an exercise in gracefully executed subtlety.
What I Didn't Like:
The story felt rushed (which is completely understandable given this contest's month-long dev period and hour time limit on gameplay), and I don't feel like I picked up on the entire narrative. I got the main story just fine, but I was unclear on some of the sub-plot elements/side details, perhaps because I missed a single pertinent text bubble. Also, there were a few (but only a few) minor grammatical mistakes.
In terms of telling the story, a few elements were crying out to be shown, rather than told. For example: we're told the pods on the main character's ship contain her clones, but they appear empty (even the open ones), or we're told the main character's hair is a mess upon her exiting her pod (in another character's voice, which -- granted -- is a nice way to do this) but her bust sprite sports ever the fearless mane.
Finally, the mixture of RTP sprites and highly detailed fantasy assets felt a bit jarring. Perhaps this could be alleviated slightly by having the enemies only be high fantasy assets, instead of some fantasy and some regular ol' RTP characters. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to fight the enemies or dodge them, as they appeared on the map (which you get brownie points for, since random battles. are. the. worst.) but they never pursued me. Also, combat was pretty easy, which seriously under-serves the crazy deep system of buffs/counterbuffs and specialty attacks the game offers.
Score: 4/5
Peace Of Mind
The game that finally made me accept I'm not winning this contest.
What I Liked:
Uh... everything. Review over. Go play it, seriously. Now. Dude, why are you still reading this?
If you're still here (because you just have a real problem with authority), Peace of Mind is amazing. From the humorous yet still in-theme options on the opening menu, the game starts strong and doesn't let up. The use of real-time combat is amazing for an RPG Maker game, and the world is full of cool effects -- from something as simple as picking up a piece of paper to chatting with a demon, PoM makes full use of sights, sounds and special effects to tell its tale. Also, the only game this year to feature floating ennui!
The writing is the best I've seen so far in this contest (and if you've read any of my reviews, you know I've seen a lot of quality prose). The main character is interesting, sure, but the high point of the game's story is its downright clever deconstructions of the RPG genre (and to some degree, video games as well).
Finally, the psyche combat is phenomenal. When the game first shifted back to turn-based combat, I was disappointed: why ruin a good thing? The answer, of course, is to give you AN EVEN BETTER THING. Traditional RPG combat is supplanted here by a conversation system, where you gradually make your case and attempt to verbally convince your opponent to back down. It's a clever premise, made absolutely shining with custom art assets and a fully revamped menu UI.
What I Didn't Like:
The fact I didn't make this game.
For real, though, there are a few small issues. Melee combat isn't especially deep, and can be frustrating when you're low on health and have no real way to avoid taking minor damage from each encounter.
Also, the game's lack of save points isn't ideal. Perhaps they're around and I just missed them, but the first time I died I had to start over from my first save about 5 minutes into the game. Granted this game is good enough that I powered through to see the ending, which should give you an idea of its quality.
That's it -- that's all the bad things I have to say about this entry.
Score: 5/5
But, all y'all probably only care about the game reviews, soooooo....
Unknown Designation
Doomed lovers, rogue A.I.'s and space adventures -- oh my!
What I Liked:
One of UD's greatest assets is its strong characterization and sense of place. The setting is cleverly established, the central characters have distinct personalities, and the use of full-character busts with several emotionally varied faces helped tell the story.
The various sci-fi narrative hooks (an intergalactic neural network, disposable clones, etc.) are concisely explained, drawing players into the tale without dropping a wall of text on their heads. Complimenting the interesting premise is a multitude of very well designed maps. The game's locales are far more varied than I was expecting from a sci-fi outing, which generated plenty of anticipation about where the story would go next.
UD's combat is seriously deep -- you have options on top of options on top of options, all up ins. Additionally, you have your choice of 3 different equipment sets, each of which offers up different skill sets AND play-styles.
Finally, the game's intro and outro are incredibly well down, the former making excellent use of the scrolling map feature and the latter an exercise in gracefully executed subtlety.
What I Didn't Like:
The story felt rushed (which is completely understandable given this contest's month-long dev period and hour time limit on gameplay), and I don't feel like I picked up on the entire narrative. I got the main story just fine, but I was unclear on some of the sub-plot elements/side details, perhaps because I missed a single pertinent text bubble. Also, there were a few (but only a few) minor grammatical mistakes.
In terms of telling the story, a few elements were crying out to be shown, rather than told. For example: we're told the pods on the main character's ship contain her clones, but they appear empty (even the open ones), or we're told the main character's hair is a mess upon her exiting her pod (in another character's voice, which -- granted -- is a nice way to do this) but her bust sprite sports ever the fearless mane.
Finally, the mixture of RTP sprites and highly detailed fantasy assets felt a bit jarring. Perhaps this could be alleviated slightly by having the enemies only be high fantasy assets, instead of some fantasy and some regular ol' RTP characters. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to fight the enemies or dodge them, as they appeared on the map (which you get brownie points for, since random battles. are. the. worst.) but they never pursued me. Also, combat was pretty easy, which seriously under-serves the crazy deep system of buffs/counterbuffs and specialty attacks the game offers.
Score: 4/5
Peace Of Mind
The game that finally made me accept I'm not winning this contest.
What I Liked:
Uh... everything. Review over. Go play it, seriously. Now. Dude, why are you still reading this?
If you're still here (because you just have a real problem with authority), Peace of Mind is amazing. From the humorous yet still in-theme options on the opening menu, the game starts strong and doesn't let up. The use of real-time combat is amazing for an RPG Maker game, and the world is full of cool effects -- from something as simple as picking up a piece of paper to chatting with a demon, PoM makes full use of sights, sounds and special effects to tell its tale. Also, the only game this year to feature floating ennui!
The writing is the best I've seen so far in this contest (and if you've read any of my reviews, you know I've seen a lot of quality prose). The main character is interesting, sure, but the high point of the game's story is its downright clever deconstructions of the RPG genre (and to some degree, video games as well).
Finally, the psyche combat is phenomenal. When the game first shifted back to turn-based combat, I was disappointed: why ruin a good thing? The answer, of course, is to give you AN EVEN BETTER THING. Traditional RPG combat is supplanted here by a conversation system, where you gradually make your case and attempt to verbally convince your opponent to back down. It's a clever premise, made absolutely shining with custom art assets and a fully revamped menu UI.
What I Didn't Like:
The fact I didn't make this game.
For real, though, there are a few small issues. Melee combat isn't especially deep, and can be frustrating when you're low on health and have no real way to avoid taking minor damage from each encounter.
Also, the game's lack of save points isn't ideal. Perhaps they're around and I just missed them, but the first time I died I had to start over from my first save about 5 minutes into the game. Granted this game is good enough that I powered through to see the ending, which should give you an idea of its quality.
That's it -- that's all the bad things I have to say about this entry.
Score: 5/5
Last edited by a moderator:
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2014
- Messages
- 385
- Reaction score
- 122
- First Language
- English
I just made a huge update to the game and added TONS of music (multiple songs in the intro, and a 15min megamix while you walk around, as well as background sounds). I wish I had had time to do that for the contest, but at least it's there now for anyone who hasn't played it. Dinkledaberry, if you didn't finish the game before, maybe you'd like to give it another shot (if you did finish, not much else was added). Anyone who wants to play it can get it from my site (includes an RTP-less version):
http://crackedrabbitgaming.com/recurrence-igmc/
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2014
- Messages
- 33
- Reaction score
- 4
- Primarily Uses
My short review for Disaster on Aero VI (longer review on the game's thread)
If you'd like a quiet, relaxing graphical adventure set in space, just go and download this game, you won't be disappointed at all. It's really well executed, if maybe a bit slow at the beginning. At the end lacks a bit of... danger sensation, maybe. Don't try the game if you just want some quick action, because you won't find it here: you have to take a breath and read a lot of information before you can start planning what to do.
So, knowing that, I will say I really liked this little game. You get 4/5 from me.
If you'd like a quiet, relaxing graphical adventure set in space, just go and download this game, you won't be disappointed at all. It's really well executed, if maybe a bit slow at the beginning. At the end lacks a bit of... danger sensation, maybe. Don't try the game if you just want some quick action, because you won't find it here: you have to take a breath and read a lot of information before you can start planning what to do.
So, knowing that, I will say I really liked this little game. You get 4/5 from me.
- Joined
- May 19, 2014
- Messages
- 42
- Reaction score
- 9
- First Language
- British English
- Primarily Uses
Ok got another couple
Dog Eat Dog (3/5)
Last Word (3.5/5)
Oh and Mesonyx I downloaded Peace of Mind just for your review.
Dog Eat Dog (3/5)
This is a visual novel/adventure game, so not in the RPG category. I'll admit I'm not a huge fan of this genre though this is the second one I've played in the contest so that may be changing. DED is a fun little outing about dogs being infected with a virus that basically turns them into zombies and the protagonist of the tale has to go and rescue his beloved husky/malamute cross before he gets infected. The visuals are lovely, all drawn by the developer and they portray the characters and settings well, there is a fine level of humour and character development in the game and a 'romance' option to explore. The game has 5 possible endings and an automatic save option at each dialogue junction so you can jump back to an earlier point if you don't like the ending you get or the direction the story is progressing. This si the first outing by a new developer and I think she's go a solid grasp of the fundamentals, so hopefully better things are on the horizon.
She's also set herself the modest target of getting 10 votes in the contest, hopefully she'll make it, it'd be a boost for her.
She's also set herself the modest target of getting 10 votes in the contest, hopefully she'll make it, it'd be a boost for her.
This game is a blast, based around the notion that losing an argument makes you susceptible to the suggestions of your conversational opponent, you must engage in discourse to advance. The setting is an upper class city estate and the event is a high brow dinner party where you will engage in chit-chat, gossip and tall tales to discover the reason for you invitation, the secrets of your fellow party goers and find a way to foil the elusive and devious Professor Chet Chatters. For a language junkie like me, this game is a refreshing and enjoyable ride, and I can only recommend it to anyone else who enjoys the challenge of a well structured argument, the novelty of discovering an addition to your vocabulary, the utter joy in the verbal joust and the love of witty repartee, and that's all before dinner is even served.
Last edited by a moderator:
- Joined
- May 31, 2014
- Messages
- 42
- Reaction score
- 8
- First Language
- English
- Primarily Uses
Yeah, Peace of Mind is pretty much flawless.
Also, when you're done playing one of the best games in the contest, you could also check my submission. Y'know... if ya feel like it ^_^
- Joined
- May 10, 2014
- Messages
- 45
- Reaction score
- 6
- First Language
- English
- Primarily Uses
Hey man. Thanks for playing my game. I have kept working on it, specifically some of the things you and Jesse mentioned. I remade several of the maps that were kind of barebones and/or ugly, I took out all the monsters/characters that were chibi/RTP style, and replaced them with animated characters, I increased difficulty because I added checkpoints, and I took another pass through the story, rewriting a few parts, and adding a few new scenes.
Thanks to both of you for the feedback.
Edit: forgot to mention I also am changing how the monsters behave in the field. They now ambush you, or more actively attack the player. All this work (its kind of a lot) is about halfway done.
Last edited by a moderator:
- Joined
- Jun 16, 2014
- Messages
- 33
- Reaction score
- 4
- Primarily Uses
Just played We Were Made To Perish.
I did a short review on the game's thread, so I'll just say here that I liked it, even if it was a bit too short, and the gameplay was a bit lacking. But the story is great, it's very well written, and I really enjoyed it. If you're a fan of sci-fi creepy tales, give it a chance.
You get a 3.5/5 from me ^_^
PD: my game still has just one review... come on, someone must have some spare time to give it a go!
I did a short review on the game's thread, so I'll just say here that I liked it, even if it was a bit too short, and the gameplay was a bit lacking. But the story is great, it's very well written, and I really enjoyed it. If you're a fan of sci-fi creepy tales, give it a chance.
You get a 3.5/5 from me ^_^
PD: my game still has just one review... come on, someone must have some spare time to give it a go!
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2014
- Messages
- 239
- Reaction score
- 39
- First Language
- English?
- Primarily Uses
Just one review? I'm going to review yours. Because I like to review the games that haven't got enough feedback.
- Joined
- May 19, 2014
- Messages
- 42
- Reaction score
- 9
- First Language
- British English
- Primarily Uses
Sure, I'll have a look, though I should warn you if you want and in-depth review (i,e one longer than a the couple of sentences I've been writing in this thread) then you'll have to have cross-posted this over at RMN, it's where I do my reviews and it doesn't make sense to do them twice. Still I'll add it to my queue, which doesn't seem to be getting any shorter. Woah, just went and had a look, I know the contest stipulates a RTP inclusive, but 247Mb? You got a non-rtp link available (unless this is non-rtp and it's jam-packed with custom graphics, music et al)?
I'll have a look, but just like above, for a long review, it's have to also be available with a download at RMN...and just like WWMTP, is there and non-rtp version around?
I'll download the larger versions of both if I don't hear back in a while, but I'd appreciate the less bulky ones, obviously
Good Luck to you both.
Last edited by a moderator:
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2014
- Messages
- 2,975
- Reaction score
- 943
- First Language
- English
- Primarily Uses
Hi, everyone. These are mini reviews of what I feel are Lesser Known Games in danger of being ignored.
I've given them all 4/5 ratings. Does that make me easy to please? Maybe. But I had a lot of fun with these, and that's how I judge these things. Here they are (with SUPER CHEESY screenshots)
Last Hour of Fairfield
You play one of six survivors trying to escape a hospital infested with zombies before the whole town gets nuked. You have one hour to dodge all the monsters and solve two easy puzzles. Does the timer get annoying? Only if you get stuck. My first playthrough, I ran out of time because I forgot to look at my inventory to read an important plot item, but the creator has since given clearer directions in the latest version.
What's cool about it
Space Smuggler
You are an escaped prisoner evading pursuit by the authorities. Made with Game Maker Studio, this game hooked me in. And I don't even like shooters and platformers. Before I knew it, I was pew-pew-pewing through all the ships with my favourite power-ups.
What's cool about it
Jungle Rescue
You are a decorated soldier on your last mission alone - navigate maps full of enemies in search of a kidnapped scientist. Metal Gear Solid on RPG Maker anyone?
What's cool about it
Recurrence
Take on a role of a man who can redo the same day over and over, in a frantic sci-fi quest to save his kidnapped brother from being shot.
What's cool about it
It Lurks!
A horror noir game where you play a (not quite bright) gumshoe with magical first aid powers and a kickass gun.
What's cool about it
And there you go. I hope something strikes your fancy and has you want to try them! More to come, probably.
I've given them all 4/5 ratings. Does that make me easy to please? Maybe. But I had a lot of fun with these, and that's how I judge these things. Here they are (with SUPER CHEESY screenshots)
Last Hour of Fairfield
You play one of six survivors trying to escape a hospital infested with zombies before the whole town gets nuked. You have one hour to dodge all the monsters and solve two easy puzzles. Does the timer get annoying? Only if you get stuck. My first playthrough, I ran out of time because I forgot to look at my inventory to read an important plot item, but the creator has since given clearer directions in the latest version.
What's cool about it
- Zombie survival game
- You can choose to be a soldier, doctor, mechanic, pilot or civilian. Each has a special ability, and even a unique mission
- Exploration is rewarded as you gather ammo, food, healing items to survive
- Sweet satisfaction when you dodge the monsters
- Good atmosphere and choices of music
- Sometimes hard to see in the dark (some might consider that a good thing)
- You'll want to avoid battles because your MHP is low, and you don't want to get infected...
- Creepy corridors (again, some might like that)
- A few jumpscares that don't follow through, due to lack of dev time
You are an escaped prisoner evading pursuit by the authorities. Made with Game Maker Studio, this game hooked me in. And I don't even like shooters and platformers. Before I knew it, I was pew-pew-pewing through all the ships with my favourite power-ups.
What's cool about it
- Shooter and platformer with an actually decent story
- Ability to customise your ship with colours and upgrades
- Good learning curve for those learning the controls, with well-paced challenges
- This game starts with you feeling like Riddick...and ends with you feeling like a baws.
- Interesting platformer sections that are short and rarely boring
- Enemies on platformer sections might be too easy for veteran gamers
- You must learn how to run+jump+jump to proceed with planet missions
- Not that many ship upgrades, although the dev might expand this in future
- Not much variety of things to shoot other than ships (although they explode very nicely)
You are a decorated soldier on your last mission alone - navigate maps full of enemies in search of a kidnapped scientist. Metal Gear Solid on RPG Maker anyone?
What's cool about it
- Stealth game - except for one boss, it's possible to sneak your way around every enemy!
- Avoid dogs, guards, soldiers, spotlights, with an achievement feature to track your progress (earn the Ninja achivement!)
- Good character interaction between the hero and scientist
- Tense yet fun gameplay
- You don't know much about your character
- If you mess up and end up fighting someone, you only have 5 turns to end the battle, or the Alert Level is raised
- With just a bit of waiting, the Alert Level can go down to Low and guards will conveniently forget about you
- Controls take some getting used to - you press SHIFT to access your mission, inventory etc, and SPACE to exit
Take on a role of a man who can redo the same day over and over, in a frantic sci-fi quest to save his kidnapped brother from being shot.
What's cool about it
- You can mess up as much as you want, because you have a teleporter device that restarts the day as many times as you like
- Incredible satisfaction when you figure out how to learn a secret or get past an obstacle
- One of the few games that rewards you for thieving or making prank calls (some might consider that a bad thing)
- Keeping your memories as you redo each day
- YOU LEARN KUNGFU
- Some patience is required when navigating the huge map
- Some thinking is required on how to proceed as frustration sets in (call your Uncle for hints!)
- The beer buying part is a bit tedious
- Recurrence is not exactly a memorable game title
A horror noir game where you play a (not quite bright) gumshoe with magical first aid powers and a kickass gun.
What's cool about it
- Rewards exploration, because nearly every corner will have loot, so much you begin to wonder if you might have a better career in burglary
- Some nice jumpscares
- Unique battle system that will leave you cursing if you have the hand-eye coordination of a llama
- Creepy atmosphere and locations that made you dread going into them (attic, basement)
- You move like a pregnant whale
- The stiff transition of your flashlight from north to west, for instance,
- Eyestrain looking for nearly hidden containers in the corners
- Some on-the-nose dialogue
Last edited by a moderator:
- Joined
- May 31, 2014
- Messages
- 42
- Reaction score
- 8
- First Language
- English
- Primarily Uses
Thanks for the review! And for people requesting a non-RTP version of my game, I'll be more than happy to furnish one as soon as I get back from vacation on Sunday!
Last edited by a moderator:
- Joined
- May 31, 2014
- Messages
- 42
- Reaction score
- 8
- First Language
- English
- Primarily Uses
As promised, here's an RTP-free version -- all the flavor, half the calories!
What? Half of zero is still zero, so... TECHNICALLY AN ACCURATE STATEMENT!!!
(Also, the flavor is sadness mixed with human resilience in the face of uncertainty)
What? Half of zero is still zero, so... TECHNICALLY AN ACCURATE STATEMENT!!!
(Also, the flavor is sadness mixed with human resilience in the face of uncertainty)
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2012
- Messages
- 20
- Reaction score
- 5
- First Language
- English
- Primarily Uses
I'd like to throw my game in for review, Perspective: http://rpgmaker.net/games/6402/
There's a non-RTP version up there just so you know
There's a non-RTP version up there just so you know
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2014
- Messages
- 605
- Reaction score
- 209
- First Language
- English
- Primarily Uses
One Shot
Just gave this one a shot (pun intended) after reading the rave reviews. I just didn't like it. The puzzles made no sense. I walked around Niko's place for 15 minutes then just quit, and apparently I can't save and never play the game again so whatever. I wouldn't be able to ask about it on a forum either, I'd have to keep the game open. The first puzzle involves interacting with a remote and the window. I mean, really? Why not interact the alcohol bottle with the chair to create a magic rainbow?
Graphics are pretty nice though, so...
2/5
If you're a fan of weird, very slow-paced point and click games then give it a try. But I wouldn't suggest it for casual (RPG) players. I only like detective / point & click games where you can use logic and common sense to solve puzzles. The second puzzle I'm pretty sure I had to light a fireplace: I had an alcohol bottle and a TV that gives a spark -- should be easy to solve, right? Not really, because I couldn't figure out for the life of me how to perform this fairly simple task.
It's a shame because apparently the story is "ground-breaking"? But that might also be just because the developer knows how to write a couple of lines in RGSS that pop up your Windows account username. Would've loved to play more, though! Bad design choice with the no-saving option. If you're going to do that, at least feature a walkthrough on your website.
Perspective
Very interesting premise, which is why I decided to download the game. First of all I can walk on top of a building/rack in the first memory on the left. Also some sentences are phrased quite strangely, seemingly ending halfway. I think it's an attempt at making the dialogue seem more "spoken"? e.g. "I wouldn't doubt pretty much anything can be an attribute." should be "I wouldn't doubt THAT..." or "I wouldn't doubt it. Pretty much...". Maybe technically it's correct (English isn't my first language) but it sounds strange.
The gameplay's a bit odd. In the tutorial level I could clearly see right away where the item was dropped but wasn't able to interact with the clue. I had to restart 2 times so I could interact with the clue the second it drops. Weird. I mean, I see where it is, why do I need to interact with it the moment it drops?
Way too much text in the beginning. Just random info and names and conspiracy theories being thrown at me before the gameplay even begins.
When finding a collectible you might want to specify what it is, otherwise it's just random text popping up instead of something exciting. Ah, it's just lore. Okay.
3.5/5
First game I actually finished from this contest. I would've given it a higher score but it's obviously just a "part one" of a bigger story which takes away from the ending and makes the lore, etc. less interesting. However, the gameplay was unique, fun, perfectly balanced. Could've been more polished but this is definitely my favorite entry so far, and I don't even like detective games. The memory mechanism is just so unique though, I love it.
Another suggestion: I wasn't sure how many memories I could find so after getting 4 I kept running around for a while before realizing I needed to go back into those 4 memories for the other clues. Unfortunately I didn't figure out who came back for Emily and considering it's a "part 1" I didn't really care as I knew the story would be open-ended. But still, great game.
Just gave this one a shot (pun intended) after reading the rave reviews. I just didn't like it. The puzzles made no sense. I walked around Niko's place for 15 minutes then just quit, and apparently I can't save and never play the game again so whatever. I wouldn't be able to ask about it on a forum either, I'd have to keep the game open. The first puzzle involves interacting with a remote and the window. I mean, really? Why not interact the alcohol bottle with the chair to create a magic rainbow?
Graphics are pretty nice though, so...
2/5
If you're a fan of weird, very slow-paced point and click games then give it a try. But I wouldn't suggest it for casual (RPG) players. I only like detective / point & click games where you can use logic and common sense to solve puzzles. The second puzzle I'm pretty sure I had to light a fireplace: I had an alcohol bottle and a TV that gives a spark -- should be easy to solve, right? Not really, because I couldn't figure out for the life of me how to perform this fairly simple task.
It's a shame because apparently the story is "ground-breaking"? But that might also be just because the developer knows how to write a couple of lines in RGSS that pop up your Windows account username.
Would've loved to play more, though! Bad design choice with the no-saving option. If you're going to do that, at least feature a walkthrough on your website.Perspective
Very interesting premise, which is why I decided to download the game. First of all I can walk on top of a building/rack in the first memory on the left. Also some sentences are phrased quite strangely, seemingly ending halfway. I think it's an attempt at making the dialogue seem more "spoken"? e.g. "I wouldn't doubt pretty much anything can be an attribute." should be "I wouldn't doubt THAT..." or "I wouldn't doubt it. Pretty much...". Maybe technically it's correct (English isn't my first language) but it sounds strange.
The gameplay's a bit odd. In the tutorial level I could clearly see right away where the item was dropped but wasn't able to interact with the clue. I had to restart 2 times so I could interact with the clue the second it drops. Weird. I mean, I see where it is, why do I need to interact with it the moment it drops?
Way too much text in the beginning. Just random info and names and conspiracy theories being thrown at me before the gameplay even begins.
When finding a collectible you might want to specify what it is, otherwise it's just random text popping up instead of something exciting. Ah, it's just lore. Okay.
3.5/5
First game I actually finished from this contest. I would've given it a higher score but it's obviously just a "part one" of a bigger story which takes away from the ending and makes the lore, etc. less interesting. However, the gameplay was unique, fun, perfectly balanced. Could've been more polished but this is definitely my favorite entry so far, and I don't even like detective games. The memory mechanism is just so unique though, I love it.
Another suggestion: I wasn't sure how many memories I could find so after getting 4 I kept running around for a while before realizing I needed to go back into those 4 memories for the other clues. Unfortunately I didn't figure out who came back for Emily and considering it's a "part 1" I didn't really care as I knew the story would be open-ended. But still, great game.
Last edited by a moderator:
- Joined
- May 4, 2014
- Messages
- 340
- Reaction score
- 480
- Primarily Uses
I think I'm too lazy to play any more.
Here are the contest entries that I've tried (minus the ones that don't have a thread on these forums)... so yeah most of these are done with rpgmaker.
Some of these game obviously deserve a higher/lower score due to presentation, polish, scripts, issues, and whatnot; I'm just posting my personal rating (ie. how much i enjoyed it at the time of playing, and/or how much i'd like to see the game further improved and popularized).
Here are the contest entries that I've tried (minus the ones that don't have a thread on these forums)... so yeah most of these are done with rpgmaker.
Some of these game obviously deserve a higher/lower score due to presentation, polish, scripts, issues, and whatnot; I'm just posting my personal rating (ie. how much i enjoyed it at the time of playing, and/or how much i'd like to see the game further improved and popularized).
- The Warello Network................. 3 hearts
For those that enjoy customizing their character's battle stats. It is a tidy, complete rpg with
transparent mechanics and no real weak points, although it isn't super memorable either.
- Eden................................ 4 hearts
For those that are looking for a simple, unique puzzle mechanic. It was really my cup of tea! UI
and mechanic tutorial could be bettered.
- The Vendor.......................... 3 hearts
For those that go ocd at pricing when playing other rpgs (I do.) Tidy presentation and fun dialogue.
Instructions and hints are not enough to understand what's really going on and play effectively.
- Account Mu.......................... 3 hearts
For those that are looking for a couple of quick puzzles. Tidy, minimalist pixel style and doesn't try to
make a story out of nothing. No unique puzzle mechanics.
- Goats on a Bridge................... 2 hearts
For those that want the challenge of moving two characters at once. Very cute platformer with a lot of
great visual assets. Not nearly as polished as it first appears. Control issues will put players off.
- Little Briar Rose................... 2 hearts
For those that enjoy simple point-and-click puzzle novels. Tidy game with stylized artwork and some
funny scenes. It can feel slow when walking from place to place.
- The Clans - Cursed Souls ........... 1 hearts
For those that like the spooks and high risk of death. Has some interesting scenes in which you have
to do things while running away from an enemy. Often unfair deaths upon coming back to life.
- Tirawrmisu.......................... 3 hearts
For those that enjoy restaurant/multitasker games. Mostly tidy, with tastefully cute visuals. Minigames
can get tiring.
- Earth under Attack.................. 2 hearts
For those that want an action challenge and love achievements. Tidy, simple shooter campaign, but
with many unlockable ships. Nothing all that unique (as far as i've played).
- Listen.............................. 1 hearts
For those that like a sad story. A highly polished novel with wonderful atmosphere. Puzzle completion
time is based purely on whether or not the player has understood the pieces, not difficulty itself.
- Hero for a Day...................... 2 hearts
For those that enjoy ooc/reference humor. Quirky rpg with humorous text and pirates everywhere. The
game itself is nothing unique among rpgmaker games.
- Aesparia: The Fallen................ 2 hearts
For those that just want a good ol' classic rpg. Tidy rpg with great maps and battle pacing. Game can
be beat even when ignoring its own unique craft/scroll features.
- Sunken Spire........................ 4 hearts
For those that aren't completely tired of rpgs buuut want more interesting than the usual. High polish
game with custom visuals, lots of unique class features, and great battle pacing. Story is bland.
- Oh! Ko!............................. 3 hearts
For those that enjoy cute and weird. Tidy, short and sweet novel with stylized visuals and characters
with personality. Bushes are annoying.
- In Arcem Miseria.................... 4 hearts
For those that want a medium puzzle in 3d space. Great mysterious atmosphere, superb visuals
and plays sooo smooth. ...until you enter battle where it's nightmare controls.
- Fly Forever......................... 1 hearts
For those that like an absurd story and randomness. Story is weird but dialogue is fine and you
may become interested in the world/setting. Incomplete production and awkward quizzes.
- Goblin Noir......................... 4 hearts
For those that don't mind a visual novel disguised as an rpg. Combines stylized visuals and fitting audio
for superb atmosphere. Strong characters and humorous dialogue. Could be tidied further.
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2012
- Messages
- 2,376
- Reaction score
- 394
- Primarily Uses
So, if people would finally come around to review and play our game, I might just consider playing and reviewing yours too. Idea is to review game based around the latest publicly available version that is free.
http://rpgmaker.net/games/6522/
http://rpgmaker.net/games/6522/
Last edited by a moderator:
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2013
- Messages
- 228
- Reaction score
- 110
- First Language
- English
- Primarily Uses
I actually tried your game, Clord, but I ran into a bunch of bugs. I couldn't target enemies in battle, so I had to use Lilith's group attack and spam focus, which drew battles out, and the pushy girl (Butsu maybe?) pushed me into a tile I couldn't walk out of, and the save point didn't seem to be working for me, so I quit to avoid starting over. I forget which version I downloaded, though--are those old bugs?
- Joined
- May 19, 2014
- Messages
- 42
- Reaction score
- 9
- First Language
- British English
- Primarily Uses
Thanks, I finally got back to this thread, RL can sometimes be a bore. I've got this one as 3rd in my queue, doing Prelude at the moment, which weirdly no one else has apparently played or reviewed.
Last edited by a moderator:
