Bezman's game Reviews on Newgrounds

[Basic Masking Effect]

and more in

++ All the info you gave was correct.

--- The 'explanation' was a little odd. I already know how masks work, but took me a while to realise you were trying to say just what you should.

I think your words could have been clearer. Also, I prefer a 'hole in a piece of paper' analogy.

--- I don't like the way that the whole thing was mainly a step-by-step walkthrough - it seemed like more explanations could have been used.

-- Some details (which I feel are important) were omitted. Can we see the mask effect when editing? Can we animate the mask itself? Can we have partial-opacity masks, like in photoshop?

I think it'd have been good to mention these.

- And some details seemed pointless. Your choice of frame length and layer names is your personal preference. To put them in the body of a tutorial might confuse some folk who come away unsure what's required and what's optional.

++ A decent effect.

==
An OK tutorial. I mean it teaches the basics. But it could be clearer and more in-depth.

Evolution68 responds:

once again an awsome review, ill update it later with the improvment.

[Ultimate Homer Simpson SB]

left a minority

Listened to around 1/2 the sounds.

+ Cool intro tune.

-/2 In the credits, you misspelt 'music'.

- Also they don't scroll fast enough, I feel. I like what the 'Super Smash Flash' creator did. In his game, you can click to speed up or hold space to pause. (I personally thing there should also be a slow reverse button since he had links too but I'm getting diverted...) Having a speed up button may be a good solution to the eternal problem of having credits slower than our reading speed.

I'll definitely be following the example myself in future.

- Also, at the end, a tiny bit stays on-screen. Just gives a bad impression.

- I think you'd be better off with a picture of homer than Dr. Nick Riviera.

++ The quotes seem like amusing ones.

--- I think the sounds should be cut up into shorter forms, with the intention of being used for prank calls or whatever.

As it is, I don't really see the point of this.

? What is the point of these? Do you make them just so people get a chance to 'rehear' those choice moments or is there some other purpose?

Some, whilst amusing, are way too long to be used in a conversation.

===
My basic beef is that I don't understand the value this offers. And if it is intended for prank call/conversation use, then splice up the sounds.

Whilst some clips are amusing, they're even better with the visuals. For that reason, I only listened to a selection of them and left a minority unheard.

Frenzy responds:

Thanks for the review!

.frenZy.

[Super Mini Games]

interactive applications/toys

--- 'Hover' has a bug - sometimes you can be on top of the thing and it doesn't seem to recognise the fact. I'm not sure but I think you may have used 'on roll-over' which may mean that if it appears directly on top of you, it won't register.

--- Also, the game's difficulty doesn't increase.

-- No highscore.

++ Simple concept to understand - ideal for a minigame.

4/10

Rapid Press

-- Boring gfx.

-- No highscore.

3/10

Mouse maze

+++ You throw a few game mechanics into that one level.

-- Though the red switch could be more self explanatory. Maybe have the red switch deactivate a black thing, to keep the meanings of the colours consistent?

6/10

Orb

--- Too few responses. None are inspired or particularly amusing.

--- Asking folk to type in the questions seems needless and merely irritating.

3/10

Paint

++++ I find this technically impressive.

-- Offers nothing that any Windows user won't already have on their PC, making it a bit pointless.

4/10

Random

+ Idea has potential for humour

-- Phrases are barely comprehensible and that gets in the way of the humour.

3/10

overall
======

I was slightly disappointed to find that there's only actually 3 games - the others being interactive applications/toys.

Also, the fact that the bgm plays once then ends is annoying. Have a stop/start button. Have it endlessly repeat unless we stop it.

==

A cool thing in parts.

You should maybe try developing these things to make them good enough to stand up on their own.

I feel that maybe because your attention was spread thin, each constituent part of this flash is slightly lacking.

Stay funky. Keep working.

Looking forward to seeing more from you.

Evolution68 responds:

thanks. ill look back on this when making more, realy hepful.

[Totally Random Quiz]

others to play

Played. Messed up the author of the book. Tried again. Got to the q. asking who started the clock crew. Clicked SBC and lost (though I should have gotten a 'correct', surely.

Then I right-clicked my way to the end.

Man, that pic at the end is of one dirty cow! She looks like quite a feisty animal, eh?
_______________________________
_______________________________

+++ Randomness is kinda amusing.

--- The 'moo' bit is totally lame and just not fun if we were to do it properly.

- The time it takes to write '2' can niggle slightly on subsequent attempts.

-- I generally hate quizzes that force a restart.
In this case though, it seems you're doing that to be deliberately obnoxious.

+ The end pic is really nicely drawn. Though a little blurry when enlarged.

==
Not sure what your intentions were with this.

If it was to make a fun, enjoyable game for others to play, it didn't succeed with me.

I was mildly amused by some parts (title removed...) and the sense of satisfaction I got when I worked out the author of the introduction was great.

Generally though, it doesn't seem worth playing.

Element responds:

Okay, i cant do anything about the right click play, sorry, and orange clock actually started the clock crew, strawberry just inspired it.

sorry if you didnt enjoy it.

[Kevin Smith Quiz!]

bones

++ Some kinda interesting questions.

++ Decent mix of difficulties.

---- I hate the 'back-to-start' style quizzes. Instead, why not just keep track of our score?

--- When I lost, I wasn't sure what had happened. (Like the reviewer before wrote, tell use we lost.)

--- The way the music stops when we are about to start a new thing really irritates.

+ Kinda amusing clip.

==
A very bare-bones quiz. But kudos on the timing.

Billy-Bean responds:

Yeah, I don't have any "wrong answer" pages because I rushed a little to get it done on time. I might add it some other time when I have spare time on my hands.

[Futurama Quiz Game]

more hardcore (hardercore?)

Seemed a lot better than #2.

I could have sworn slurm was being vomited by the slug, but you're a far bigger nerd of the show than I.

+++ different pics for each q.

-- Text colour and placement isn't always well decided for clarity.

+++Enjoyed the textual feedback at the end. I got 4/10 on my first go, then had another 3 goes, getting 6, 9, then 10.

==
It kinda seems you got lazy for #2, making the questions more hardcore (hardercore?) but including less pics/text.

Kinda enjoyed this one.

bkdude responds:

the other 1 is cheatproof tho, you cant rightclick-forward.

[Futurama Quiz Game 2]

I got little

+++ seem like well researched questions (though I'm not enough of a fan to confirm their validity).

-- Seems a bit /too/ obscure. I mean, I'm not a massive futurama geek, but having watched most the episodes once or twice, I found I only knew one question (and all the 9 I guessed I got wrong).

----- Horrible noise for losing.

--- No info on the correct answers.

++ Instant feedback on performance.

+++ appropriate bgm and noises (though 'wrong' noise is too much of a punishment).

--- Screen size is way too small.

- Text going onto bg text looks a bit dodgy.

==
2/5.

A functional quiz, but I got little pleasure from it.

bkdude responds:

i put in the loud screaming on purpouse :-) its used to punish those who do not watch every episode of Futurama 5x times each >:(

[Mutants II]

through it

Played it. Initially skipped the text and intro animation, though after completion I decided to have a look. Played through to the end. Took me a while to understand how the items worked. Completed it, with a 'bad ending'. I have to ask - are there multiple endings?

+++ Core gameplay is fairly fun.

++++ The various items are fun and interesting to use.

++++ Weapon 5 is cool.

--- I think we should have more feedback for the items. I mean when we pick one up, have it so that it momentarily shows the number of items we now have of that sort.

--- If we could use ASDW for directions, that'd be more intuitive, specially with the other buttons used.

--- Core gameplay is a bit limited.

--- reincarnating enemies are annoying

-- I don't think you introduce the mechanics well enough. I think the first few screens should have been an ultra-easy tutorial for the mechanics. The whole thing with the items could have been better explained, I felt.

-- Quite a few typos and errors in the writing.

==
Cool game.

I enjoyed playing through it.

Toccuma responds:

The "bad - or if i may just release confusion on that, "negitive" ending" is due to to this being set before the first Mutants. *If* I ever make a third, it'll be set after that, possibly allowing then for a happy ending. But other than that you make some valid statements and suggestions,I'll note them if a third arrises, Thx o^-^o

[Save The Blobs (Level 1)]

at least

First, I'd just like to say that I note you haven't submitted anything for a long while. If you do ever read this review, I'd just love to know if you will ever treat us to more of your games.

I played this 2 or 3 years ago, but really wanted to play it again today.

It is an awesome game. The graphics are totally basic, with no walking animation and simplistic jumping, but it's fun and there's a good bit of strategy in there.

I played it 5 1/2 times today. Results below.

Fail (forgot about the time limit)
26x
28x
328 (I deliberately lost a life to gain 2 coins)
playing to admire your level, found the alarm clock
418

The system you have of 1-way doors, trapdoors and the various collectables makes the first part of the game a lovely area to explore and 'work out'.

I like the fact that you have these slippery slopes and stuff when you could've been boring and used 1-way doors for them, as far as the game mechanics are concerned. It does add visual interest.

In a way, the 'jerky animation' kinda makes the game more precise, putting the focus clearly on us working out which way to navigate etc. and not needing to worry so much about perfect timing.

The graphics are a bit crappy, but the game shines through.

One bit I don't like too much - on the boss, it took me a while to realie that repeatedly pressing the button was what was causing me to not kill him - as each time I pressed the button, the single laser restarted its path.

===
It's an awesome game. Well worth playing to completion at least.

It would be totally brilliant if you submitted any more stuff or maybe just replied, to say you're alive.

STay funky,
- Bez

whatafunnygeezer responds:

Hey Bezman!

Cheers for the nice long review! Glad you remembered my game after 3 years haha!

I agree the graphics are very shoddy... my style has improved a lot since then, as I've been doing an animation course at university. Have a look at bog standards, i made that for uni!

And if its fun exporing puzzle games your after, try my Lego Quest, if you havent already played it. I submitted that 3 years ago too, but they blammed it for some reason, so I re-submitted it today.

Have you played all 6 levels of save the blobs? They get harder!!

[The Flash Pong...]

coming back to it

This seems to be exactly the same game. And the mouse moves the paddle - not the buttons.

--------- Posting the exact same game twice is a shitty thing to do.
Though I'm mildly impressed you got these past judgement despite that...

+++ The multi-ball system makes it a bit different.

--- I found it confusing that I lost when it was 3-2 to me and I lost one more 'set'. If you actually mean we have 3 lives, just say so.

-- Starts off too hard. I feel that as a rule of thumb, anyone should be able to complete a first level on their first or 2nd go. I think I lost 0-3 on my first play-through.

===
I like a few things about this game, though won't be coming back to it.

yip-bla responds:

Hooray