Rabid-Animals's game Reviews on Newgrounds

[Crossroads:2D]

Interesting, but could use some tweaks.

As a whole, this screams "engine test" to me. The game was fun as a small time-killer, but it wasn't an entirely satisfying experience. From the very beginning, the game's pacing was too slow. I would have liked to not do the chore for the man, and just have to kill a rat or find a coin to get a weapon. It's just more engaging.

From a graphical standpoint, the game was done very well. I was reminded of the original Pokemon games, so you won a ton of points with me for that. The monochromatic style was nice, refreshing even, but some of the designs were too plain. Maybe a couple more kinds of trees?

Overall, the game was decent, but it could have been a lot more fun. The combat system needs to be fleshed out a little more, for a real classic RPG experience.

Review Request Club

kcnh responds:

Thank you for your review!

[Line Runner 2]

Plagued by excess.

This could have been another Mario Kart. This could have been classic. All the elements are there: interesting, adorable graphics, unique, pick-up-and-play style, and challenging gameplay. However, it's far from the allure of Mario Kart. I gave this game an hour and a half of my time, and I'm sure I'll give it more, but playing it is a bittersweet experience. For every joyous triumph I manage in gameplay, there seem to be multitudes of painful stylistic choices to slog through.

There's simply too much going on in the game at once. For something that's paced so fast, the game requires an amount of skill and practice to a degree where the game is an exercise, and no longer fun. I still haven't gotten a gold star on the first boss challenge. It's because no matter how fast I might be going, a bullet catches me, or a mine flies out of seemingly nowhere at a speed that I simply cannot avoid.

An absolutely unwieldy amount happens on screen during a race. There are fairly noticeable patterns in some areas, but that doesn't make them manageable. Between the apples that flip you upside down, throwing you into a mine if you're not spot on, and the portals that really don't do much at all other than disorient the player, the player is forced through the level like a confused sheep in a slaughterhouse, not knowing what pain could possibly be next.

Don't get me wrong, the game is fun in many spots, like the mine avoidance challenges, but the whole presentation just doesn't seem to care enough for the player. This may sound strange, but the dimensions of the game aren't big enough. A lot more reaction time is required for any reasonable amount of casual enjoyable gaming, so it needs to be wider. Regarding that, I found the flipping ability to be meaningless; not even once was I able to use that to my advantage (but that's just me, so I didn't take any points for that). I may have this game pegged wrong, but I don't think it's strictly for hardcore players, and there should be just a few more concessions to casual gaming.

The enemies shooting you in the back are rage-inducing. Please, please, please put some kind of indicator showing where the projectiles are coming from. They're on screen for no more than a second before they've blown up in the player's face or just gone. Avoiding that and the mines while going a million kilometers an hour while simultaneously trying to catch rings and balance the effects of the portals and apples is nearly impossible. Catching keys on the first go around, even by chance, is completely out of the question.

Excess is really what kills the game. The portals put me over the edge. Constantly, I was asking "Why are those even there? They're completely useless!" and while they might not be completely useless, they're just another distraction in an area where the player could do with some rings or just a couple seconds of slightly more relaxed coasting.

Another mechanic I didn't understand was the start boost. This game shouldn't put the beginning of the race (which can sometimes determine who wins or loses) solely into reflexes. Keep the boost if it's really integral, but don't start a loss at zero; it's just depressing to start of a race so slow as the enemy cruises along uninhibited.

The Medals and custom levels are a nice touch, though. They do add some replay value. Collecting keys is kind of cool, but it takes a lot of dedication, and I don't know if it matches the payoff.

I added this game to my Favorites because I want to see how it progresses. There's an untold amount to improve on, but there's a very pretty little something right now. Strip away the fat; you've already got the bows tied on and it doesn't need to look any better. I'll be very excited to see an update.

Go0gley responds:

How can I not respond to such a detailed, constructive review. Overall I totally agree with you. All the faults you pointed out relate back to poor consideration of level design. Although I wasn't the designer (and not being entirely sure how differently Sebastien will respond), I believe excessive apples and portals are for showing off how fast the game engine can run. Your feedback made me realise the game is fine in terms of graphics and tech, yet something is missing - we forgot to centre the experience around the player.

I like your idea having an indicator for boss weapons, or even what obstacles are approaching ahead. Perhaps in the future if it ever happens, we may release an improved sequel with those features.

Thanks for the review. It was a pleasure to read.

[3D Target Shooting]

Just a couple steps from a classic.

Damn, is this game cool. I've never seen anything like it. With the advent of motion gaming, it's nice to see that the PC is at least getting a small taste of the action. I never thought I'd be able to look down a virtual hallway and shoot targets by just moving around with my mouse. Amazing, seriously!

There are just a couple concerns I have with this game, but they all have a common denominator: the game isn't involving enough. Surely, this wasn't meant to be the ultimate project for this engine, but more of a test. It's no secret that it passed with flying colors, but with a couple tweaks you'd have an insanely addictive game on your hands.

Music, music, music. In my opinion, there are few things that make or break a game like music. If it's obnoxious, nobody will want to play, but if it complements the game, then that's when the package is complete. Consider some slick electronic sounding music, which I think would work really well here. Add moving targets as a late-game challenge. Prominently feature them once the player has gotten proficient with the game.

Maybe even provide a scoring table. I'd love to compete with friends in this game. I'm sure we'd be posting Facebook updates saying who has usurped the other as holder of the high score. 3D gaming so accessible is something that writes press for itself, and you could really drive traffic by marketing to the Facebook addicted teen crowd.

This game is built on one of the coolest innovations I've seen in a while. Screw Kinect; I'm playing with this today.

ImpactGames responds:

Thank you. I will you should look for the next update and it should have all you asked for.

P.S.
Please watch the language used in your comments. Thank you.

[Chibi Knight]

Expansive, Involving, and Cute!

Wow. RPGs have become so commonplace in the gaming world; Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Pokemon, Zelda, ad finitum. How you managed to come up with an honestly fresh look at the genre is beyond my understanding, but I'm seriously pleased that you did.

Upon first looking at the game, I smiled. There's something to be said about the bright, bubbly graphics in days of hyper-realism and gore. Don't get me wrong, I bought Modern Warfare 2 for just those reasons, but this game, a polar opposite of the bestsellers, looked just as great to me as the blades on MW2's AC-130.

Is the game childish? I don't think so. Sure, it recalls a certain style of platforming with steady, predictable progression, and the learning curve isn't much to handle, but that works well. THe game is fun! It's great to be able to play a game over and over, working on the same challenges, just because it's not entirely frustrating.

In that, I think you struck the perfect balance between difficulty and style. The uber-cute voice acting just would not have stuck in other Flash games. Honestly, I haven't heard sound effects like that since I was playing Reader Rabbit games on my PC 12 years ago. It was an excellent artistic decision to move in that direction, a happier, more carefree type.

The gameplay is still absolutely solid. The boss fights were challenging, but never too evil; the puzzles likewise took a bit of thinking but were satisfying to finish. It shows that you put two years of work into this game. There's a depth and polish to it that you just don't see in professional projects pushed out in a month. Your hard work really payed off. I can't criticize a single element of the game, so I award you ten stars.

BoMToons responds:

For that review you get a response!

Thanks a lot, some days I wonder whether anyone really appreciates the little details and extra polish that separates this from the flood of money-grubbing quickly produced games out there.

Makes me feel good to know that SOMEONE "got" it...I hope you enjoy the sequel as much...just have to wait...another...2....years....

:)

[Red Remover Player Pack]

A Worthwhile Addition.

I may be getting all teary-eyed and nostalgic, but I remember playing Red Remover when it came out. Blue, green, red- triangles, squares, circles- it all seemed so novel! Now, in the "new" iteration of the game, I think players will still find the same thrills, but it's no secret that a little bit of the novelty has worn off.

However, it's just that: a little bit. The game is still a masterpiece. You've done a heck of a lot with such a self-imposed visual limit. Nothing ever seems cluttered, and the game never chokes on itself. If there's one thing that makes a game unplayable for me, it's lag. Keeping the game clean and streamlined works wonders in your favor.

The gameplay is still novel. I think this kind of Jenga-inspired game really has a niche in the casual gaming community. The little bits that were added to the game attest to that. It's pulled an amount of longevity that most authors would be quick to envy.

I especially enjoy the game's sound effects. The crisp popping when you remove a block is incredibly satisfying, and the "Yeah!" byte that plays upon success is adorable and encouraging.

All in all, I think this is a decent expansion of a fantastic game. I can't give it 10 stars, simply because I don't think there's enough new material or features, but this definitely earns a respectable score in my book.

TheGameHomepage responds:

Thanks Rabid-Animals. That was a really great review :)

[How draw a circle]

Not funny, creative, or even well done.

Spongebob Squarepants is a cultural phenomenon. Some 11 years ago, he first appeared on television, causing controversy, deep-thought, and loads of laughs. To rip off Spongebob is a slap in the face to the creators, your audience, and anybody that tries to put together something creative.

The substance of this Flash is essentially three frames, each featuring a picture you did not make, and a joke that you did not write. In that, I cannot award you any points. Secondly, this joke could have been the basis for a cartoon. You could have redone the scene with an honest animation as a tribute. Instead, we get something close to a slideshow, devoid of any animation and only limited interactivity.

The only thing you actually made for this production was the text. I mean typing it in. The words themselves are almost verbatim from the show. To me, the Flash screams "cop out." Look at it; there is no background, the text seems to be in a default font, and the music isn't fitting.

It's difficult to make it as an artist. That being said, one has to try. In the real world, you really have to take some risks, make something of your own. Stephen Hillenburg didn't create Spongebob so somebody could pad their Flash count. He didn't create it to make obscene amounts of cash. He created it to provide the world with an interesting spin on life, to give children and adults alike something to laugh at. When you have the integrity to make something like that, something original, you will warrant a positive score.

Until then, no stars.

Xenondwarf responds:

Well now, how does it feel to make a 4 paragraph review when I can easily disregard it and move on with my life.

You must've spent a fair amount of time typing that while frankly I don't give a shit.

This reference was simply to get a laugh out of the users who can get the joke and laugh about it. If you're too much of a douchebag to understand this simple bit of logic, take a look at the reviews below you.

Thank you and have a wonderful day.

[A Christmas Story SB]

Definitely good.

This soundboard absolutely surprised me. I wasn't expecting much, but after taking a couple minutes looking at it and listening to the sounds, it's safe to say you came out with a good product.

I noticed the filesize, which can tend to be a problem with soundboards, and I thought almost 9 megs might be because of poor audio optimization. I'm happy to say that this was not the case. The sounds were incredibly clear, and your large filesize was wholly warranted.

Another thing I liked about this was the color-coding. I can't recall ever seeing that in a soundboard, and I think it's quite helpful. Even if it's not, it's still a nice touch. It means you spent a little extra time working on it.

The only problems I found were aesthetic. Some of the text was a little big for the buttons, and I found that if you move your mouse over a button where text isn't, the button won't respond. That's quite easy to fix, and I'll leave you to it.

So, all considered, this was a very good attempt with room for small improvements (more sounds, smaller size, etc.).

Frenzy responds:

Thanks for the great review!

~ Z

[Super Mario Hardcore]

This is how Mario should be.

Wow. I am really in love with this game. There's just something about the campy excess of violence that draws me in.

The weapons are what really get me. A wrench? Who would think of that? I never once saw a koopa in a game and said "Man, I really want to beat that thing to death with a giant wrench". That is why I love this game. It's not serious at all.

I saw you spell "Poop" with the coins. Excellent. I called my seven year old brother over to see that and we both laughed hysterically.

The gameplay is fun but the glitches sometimes hinder it. I don't get them too often, but I really hate it when I do.

It's a fun game and it's in my Favorites.

Casualty responds:

Thanks dude! This is a really good review you wrote, there should be more like this =D

[Spectrum]

This game wins.

Perfect. The sound is great, the gameplay is great. Everything owns. Congrats on winning the contest before it began.

Glaiel-Gamer responds:

Lol I'm not done with the contest yet *wink*