Plasmarift's game Reviews on Newgrounds

[You are the cube]

I usually don't feel the need to comment as much as I used to, but seeing that the commenter below me does not understand how the game works, I feel it is my duty to point it out.

You are a cube that cubes moving until you hit something. That is how it is supposed to work and that's what adds the difficulty.

As for what I think of the game, I do like it and I won't fault it much for the simpleness of the graphics (especially since it is your first on here and it seems like you were trying to create a fun challenging game and not a visual masterpiece). It certainly is challenging, but I found some problems with it:
- It seems like the level design could have been done better. There are too many loopholes that you can take to get around challenges, especially early on. It's both good and bad because a lot of puzzle games will only give you one option, but I have the feeling that this wasn't what you had in mind.
- If you fall off a ledge without jumping, you can still jump while in the air. I don't if you intended for that to be the case.
- I don't know why, but playing the game forces my computer to work pretty hard, which doesn't seem to make sense. I've played tons of games with a lot more going on both in visuals and in action. What's going on in the game that's causing this?
- Although it is a minor detail, try to make things like counters and level select screens more diverse and not just with plain text: this creates a type of disconnect where it makes it seem like I'm interacting with an application when I should be immersed in the game (also, it just comes off as laziness to some people, no offense).

Still, I had fun playing it and that's good. I look forward to your next game.

ShadowScout responds:

Hi Plasmarift,

thank you for your Feedback.

This game is indeed the very first one I publish.

The double jump feature is an intended one and allows you to find different ways solving a level.

I tried to make it possible to solve each level, after the first five, over at least three paths and maybe got kind of lost in that idea, which lead to the apperently weird level design.

I will look further into the described performance issues and improve it more.

[Sacred Chikin]

The game has an interestingly, weird concept (I'm guessing the main character is a bone duck. It looked cool) and having different ways or spots to get each or most flowers was pretty cool, but my problem is with the health system. You say the game is hard, but that's because you make the player restart to level 1 when they die when you could just restart them at the level they were on. To me, it seems like a cheap way to add difficulty, as it doesn't make the game itself hard, it just makes you be more careful, but even that is not enough. It only takes four mistakes, which are very easy to make (one mistake if you fall off a cliff), to cause a complete restart. I was actual interested to see the ending, but I'm not going through it again because it's not worth it. Maybe add in a function where successfully completing a level will grant one heart if the player had damage or have health packs in the level (or just remove the reset system altogether). Also, having to cut off the chicken's head and draw the star for the third time in a row got annoying so I'd suggest a skip button after the first time you do it. I wish you luck in your next project!

Psyduckfreak responds:

thanks for the feed back. I also thought of making a skip button but the them was Ritual so i thought making it repetitive would fit that. If i re pick up this project ill add.

[Basket & Ball]

The game is both unique and very difficult at times, especially if you are trying to get all the stars (level 28 took me the longest time to get all the stars). The only thing I would suggest is for the free shooter levels (where you have to launch yourself to the basket) to make the period that the ball is in play longer (I consider the ball out of play when it gets that annoyed look on its face). It seems like this happens way too early, especially when there is still a chance for the ball to go in and when I still have an hour glass launch token thingy. Other than that, great job!

suntemple responds:

Thanks for the feedback! I might add a manual restart button to the shootouts and extend the waiting time.

[TRANSGRESSION]

I wish I could give this a better score, but the biggest problem that I find with it is that the environment is way too dark; I can barely see the floors and walls in the game, if I'm able to see them at all (I've literally had to feel around, running into walls and jumping to find the right path). I'm sad to say this because I see the bright colors and backgrounds you used and I really like them, but not being able to see where I'm going is a big problem.
Other things that might need fixed/improved:
- the life bar, ammo, and whatever it is that is beneath it (it is never explained in game) should probably have a more decorated appearance, as they look like something you'd find in game based on keyboard letters and symbols (I've seen games that only use keyboard letters and symbols that were good, but it just doesn't fit in with the art style of the game)
- It makes it even tougher to navigate when the two characters behave strangely whenever they come into contact (if you run into clone 2, clone 2 will slide away as if he is on ice). It also doesn't help that there hit boxes are so big that one clone can be standing on top of the other without actually being in contact with them.
- I really think you should have put in an option to just play with one character as there is no challenge or benefit to having the second; it just comes off as annoying, having to traverse the same obstacles twice.
- This is just an idea, but you mention in the story that the police force is now disposable since they are all clones. Why not have it when one dies, the number for the clone goes from 201811420 to 201811421 to indicate that a new clone has taken his place.

The other comments seem to have covered similar points and I really hope to see the changes you mentioned in the other comments. I wish you good luck in your game developing.

AlexVsCoding responds:

This is a really really awesome piece of feedback and I appreciate your time taken to write this up. Literally as I write this the build is getting an update including:

- B to Toggle Brightness (Lightens the background slightly, enough to differentiate, let me know if it doesn't).
- Pause menu now has full list of controls available
- Players no longer collide with one another - This might cause some unforseen issues in the design of the game, but dealing with the sliding is priority (I can always pick up on smaller issues later on). Enemies will still be able to push you, but it'll take a good number of them to really have as much impact as the players did.

As for your other suggestions:
- Regarding single player option, unfortunately in this game the presence of 2 players is critical to the plot (Give the press kit a read for more details)
- Regarding the numbers as well, they need to remain those numbers specifically as they have subtle significance in the plot.

I'd strongly suggest you grab someone to give this game a go with - It's how the game was meant to be played! Thanks again for your comments!

[Jak and Lev: The Game]

In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with the actually puzzles, but there are a number of things wrong with the game
- It appears in a very small window of the gaming screen. If it is actually this size, you can fix the presentation on Newgrounds to conform to this, as people who have made games as small as this have done it as well.
- After the first level in World 3, the game goes to the loading screen and nothing comes up after it (I was waiting for at least two minutes for it and it just stays there. This has happened twice).
- Sometimes in one square high corridors, it refuses to let me go through or fall. I have to back up and then go through them in order to get through. This wouldn't be a big problem except for the cases where you are falling. If this glitch happens to just one of the characters (which has happened to me), then you have to restart since both of the guys cannot go outside the game window.
- Also, the first level of world three is interesting in that there are multiple paths you can take, but I needed to find a specific one because of the glitch I mentioned before due to falling.

Other than this, I thought the game mechanics were pretty good, as it forced you to find ways to regroup with your friend. Hope that you fix the problems I mentioned and I hope to see more from you. Good luck.

ImmaDrawOnYourFace responds:

Wow, thanks for the feedback. Im happy some people actually played through all of it. The level you got to was the last level. There was supposed to be a message saying how that's a look into how the sequel will have more advanced level design. Im not sure if Ill fix the bugs on this one, because it's my first game and atleast functions how it should, but I'll work on fixing the display size. Thanks again for testing the whole thing.

[Calabozo]

I like the game, but it has some problems and glitches:
- in the first area at the bottom of the screen on the wall left of the gate, you can bypass the gate completely (as if there is a hallway at the bottom). Is this intentional?
- In the area after the nightmare prison, I found that by pressing x that you can open doors that you shouldn't be able to open (they stay open for about a second. Long enough for the player or enemies to get through). Also, the doors in the boss stage can also be opened without beating the boss.
- In the area with the rats, one of the rats in the top left corner got stuck in the wall on many of my playthroughs.
- Some of the text is incorrect.

As for gameplay problems:
- the nightmares in the prison have the ability to sometimes attack me, even when there is a wall corner between me and it, but I can't attack it in the same manner; this is very strange and unfair in many ways, especially since the area is already so condensed.
- speaking of the prison, having little objects on the ground to restrict the player's movement is annoying, not only from the restricted movement, but because it is difficult to see what is blocking the player. There's also the problem with the view being a little too much pointed down that the walls block the view of doorways.
- Why is it that I can turn on and off some the torches in the first level, but not in other places in the game?
- I like the delay in the weapon in that it forces you to time your attacks well, but the range of the weapon (the fact that I can only hit things in the second dimension when the game takes place in the third dimension) is not very good.
- there were a lot of missed opportunities for secrets with the torches. You could make a sequel of this with it taking place in a labyrinth of darkened corridors with lighting torches in certain ways (like a combination) opening hundreds of hidden passage ways.

I enjoyed the ambience, music, sounds, and the story concept. My suggestion would be adding more enemies (maybe creepy representations of people, and other stuff), more choices (to reflect the many different paths, both super dark and super light and in-between) that a person can take, and maybe some more puzzles and riddles. Good job on the game and I look forward to your next creation.

Xwolfang responds:

Lost of thanks for your great review, you realy helped me solve those bugs, i feel embarrassed they slipped by.

About the the torches, there are some you can turn at the beginning for the player to get use to interacting with things, but latter afterward i use torches that light up automatically to act as guide to the player and discover things hidden in the darkness.

I plan to make a sequel when i have more experience under my belt, it will be a rouge like inside a labyrinth of dark corridors, were things change when light don't touch them, and choices of ideologies change the way you play.

I realy thanks you for taking the time to review my game, and don't worry, i will make sure the next one is much better.

[Escape the Volcano Dungeon of Dread!]

Like the others have said, the game is pretty cool. I did find a somewhat annoying feature of it though; the camera does not scroll with you very well. I'll sometimes find myself up above the screen with no idea what's going on with my character (I know that I could pace myself, but sometimes this is near unavoidable (like when you put a bunch of falling platforms in a climbing manner with spikes on each wall). The main goal is to escape the lava so shouldn't the player be encouraged to get as far away from it as possible? (I know that by making the camera shift, it takes the player's eyes off the lava, which means that won't know how close it is, but maybe you could add a function here or in future games, where the camera can be augmented to go from focusing on character to the rising lava). It's just an idea.

On a more positive note, I like the secrets you put into the game though they are a pain in the butt to find since you can't spend a lot of time experimenting with the area before the lava gets you.

A very cool experience still. I look forward to your next creation and good job!

Gypopothomas responds:

Thanks much. I look forward to you PLAYING my next creation!