FutureCopLGF's game Reviews on Newgrounds

[Steptile]

Cute little puzzler! Makes a great first impression with the amount of effort put into the stylish title screen and menus: they're almost as fun to navigate as the actual gameplay, which the game doesn't slouch on either. Love the well-paced challenge with slowly-increasing complexity in the puzzles and introduction of new mechanics at just the right time where you could be getting bored, and I love the little touches to the game like the bouncy animations and ability to headpat the player character: really makes the game feel nice to interact with despite its simplicity.

All-in-all it felt very well put-together with a real professional feel to its construction. I will admit that it didn't quite excite me or keep me hooked as much as other Kultisti games, perhaps being a bit too chill and too basic/seen-before for its own good, but nevertheless I admire the craftmanship and plan to revisit to finish.

[Vermin God]

Quite the spooky tale! Only familiar with SCP in the most casual sense (in that I know what it is, but have no idea about this vermin god), but this really kept me enthralled and wanting to learn more about what's going on. Bit bummed out that I found myself getting to the end so quickly, but I enjoyed it the whole way through and I still want to go back and try some other options to see what other horrors I can find. My favorite part of the game was absolutely the effort put into the large amount of drawings to depict all of the scenes: most visual novels like this you only have a few static backgrounds to look at in which stiff characters pose their small set of poses, which can get real boring real fast, whereas this goes above and beyond and elevates the moments so much with incredible depictions. I also liked the sheer amount of interaction options, including the silly ones like staring at the lights forever at the start, haha.

There were certainly some oddities to the game and parts that I feel could use improvement:

*Found it confusing that there were certain sections where there were several options to choose from, all of them being "..." instead of what they actually represent (notes, surgical equipment, drawer, cage with rats, etc). Not sure if it was intended as part of the mystique or effect of the anomaly? Didn't make sense though since all of the other options are clearly labeled and represent what they are.

*As much as I liked it that death/failure seamlessly looped you back to the start as if it was just part of the story all-along instead of giving you a game over and continue prompt, it was kind of annoying to get back to the part you want to continue from afterwards: would much appreciate a 'skip already seen text' option like you see in other games where you go over the same paths a lot like the 999 series.

*As much as I like the art, there were some times where I don't feel like the art was capturing the moment well enough. The two parts that stood out to me were the vomit scene, where instead of looking like gross and horrendous maggots on the floor, it looked more like she threw up some chef boyardee spaghetti and meatballs into a clear water puddle, and the scene where she's running has her pose not quite capture the arm-flailing panic she was having.

*Could stand to maybe have a bit more variation in music, sound effects, and so on to build the mood more. Also the way text scrolled was very odd, where it seemed like short sentences scroll slowly and long sentences scroll fast, instead of them moving at a fixed rate (also wish there was an option to control this rate).

Looking forward to seeing more chapters: consider me hooked!

[The Wizard Ran: Chapter 3]

Wow, this series continues to impress! From top-down adventure to 2d platformer to now a full 3d maze adventure, things just continue to get shaken up in more ways than one!

This chapter echoes most of my typical praises (mysterious and deep interconnected mystery) and complaints (janky, low-fi confusing graphics and a premise that's maybe a bit too confusing for its own good), but in this one for particular I feel like it has the most impressive 'basic' run. While the other chapters felt a bit short and lacking if you just do a straightforward ending 1 run, with only the other endings making up for the lack of content, this one is the exact opposite where the main adventure was incredibly rich and deep that I felt satisfied with it.

Figuring out how the navigate the maze, learning the rules and enemy behavior, finding secret lore, going through multiple levels that kept escalating the challenge until a grand finale, seeing all these weird subtle touches like the trees morphing: this was quite the adventure and kept me enthralled the whole way. I still don't know how to deal with the green diamond enemies, but I felt incredibly clever when I learned to move slow with the final set of enemies to avoid them attacking me, and similarly felt clever in dealing with avoiding Shades in the end.

That being said, this game did have a lot of rough edges. There were some programming issues like how I was really annoyed that my conversation with Shades got interrupted by an enemy: I wasn't even able to retry the conversation with him on a restart because he stayed activated past that despite me not hearing what he had to say. But more so than any programming issues were the design choices: with a world so vast and difficult to navigate due to the low draw distance and awkwardly posed copy-paste graphics that makes checkpointing/landmarking difficult, there is absolutely, positively, no friggin' way I am going to replay this and find all of the lore or all the hidden decay spots. This game brought me back to PTSD from all those early 3D mazes you'd see on the NES, like the one in Mafat Conspiracy, where they are just terrible to navigate. Part of me wants to rise to the challenge and build a map or something, but no way no how, especially when dealing with enemies and the paranoia of checking everywhere for decay spots.

As with the others, despite my complaints, I still had a really cool adventure, so big props for making something like this. I feel like this one had the highest highs since the adventure really sucked me in overall and delivered a very eventful and memorable experience, but also had the lowest lows in that it was such an awkward, confusing, traumatic ordeal that I really don't wanna touch it again, haha.

Right, back to chapter 2 to check on some things...

[Tankmas ADVENTure 2022]

I do like the intention behind this event: collaborations are wonderful community events and it's great to see all this wonderful art and get people to interact and celebrate with each other. For that alone, I think it's very nice. But despite my best attempts to participate in the event throughout the month, I couldn't help but feel let-down: not only does it just feel not well-constructed, it even feels like a downgrade from previous iterations.

First and foremost, the game just felt really badly put-together. For example, I found it very difficult to interact with objects: you'd think you'd just be able to click on something and have your character walk over and interact, but tons of times I found that I needed to manually place my character below the object (and nowhere else, heaven forbid) and then click on a spot not even on the object to get the interact to work: incredibly awkward all-around. I also had multiple times where I'd just start walking into the sky or going into the black zones because of shoddy collision/boundaries. The game crashed on me whenever I tried to go into the bathroom in the cafe (I only ever got in there a single time, which at least proved it wasn't some weird intentional crash). I couldn't ever trust who was real and who was some sort of NPC or player who crashed and lost their session or something: there were tons of copies of characters just standing around: it made the world feel robotic, untrustworthy and lonely. Presentation also felt lacking with the links to profiles for artists just being really bland boring text with no hover-over reaction or framing. And so on.

As an example of it being a downgrade from previous years, I thought the introduction here was way worse and most indicative. The previous one had a nice little story to it: you pick up a note inviting you to a party, take a silent journey through a beautiful landscape, it starts all dark but gets brighter and brighter with anticipation building up, and arrive at the party where the music kicks in and you join the fun. Here, you start in a bland, boring field with a dull blank sky, walk to the right for a couple of seconds and enter the party with no fanfare, no music, no sparkly wonderment to be found at all (why in the world do you need to manually turn the music on?)

It also just felt so lonely due to the lack of any meaningful interaction between people. I can understand if you don't want a chat because you don't want spammers running rampant, but only having a single heart emote as means of interaction felt so pointless. I would've loved to ask questions if I was lost, chit-chat or click on people to get to know them, do some funny emotes with people and maybe setup a dance-off or some synchronized event, react together when watching a movie: you know, all the typical type of stuff you'd see in a chat room or twitch chat or MMORPG. All you can do in this is go and open your presents and play the arcade games (which are single-player instead of a fun multiplayer event with your avatars) and it made it so boring for me.

Again, I really wanted to enjoy this. I saw the ad for the Sketch collab and joined right on time and was looking forward to join in with everyone and have a good time watching and reacting. However, all that happened was confusion: I thought I arrived on time, but nothing happened while I waited in the theatre with a ton of people (who might not've even been real due to the many clones I saw). I tried leaving the theatre and going back in, hoping it would reset, but nada. I wanted to ask the BrandyBuizel clone at the sign what was going on, like if I got the time zone wrong or something, but oh wait, a) there's no chat b) there's no guide or system-wide message or billboard telling people what the event details are c) he probably isn't even real but just an NPC Brandy. I left disappointed. Even when I went back another day and successfully watched the Sketch collab, it just showed it full-screen instead of within the movie screen, which felt pointless: surely the point of watching it here should be so I can chat with other people as we watch and see their reactions pop-up above their heads in their seats? If it's just going to be full-screen, why don't I just watch it on the actual page?

Anyway, sorry for the long screed. Maybe I'm just misunderstanding what this is going for: perhaps all my complaints for it to foster more social experiences like a chat room/twitch chat or the Golden Saucer from FFXIV are unwarranted, in which case I apologize. Maybe you're suppose to use discord in conjunction with this? Anyway, I still think this has its heart in the right place, but can't help wanting more.

GeoKureli responds:

we never got the mouse interacting working the same after converting the game to HD (which messed up all the coordinates). Thruthfully, I wasn't available as much this year and the game suffered from it. Also I assumed most people use keyboard to move and interact, which was how it was generally tested, and no one really mentioned the finnicky mouse interation (Though, it was a known issue).

I'm really hoping someone else takes up the mantle on this next year because it just doesn't fit into my life, anymore, and the project suffered because of that, even though we had more contributors with higher talent, than ever.

Thanks for the review

[JARED]

Whenever it comes to games like this that look kinda crappy, I always hope that it is some sort of trick that hides a very impressive game past that veneer. I've been surprised a lot on Newgrounds with games like that, but unfortunately here it just seems to play it straight where yes, it is indeed that bad.

It got my hopes up with its amusing awkward narration and level design that seemed to have some sort of pathing to it with interesting leaps of faith, and I did have a couple of laughs at my deaths where you just stretched a spike very long to create a death zone. But the awkward narrator voice is already something I've seen a hundred times before and executed better, and the level didn't take long to get frustrating with its awkward collision and confusing pathing, not to mention the annoying controls with jumps that you can't control the strength of.

I know it's all for the 3 star jam so it was somewhat intentional, but I think you overdid it somewhat and fell below the standards of the jam. Maybe that's admirable in a way? Most other people couldn't help but make their games too good for the 3 star jam: at least you played it straight.

SoftwareDrinkware responds:

I did actually have other stuff I was going to make for this, and it came a lot worse than I wanted lol. I got confused with the dates when you needed to submit the games and ended up just cutting out everything I had planned for it in fear of missing the deadline and instead threw together this heap of work with what assets I had made. In the end though it sure is mid lmao. Nice in depth review though, I appreciate it <3.

[Fiss the Elf's Puzzling Pin-Ups]

Cute little game! Certainly has the same funny charm as seen from previous Fiss games, and the graphics are...well-done as usual. Had a decent time making my way through the puzzles: found it funny that my first time doing a 3x3 took 5 minutes, but then after that I got in the zone and was doing them within 1 minute (until I got to the final puzzles which took way too long again, haha).

It's nice and all, but I couldn't help but feel a bit let-down. Maybe it's unfair to compare the two, but I absolutely loved the previous Fiss adventures which were huge and complex affairs (if you pardon the pun). For the next entry to just be a bunch of slide puzzles...I don't mind it being something different, but slide puzzles are like something you'd get in a bargain bin, or as a mini-game within a bigger game, so for it to be all we get this year was a bummer for me, and no amount of horny pictures makes up for that shallow and uninspired gameplay.

I'm not really a fan of slide puzzles anyway, so perhaps you could say it's just not my jam. But I suppose just take it as a compliment that you set the bar so high that my expectations couldn't help but be higher!

[Peter the Ant Clicker]

Cute game with a pretty decent first impression, but didn't have the clicker appeal I'm looking for.

Everything was pretty ok when I started out: graphics were nice, I liked how buttons reacted when hovering over them, I thought it was cool that the score counter reacted on a digits basis instead of the entire number, I liked the strange little character in the corner that gives info, and above all it's Peter the freakin' ant, what could go wrong!?

Unfortunately the game didn't really have much to offer beyond that. What I really like about clicker games, and other similar upgrade-based games like Vampire Survivors or Risk of Rain, is seeing the absolute fireworks display that ends up happening over time as you build up and up. All of the upgrades in this game were practically invisible though: if you were to take a video of someone just starting out and someone in the endgame for this, they'd look practically the same, and I found that incredibly unsatisfying. C'mon, wheres an actual animation for bonking Peter with a hammer that actually changes to represent what hammer you have? Where's all my moles I've bought and why aren't they on the screen clicking away and helping me out (why's it only the glaggles that appear, and why are they so static and boring)? I want more excitement and a sense of progression! Also the game just goes by so bloody fast, it has no challenge or sense of pacing: despite not liking it so much, I ended up getting all of the achiveos in no time flat.

I appreciate that the game at least tries to have sound effects for all of the upgrades, but it felt very lazy and also descends into eardrum-destroying territory, making me almost not want to upgrade. With a little more elbow grease into the visuals, I'd say this could be fun, but at the moment, no go. Still, I understand I'm probably taking this too seriously, so jokes on me, haha!

Roza responds:

not reading all dat

[Cards with Personalities Classic]

Pretty neat game! I definitely took the hard way by not reading the instructions provided, but despite my initial bumpy first impression (which I suppose is my fault) I still felt like I got to terms with the game and ended up having a good time, which is quite the achievement!

I feel like the game is very well constructed: love the various animations for actions like having a card get highlighted and float when it is selected, and the effects that act out when you play a card, like how the icons zip up to the top part of the HUD and add to the counters. These elements, along with other subtle things like how the screen shakes and plays a bad sound if you attempt to do something you can't (instead of just giving no response), the way it warns you if you try and end a turn too early, and the contextual control instructions always displaying at the bottom so you know your options, not only make the game feel fun and juicy, actually make this complex game rather intuitive without even needing to consult the outside instructions. Despite my rough start, I felt like I was able to gather all the info I needed to be able to play within the game from trial and error.

It definitely could do a bit more to help, but I understand the Pico-8 template is limiting with the space it has available (I mostly mean screen space, but I imagine data space as well) For example, why does the game even bother starting without just forcing the first draw? I understand not forcing a draw later on since there can still be remaining choices, but I feel like that would help a player see how to start out and hit the ground running instead of starting blanky at these cards they can't do anything with. I felt like you did a pretty dang good job with the limited space already, though.

There were a few bugs I experienced here and there, like where my cursor would remain over an empty card slot and it'd give me options to use it as if it still existed, only for it to not respond to those options and for it to disappear once I move away from it. It was also sometimes tricky to navigate around, for example where sometimes when I go up it takes me to the graveyard instead of the boss which I expected. I also still am not sure I understand the destroy card option.

These card games aren't really my jam so I'm not the intended audience, but I gotta give big props to this game for hooking me in despite all that and the initial confusion: the juicy and reactive menus just gave the game such a good feel to it that I put faith in it and wanted to push on and learn!

Elastiskalinjen responds:

Thank you! Yeah, there is a reason there are very few card games in pico8, and I was fighting with the limitations both in screen space and in tokens the whole way. That's why I decided to revisit it and create a full version with a tutorial, better guidance in general and also tons more content!

[The Wizard Ran: Chapter 2]

Wow, this game is really going places! I feel bad for calling it the most 'sane' adriendittrick game I've experienced: I suppose it still makes some sense as it's probably the most potentially straightforward if you just mainline the first endings, but doing so would miss out on all the crazy interconnected elements that this game has!

Learning information like names and ages from this and going back to previous chapters to plug it in and see what happens, or knowing that information in future chapters might help with mysteries like the maze and so on is very fascinating! It's like a weird Virtue's Last Reward or Majora's Mask experience but spanned across multiple games, or perhaps like a Metroid map, where every time I play one of these games, new paths blossom forth on the mental map of the current and previous chapters to gain access to other endings and so on.

Of course, even discounting the mysteries that cross games, there were plenty of cool mysteries in this game as well. Learning how to exploit coyote time to get through the jumping puzzle, the amusing way the camera was used to hide spikes (look at the platforms above to figure out where they are) or to allow you to eavesdrop on conversations, those strange entities or upcoming traps, being able to race to grandma and get access to a boss fight that I have no idea how to beat: so much craft and care in the experience!

The game does still overall have a janky, clunky feel to it all with stiff movement and odd/inconsistant physics and collisions. Exploiting coyote time to get through the jumping puzzle was a bit of an odd stretch: typically I'd call it bad programming if a game is built like that, but for a weird game like this I guess I give it a pass. Luckily the game never demands any perfect play and it's quite generous with restarts and continues, so it's not necessarily an issue, but it can still have a subtle effect in making the game feel somewhat unprofessional to a player, diluting its appeal and potentially making a player less willing to stick with it despite its hidden charm and depth. Course, the clunkiness and low-effort look can also give it another layer of 'mystique' to certain players, so its a mixed bag.

Again, major props in creating this hidden depth through this series with its inter-connected mysteries: it's a ballsy move since I can't imagine everyone is going to experience everything on offer, with a vast majority most likely just getting the general first endings and that's it. Hell, I doubt even I will uncover all of the mysteries in this, and I'm a fan! I really admire the effort in crafting this.

Oh by the way it took me an embarrassing amount of time to get the pun: their name is Ran, as in, The Wizard Ran.

adriendittrick responds:

oh cool, you've played the second one :)
Yeah I'm glad this series is having a nice amount of success! (so far I have 4 chapters out and all 4 chapters were nominated for game of the month X) ) next one might be a bit more janky too :p

I will be experimenting a lot with this series though, so you should expect more rough edges here and there. But also specifically for those games I don't mind players being less willing to stick around, the TWR series isn't for everyone and that's normal. Add to that the fact that those games take about 2 days for me to make.

[An apple a day]

Cute little game! Reminds me of those health-conscious edutainment games like Captain Novalin and such, though I found this to be way more fun than those ever were.

The rapid-fire decision making that this game calls for when juggling so many goals and systems and red herrings that serve you trick you makes for a very addicting, simple-to-learn difficult-to-master gameplay loop that I very much enjoyed. For the most part, I felt like the game did a good job at slowly increasing the complexity as it went to keep me hooked, with elements like only being able to eat certain apples, some apples containing worms, bad objects that look like good objects, and so on and so forth.

I say that, but there was a bit of a lull period in the middle where it felt like it got too easy and I was about to drop it, but it changed things up enough near the end to keep me hooked (perhaps the game could've been compressed a bit more to not wear thin, or more interesting red herring objects could've been introduced in that lull period).

All in all, it was a fun, short and sweet challenge that I very much enjoyed! Got to the end and I very much appreciated the inclusion of a save/continue option when I had to step away momentarily (which can be unfortunately absent in a lot of these short games)!