definitely a fun game, but not as solid as i was anticipating. there's really no fail state, so it often feels more like an interactive toy than a proper video game. i get that pope wanted to make a game for little children, but nobody under the age of 18 or something owns a playdate and plays on it consistently so i don't think he was really able to hit the demographic he was aiming for. worth picking up regardless though- just temper expectations going in.
Mars After Midnight is full of hilarious weirdos, is great in small sessions, features an immersive use of the crank, and even managed to fit in some subtle but interesting worldbuilding; however, I was still left yearning for a bit more substance after finishing it. That's not to say I wish it was longer, just that I wish there was more room for decision making from the player. I feel like the classes attended by the Martians could've been a good solution here if they involved some sort of gameplay component rather than just ending in a simple (albeit quite fun) cutscene but hey I'm not a game designer.
As a bit of a tangent, while playing this game I couldn't help but have a lingering worry in my mind that this was just going to be the peak of games on the platform. I express this as worry because while this could very well be a perfect 'Playdate game', it's hard to deny that it's lacking depth and as someone who only purchased my console recently I was left wondering, 'Is this going to be the case with all other exclusives as well?'. I guess this is perhaps my roundabout way of asking for other game recommendations on the Playdate that hopefully disprove this notion?
As a bit of a tangent, while playing this game I couldn't help but have a lingering worry in my mind that this was just going to be the peak of games on the platform. I express this as worry because while this could very well be a perfect 'Playdate game', it's hard to deny that it's lacking depth and as someone who only purchased my console recently I was left wondering, 'Is this going to be the case with all other exclusives as well?'. I guess this is perhaps my roundabout way of asking for other game recommendations on the Playdate that hopefully disprove this notion?
🇬🇧 full review | 🇧🇷 resenha completa
Ainda não sei quem amou mais esse jogo: minha criança interior que ri feito um idiota de uma buzina, ou o adulto cansado que gostava das pausas do dia de trabalho para ajudar alguns marcianos. A capacidade de Lucas Pope de transformar um trabalho chato em um jogo interessante continua incrÃvel, e mesmo que não haja a mesma profundidade de seus jogos anteriores, a premissa alegre tornou-o uma experiência única. Se você tem um Playdate e um jogo bobo chama sua atenção, você precisa experimentar Mars After Midnight.
Ainda não sei quem amou mais esse jogo: minha criança interior que ri feito um idiota de uma buzina, ou o adulto cansado que gostava das pausas do dia de trabalho para ajudar alguns marcianos. A capacidade de Lucas Pope de transformar um trabalho chato em um jogo interessante continua incrÃvel, e mesmo que não haja a mesma profundidade de seus jogos anteriores, a premissa alegre tornou-o uma experiência única. Se você tem um Playdate e um jogo bobo chama sua atenção, você precisa experimentar Mars After Midnight.