Shogun Assassin – Ancient Japan never looked better than in 32×32

Hey Guys! Welcome back to Withinthegame.com!

 

Apologies for being quiet recently, I’m going back to college so I might not be able to post every day but we are getting as much content out as possible for you all. The review I have for you today is of a gamejam product called Shogun Assassin, developed by Big Stompy Robots. The main rule of the jam, #lowrezjam, was that the game must run with a screen resolution of 32×32 pixels. Upon playing the game it seems a rather strange experience where you can’t really see any enemies until they are literally right in your face, and I started off feeling quite negative about that, but in the name of fun and experimentation I trudged through and actually ended up enjoying it, as difficult as it is to play!

You play as an ancient samurai warrior, sprinting through the world and hacking down all whom oppose you. Leaping over and dodging waves of relentless arrows, the game is extremely hard due to the limited vision space, although there are visual warnings on-screen when an event is about to occur giving the player plenty of time to respond. This is an Atari inspired retroscape with plenty of fast paced action and 8-bit gore, although I feel like it may be a ‘marmite experience’ as the low resolution might put some people off. It is strange to get used to but the game is enjoyable nonetheless, and the highest rank I managed to achieved was rank F….a pitiful attempt.

The game is playable in browser so for those of you stuck in work, get yourself in Shogun mode and start causing havoc with your Katana! Keep in mind that the game is a result of a gamejam and is quite basic; for example when the attack animation plays in front of your character, your sword doesn’t actually visually move, but I really don’t think that these small graphical imperfections affect the way the game plays out.

If you want to have a go at beating my awful rank F, you can find the game HERE

As ever, thanks for reading, let us know what you think of the game if you try it out!

If you enjoyed our review, subscribe to our site at the top of this page, and follow us at our social media sites below 🙂

George

Glitch Lab – Insanity in a Platformer

Hey guys, welcome back to Withinthegame.com!

 

Today is my first day back at the day job so I decided to find an in-browser game to play and review to kill a few hours in the office. I was flicking through pages of content online when I stumbled across  a very intriguing indie game developed by Nazywam under the name of Glitch Lab, surrounded by gloomy pixel art. It’s a 2D platformer with a twist; the game is designed to be bugged. That’s right. It’s very rare that you will find a game where the developer has broken the game ON PURPOSE. However, as strange as it sounds, this is what makes the game an unlikely masterpiece.

Artistically grey and monotonous, it’s a very simple run and jump game on the surface, but just as we never judge a book by it’s cover, it’s unwise to judge a game by it’s front face. Each level is completely different and has an intentional bug or error integrated that the player must overcome to progress. This ranges from invisible blocks to moving in the opposite direction of the key being pressed. Sometimes the puzzles don’t make much logical sense but that’s the true beauty of the game. The fun factor comes in figuring out what to do and you can’t help but laugh when you randomly press something and it actually works by catapulting you into the air.

I couldn’t decide whether the game was trippy or disturbing, but it certainly has a glitchy ‘matrix’ feel to it…it kind of feels like you’re slipping in and out of existence as you speed through the stages and the game stretches the planes of reality in front of your eyes. In one level (pictured below) you find yourself surrounded by multi-coloured copies of your avatar, frantically running around in a flurry of rainbow confusion. Oh boy, I can’t imagine this game on Oculus Rift. This setting of chaos and disorder makes for an extremely enjoyable, yet short lived gaming experience.

Either I got stuck on one of the levels or the game just isn’t very long…I couldn’t quite tell, but regardless I really loved what I did manage to play through. The statement ‘less is more’ definitely applies here as the basic pixel art style and twisted mechanics is all that’s needed to create a unique play style, and personally I’d love to see a sequel produced with harder levels and maybe a little bit of a story line included to give some depth and allow us to familiarize with the game.

If you want to give the game a go you can find it playable in browser HERE

As ever, thanks for reading, let us know what you think of the game if you try it out!

If you enjoyed our review, subscribe to our site at the top of this page, and follow us at our social media sites below 🙂

George

 

Eat Dirt – Highly Upgradeable Hill Climber

Hey guys, welcome back to Withinthegame.com!

 

I’m back from Italy with another Android game for you all, but this one’s a little different to the previous ones that I have reviewed. Eat Dirt, developed by Fail Code Games, is a side scrolling, hill climber, racing game, with a variation of different objectives and customisation options. The player operates their own vehicle, which can be upgraded and modified throughout playing the game, and pilots it over a vast array of mini games and gravity defying race courses. There are pedals on the screen to use, just like in a real vehicle (minus the touchscreen), where one must master the art of sensitive driving to conquer the leaderboards.

This game is either crazy difficult or I’m just really bad at Android games. I found that the default, unaltered vehicle you are provided with is pretty much useless, so I decided to begin by spending my starting points on a big hulk of a 4-by-4. Packing twice as much of a punch, I took to the roads (Or rather, the hills) with this metallic bad-boy and made another attempt at leaderboard domination. To my dismay I still didn’t get very far. The controls are EXTREMELY sensitive, and by sensitive I mean take-your-girlfriends-new-£500-shoes-and-put-them-to-the-torch-sensitive (no offence intended, I know not ALL women are obsessively addicted to shoes like my other half). It takes a great amount of control to operate your car and avoid flipping over, instantly bursting into an impressive bonfire. Not that this is a downside, all I’m saying is be prepared for the fury of hitting a randomly generated hill spike and being mercilessly upturned.

Graphically, Eat Dirt leaves a little to be desired. It’s fine for what it is and doesn’t really affect the gameplay at all, it’s just a little clunky and polygon-y. Aside from this however, if you are the kind of gamer that looks for time consuming games that you can invest a large amount of energy into, this would be a really ideal game to do so with due to the huge amount of upgrade options and game modes. One of the modes features a small truck type vehicle where you must retain the loose box in the back of your trunk whilst driving over mountains and inclines that destroy the laws of physics as we know them. A few of the modes are slightly strange and don’t really seem to work too well, the ‘wheelie’ mini game as an example, but at least we can see that the developer is being inventive and listening to the fans!

If you fancy giving the game a go you can download it for your Android device via Google Play HERE

As ever, thanks for reading, let us know what you think of the game if you try it out!

If you enjoyed our review, subscribe to our site at the top of this page, and follow us at our social media sites below 🙂

George

 

Save the Comet – Orbital Gravity-Defying Fun!

Hi everyone, thanks for checking out WithintheGame.com!

 

Save the Comet is an arcade style mobile Android game developed by MogaMecha that involves the safe guidance of our heroic protagonist, the comet, through a wide and open galaxy filled with perils from infinity and beyond. You have to use touch screen technology to avoid planets and other astronomical dangers such as asteroids and meteor showers whilst draining their energy and stopping your gravitational field from pulling them into your own destruction.

Within this game the main goal is to absorb stardust from spatial objects, which can then be spent on various upgrades. The controls are fairly simple wherein you cannot actually directly control the movement of your comet, but you can use the forces of gravity to change direction, as well as use your finger to move around all other objects that fly towards you with malevolent haste. It would be nice to see multi-touch where the player could use both thumbs to control several objects at once, just due to the fact that currently the game only allows you to control one object at a time which means a lot of passing by planets and such are missed. Despite this, the game plays very smoothly and is actually really enjoyable due to the fact that you can actually experience progression in regards to the appearance of your character and the functionality of the game.

Save the Comet allows you to either purchase points to spend on customising your character and choosing game enhancing upgrades or just play and save up. There are also many achievements to complete which means that you don’t just get stuck in the same old system of drag and move onwards, you can actually choose challenges to take on and try and beat each one. Naturally you end up completing some of them just by playing the game, but there are several which give a decent level of difficulty for the hardcore gamers out there. It’s also includes really crisp visuals and art. Obviously it’s not next-gen graphics or super-realism or anything like that, however it has got a really clean cartoony feel to it that helps to keep you engaged without totally going overboard.

This game is extremely easy to get addicted to and I believe that children and adults alike will find enjoyment in trying it out. It’s a great little game to have on your mobile and it’s definitely got a good few hours of play time dedicated to it. If you love sci-fi environments, completing achievements and classic arcade Android games then I’m sure you’ll love Save the Comet!

If you fancy giving this one a go, you can find it for Android devices HERE

As ever, thanks for reading, let us know what you think of the game if you try it out!

If you enjoyed our review, subscribe to our site at the top of this page, and follow us at our social media sites below 🙂

George

BucketMan – The Original GPS Arcade Game

Hi everyone, thanks for checking out WithintheGame.com!

 

Today I’ve been a playing a new indie game on my Android mobile called BucketMan, with an original concept based around GPS integration. The game is developed by a group of guys lead by Felix Butzbach, and is seemingly inspired by the retro classic Pac-Man game with its own  individual twist. The player controls the character around a Google Maps style level that can be downloaded using location services from your own device, which allows you to actually physically play in your town or neighbourhood, giving a really personal and tailored atmosphere. The idea seems to be that your town is being attacked by automated AI vehicles, and it’s your job to paint them different colours…I THINK…it’s not identified in an extremely clear way.

BucketMan main menu

The gameplay is slightly challenging but not intensely difficult, and doesn’t really capture the strain of games such as Pac-Man where the ghosts would strategically try to outsmart you. In BucketMan the AI vehicles seem to just aimlessly drive around in different directions and are quite easy to avoid and jump over. I believe that it would be more enjoyable for children to play than gamers such as myself as there doesn’t really seem to be a solid goal to the game, and the story used doesn’t make too much sense. Maybe I missed the point of the game, but I didn’t really understand why I had to drop paint on the enemy cars as it didn’t destroy them or anything like that, just changed their colour. I think the game could definitely benefit from some developed narrative and explanation into the back story of the game and the reason that the player has to actually be there.

‘The player controls BucketMan around a Google Maps style level, which can be downloaded using location services from your device’

There are several customizable options within the game that help to create an enjoyable and progressive experience, such as the ability to upgrade your character by making you faster, jump a lot higher and a variation of other enhancements. These can all be accessed via the ‘Garage’ which is the players hub to select missions, and other playable features. If you get into the flow of the game it’s something that you can end up spending a lot of time on and become an addictive mobile procrastination to pass time when you want a quick gaming fix.

Musically and graphically it’s a very urban themed game, and I enjoyed the feel of the setting that is produced by this.  The controls are well designed and almost make your handset feel like an actual old style game controller, with a joystick and side buttons, although I feel that the joystick isn’t 100% necessary for the simplicity of the controls needed to get through the game. All in all BucketMan is a mobile game that has a unique approach and design inspired by other successful arcade names, and it’s great to see a first time developer come up with something that isn’t just entirely the same as every other indie game being released right now, but personally I think that a lot more direction and finishing needs to be given to this game as it currently stands for it to become a truly great title.

Don’t just take my word for it though, you can download and play the game for free right HERE

As ever, thanks for reading, let us know what you think of the game if you try it out!

If you enjoyed our review, subscribe to our site at the top of this page, and follow us at our social media sites below 🙂

George

Luminux – High Energy Puzzle Action

Hi everyone, thanks for checking out WithintheGame.com!

 

Here’s another fresh mobile puzzler for you all. I’ve played and tested Luminux recently, an innovative, fast-paced, mind-warping puzzle game available for Android, iOS and browser developed by BulkyPix. The idea is to move blocks across a small board to line up similar combinations of colours and patterns to smash them to pieces and rake in high amounts of score. When you do so, the pieces explode into a haze of radiant colour and are replaced with new blocks for you to arrange. The pace starts off slow and steady, giving you plenty of time to get your bearings and learn the controls, but swiftly increases, becoming insanely difficult as you go further and further into the whirlwind of energy and light that is Luminux.

“The pieces explode into a haze of radiant colour”

This game is a really efficient mental challenge and completely keeps the player thinking ahead. It’s not enough to just move blocks one at a time and try to match up identical colours because in some modes you are able to match up other variables also, which is totally necessary to keep up with the fast pace of the game in the later stages. Due to the difficulty I found myself really enjoying playing, and have gone back to re-play several times. The bar at the bottom of the screen indicates how far you are to the next stage, and reaching a certain milestone of high score unlocks other crazy and varied game modes. The different game modes are named ‘Zones‘ and each one is unique in play style and technique needed to move onwards.

“The different game modes are named ‘Zones’ and each one is unique in play style and technique needed.”

As most games do, Luminux comes with a few flaws. The main one I realised after a prolonged time period of play was that there seems to be a cut off point for the increase of difficulty. What I mean by this is that when you get so far, it doesn’t actually seem to get any harder, and this is even more prevalent in certain game modes which are a LOT slower than some of the faster paced ones. I believe the developer has done this to balance out the different ‘Zones‘ a little, so that one isn’t over 9000 times harder than another, but the only thing it does it let it become a bit draining when you hit a certain point and don’t feel like you’re needing to give any effort to get ahead.

“Visually speaking, the game is relatively basic, and not necessarily in a bad way.”

Visually speaking, the game is relatively basic, and not necessarily in a bad way. I feel that the simplistic design doesn’t really take away from the gameplay and it actually allows you to concentrate more on the mechanics behind the puzzle. There aren’t any unnecessary distractions flying across the screen that don’t need to be there, just enough colour and excitement to keep your eyes focused. It might be nice to see the graphics evolve in future, whether it be in a sequel game or just an eventual update, just so that the game looks slightly more fine tuned and polished, but all in all Luminux is a high hitter for all the important factors of a mobile based puzzle game.

If you guys want to check out the game and give it a go, play it in browser here.

You can also support the developers by purchasing the game for your device for Apple here, and Android here.

As ever, thanks for reading, let us know what you think of the game if you try it out!

If you enjoyed our review, subscribe to our site at the top of this page, and follow us at our social media sites below 🙂

George

Sloth Hop – Some hopping and a bit of slothing!

Hi everyone, thanks for checking out WithintheGame.com!

 

Developer John Harper has asked us to give his latest mobile game, Sloth Hop a run through, and so I’ve spent my spare moments whilst travelling and between matches on other games playing Sloth Hop, an iOS and Android game.

“Sloth Hop is about a sloth, who hops.”

Another simple time passing experience, Sloth Hop is about a sloth, who hops ( I’m sure you’re all terribly surprised). The Sloth is making his way up a river, and you have to click on the next island to hop over to it. In this way you progress up the river and depending on what mode you’re in this can either be a time challenge (how far can you get in 30 seconds), distance challenge (how long does it take you to complete a set distance) or survival, where you have to keep your sloth out of the water for as long as possible.

“this game is a bright and cheery little gem”

Graphically quite cute and appealing, this game is a bright and cheery little gem, and the simple interface which just requires you to press the island you wish to land on makes it very accessible as well. It’s enjoyable to play, and I found myself hitting replay every time I failed just to better my survival time. Indeed, the only problem I had with Sloth Hop was its insistence in me linking this game up with the Google play account, to upload my score online. It asked me every single time I completed a level, whether I won or lost, and despite me having said no each time, it continued to do so like a virtual predator.

It’s a fun game though, I’m actually keeping it on my phone for my commute to work at the moment, and I’d recommend checking it out if you’re after something to do for a few minutes.

If you want to try out Sloth Hop, you can find it here.

As ever, thanks for reading, let us know what you think of the game if you try it out!

If you enjoyed our review, subscribe to our site at the top of this page, and follow us at our social media sites below 🙂

Tom

Phantasmal – The horror game that makes you say ‘nope’

Hey guys, hope you’re all having a good Friday!

Last night me and WTG’s George played through a horror game called Phantasmal, developed by Eyemobi (because we’re a pair of wusses who won’t play it on our own in the dark like a real man would).

A brief description of this game; you start off in an abandoned mansion and a quick perusal of a nearby notebook gives the explanation that there are strange lights and high pitched noises, and being a sensible, rational human being, your character decides to explore this in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm armed with a pistol with only 20 bullets and a broom for company. Okay then.

Game play mechanics on this game are interesting. Your character slowly goes insane from looking at the enemy for too long which can result in you instantly dying to a giant flying whatever it was which materialised through a wall with so much noise I instantly quit the game in terror when I tried to play on my own previously. You can negate this by looking away from things for a while, but when you turn around they’re usually right behind you. Also, each playthrough is procedurally generated, so it’s different each time, leading to this being a completely new terror every time you venture into the mansion.

The first enemies you encounter hunt only by sound so you have to sneak everywhere, but you encounter others later which run around (hopefully you’ll enjoy the invisible laughing teleporting demon as much as I did – which is to say I jumped a foot off my chair and quit the game). This sneaking and tense manoeuvring whilst trying to balance keeping an eye on the enemy with not going giant-monster-summoning-insane adds to the tension and jump scares, and makes the atmosphere of this game an incredibly absorbing horror nightmare.

If you’re into horror, you should definitely give this one a try. I recommend it for fans of Slenderman and Amnesia.

You can find Phantasmal here.

We originally found it featured on Alpha Beta Gamer

As ever, thanks for reading, let us know what you think of the game when you’ve plucked up the courage to venture in!

If you enjoyed our review, subscribe to our site at the top left of this page, and follow us at our social media sites below. 🙂

Tom

  

Dry Bird – The simplistic hydrophobic indie game

Recently I’ve been tweeting a lot to find new games to test out and review, and had a lot of responses about games that are still in development. I received one tweet from a little bird called Spottish Games, the developer of Dry Bird, a simple puzzle game which involves moving back and forth and jumping to avoid getting hit by the constant waves of rain falling from the sky. When you get hit, it’s game over, and the aim of the game is to stay dry for as long as possible.

The player has to jump and dodge the deadly drops of precipitation

The controls flow brilliantly and I didn’t have any issues playing it, it’s nothing extremely exciting but was enjoyable the first few times I tried it and it did give me that enjoyable frustration feeling that I often mention experiencing with indie games. Every time you start a new game your bird character changes colour and the graphics are nice and clean.

The downside is that the game doesn’t seem to get any more difficult as you go along which leads to it becoming rather tedious after a while. The rain particles don’t have the best hit boxes either, and sometimes it looks like the rain has hit you but it actually hasn’t, which makes the game even easier to get through and thus making it really become repetitive after a few attempts of playing.

The players bird changes colour each time you play, showing off the clean and simplistic graphic style.

The game is still in development though so I can’t down-talk it too much, and it is a nice looking little game for passing the time at work. It’s enjoyable trying to get the best score you can and it would be an ideal game for kids to play due to the lack of difficulty.

If you want to give the game a go yourself, you can find it HERE.

 As ever, thanks for reading, let us know what you think of the game if you try it out!

If you enjoyed our review, subscribe to our site at the top of this page, and follow us at our social media sites below 🙂

George