jvet
2020
2014
2023
This may be the first independent 3D character platformer I’ve played and reviewing it is a tricky proposition. Most games in this genre are first-party games featuring a recognizable mascot of the platform, oozing polish and “game feel.” It’s also a gaming genre that’s heyday has come and gone. For an indie to take a swing at this genre, it takes hubris. With all of that preamble, I think Lucky largely succeeds. The character himself is generic, but he controls well. The story is unremarkable and the cutscenes unskippable, but the level design shows creativity even if the environments are bland. Every time I reached what I thought was my fill of the game, it would throw a creative level at me, like a carnival-game-themed mini game collection, and suck me back in. It does seem to lose some steam by the end, with the beach environment featuring more optional sliding block puzzles than platform levels, but the final world ends strong with some of the best levels in the game. Ultimately, what I want from a platformer is pure fun and I found plenty while playing this game.
2021
2022
An impressive collection of self-described gags that plays like WarioWare meets a point-and-click adventure game. The animation is impressive, even more so when you see that McPixel is the work of one man. It’s constantly silly and surprising, though a few of the puzzles are frustrating. A hint button wouldn’t hurt.
2023
2009
A breezy (pun-intended) flight through a few short levels, Flower is focused yet fun. There is no excess—a refreshing lack of the systems-upon-systems of AAA titles. Instead, Flowers is confident in its craft and audience and is a success as a result. The downside is that the controls aren’t as refined as desirable, and turning can feel clunky.
2023
I don’t know if there’s a “proper” end to this game, but now that I’ve collected all of the capes and trinkets, I’m going to call it quits. There is still a myriad of things to do in the game, which speaks to its surprising density for a mobile game. It feels derivative to even call it such as it’s a robust, full-fledged experience that is joyful and unique. Gliding feels great, and there are a number of collectibles, races, and areas of the map to explore. Some objectives are unclear, and once you’ve fully explored the island, it does begin to get “same-y”, but up until that point, the game is a fantastic flight.
2022
2023
2020
Tried on two separate occasions to get into this after reading a glowing review and enjoying similar cinematic platformers, and I’m giving up on it. Puzzles are obvious and sparse, and the story wasn’t interesting, which is necessary for a strong cinematic platformer. Often those games tell their stories wordlessly through mysterious environments and expressive animation, and this game dictates it to you through an annoying narrator.
2022