Bezman's game Reviews on Newgrounds

[toss]

thing and hope

Shocked that this got blammed originally.

------- Sound starting automatically. Don't do that. Some folk like to load stuff whilst doing other things.

++++ Joyful gfx/colours.

+++++ Motion of man.

--- In 'tutorial' level, text is a tad too small.

-- Level 3 ( the first one with the blue platform on the far right) seems a bit hard considering it's position in the game. Maybe make the platform a tad wider for that level?

-/2 The different configurations of moving obstacles don't affect the game all that much. And we can just fling the dude over the top of the screen and not worry about them.

+++ Levels are sufficiently varied to promote interest and those obstacles are interesting though.

Maybe you could add more messages? Add a message for after each level and maybe some for when you lose.

---- Timer is buggered - counts from when the game was opened. Instead, it should reset when you start the game. So if you play twice it only counts the time spent playing the most recent game.

- Font for lives counter seems a bit small. Also the font you use is a bit boring at odds with the dynamic feel of everything else.

++++ Cheery, upbeat, uptempo loops.

-- Though in-game loop seems too short. More of a menu loop. Maybe pick a longer one?

==
I concentrated on the negative points to help you improve it if you want.

I didn't have as much fun this time, but that's mainly because I'd already completed it all.

Definitely a cool thing and hope you continue to work on it (maybe a sequel with a new set of levels... maybe introducing some static obstacles so we need to get him through a thin gap?) whether it passes or not.

Anyway, stay funky and keep up the good work.

- Bez

onlyproductions responds:

whoah i prolly wont read that all but thanx

[Zelda: Game of Chance]

a short spell

Started game. Talked to you, didn't realise that there were 2 text thingies. Got rupees, went back down to 0, went up to 115, quit at 112.

Read comments, was annoyed I didn't get the codes I could've, started again, played hard, stopped after a few goes.

+++ Saving our highscore.

-- Only one is saved, rather than one for each difficulty.

+++ Gfx well cut and fonts fit well.

+++ Cool tune.

- No volume bar.

---- Ultimately pointless

+++ Though you try to give it a point with the passwords, etc.

--- I seriously think you should alert people when they've gotten a new password. It'd be great to have a big message pop up, like you or your gal could 'shout' over to Link and say to come and get the password. And maybe even tell us how many rupees are left till the next pass.

==
Enjoyed it for a short spell. Won't be playing again probably, but it made me smile. Ta.

Henry187 responds:

Thanks for all that feedback. =)

There are four passwords, though: one is mentioned in the game's commentary, one has a riddle spoken by me in the game (if you talk to me), and the last two are obtained when you reach a certain score. Judging by your score, you should've gotten a pop-up of the two riddles (unless I forgot about something while fixing the coding, just a little bit ago).

One highscore per difficulty isn't a bad idea to impliment. I may add that to the game soon.

[Newgrounds Atom Finder]

remains a bit

+++ Great-fitting music.

++ Nice presentation.

+++ unusual

---- But slightly boring premise.
Maybe you could could add some facts to help people realise how much it is. Like: for 1E23: if you were to count them all, 1 each second, that'd take over 3179690680000000 years! By that time, the sun will have exploded and life on Earth will be dead.

Maybe you could have added a periodic table to help people who can't remember all the elements?

Maybe added a snippet of info: e.g. carbon: found in many pencils, diamond and coal! Carbon is a chameleonic element!

That kinda stuff may help it 'come to life'.

==
Works well, but remains a bit dull.

64 responds:

Those are some pretty good ideas.

[Baziks-Flash Tutorial]

I feel a tutorial

Quick review:

++++ Awesome music.

+++ Info present and correct.

--- Some badly organised textual info

--- Why suddenly pick that slightly-hard-to-read curly font for the last bit?

-- Incongruity between self-made 'screenshots' and actual screenshots.

- messy gfx. Only really matters re: arrows.

==
Could teach someone, but it's not nearly as well presented as I feel a tutorial should be.

Explain responds:

Messy graphics? :(

I did my best.. lol

Really though, I cant draw much better lol...

[Ball Swap]

sure other may

---- Seen this game many times before.

- I couldn't finish it though I'll assume that that's my ineptitude rather than it being impossible to win (giving you the benefit of the doubt.)

Still, multiple difficulty levels, or maybe the option of some smaller/easier levels would be nice.

++ tense bgm fits mood.

+++ Impressed at anyone who can code this.

==
I quit after a few minutes, but am sure other may have more fun. Or maybe it is an evil joke and it's impossible. Hmmm?

jogo55227 responds:

No I've tested it, and it works fine...

[Tadpole]

vectors but don't think

+++ Loved the design of the characters. Cute. Specially like the plankton.

+++ Cool tune.

---- Little or no variation as game progresses.

------- Our score isn't reset to 0 when we start a new game - we start with the score we finished.

--- No reason to bump into the starry thing unless it's right on a plankton.

++ Simple to understand gameplay.

==
Enjoyed seeing the vectors but don't think it's really worth any extended playtime.

Maybe you could have starry things sorta scroll left to right, with various movements... starting off, they could move in a straight line, then drifting in one direction, then moving up and down, homing in on you at the y-direction, maybe changing size...

and the plankton should probably be on the left half then.

Anyway, hope you take this further. The cool characters, even if 'inspired' by Electroplankton, should be used again.

DeInfierno responds:

im planing on adding new badies and some alternate gameplay, but im not great with actionscript.

[LePussé in Paris]

probably won't be

+++ Great gfx. Love the simple retro graphics style.

++ amusing story.

---- In the first level, though a nice introduction for movement and controls, it takes too long for what amounts to only slog.
I'd prefer it if there were fewer pieces to collect or if the LePusse ran faster.

----- In the louvre, I couldn't get the TNT to blow. I went to the switches, flicked them to the right, then went back and it still wouldn't blow. I went to the left to see if I'd missed anything. Went to the right and I now couldn't move past the first switch. Tried TNT again. No result.

-- I'd prefer it if we could vary the jumps.

+++ Great music. Though just short loops, they fit the mood well and and fairly crisp.

==
I gave up after the problem in level 2 and probably won't be returning.

The gfx are super but this has some issues to be sorted I feel.

Peturo responds:

oh its a shame you couldnt make it past level 2, i have the Cheats in there if you would like to see the rest of the game. I think it is unfair to review a game when you have not seen the whole thing. there is not a bug with the TNT though i have checked, you have to HOLD DOWN "D" at the piller... flicking the switches opens the door,

It is a Action/Puzzle/Adventure game so its understandable that you might run into some troubles trying to figure out what to do..

[Growth Homicide]

catch up

Started on easy. Got all items. Started on hard. Got power wave. Played a couple more rounds, decided to quit.

++ Attrition is kinda addictive, specially when we have unknown goodies to work towards.

+++ Pumping music sets high tempo well.

++ Cool BG

- Core mechanic of simply clicking is a tad dull.

---- Even on hard, we can get the power wave without /too/ much trouble. After that, we can get by for a while, simply clicking in the centre.

----- Nothing really lies beyond that attrition.

==
I enjoyed it to begin with, but without any sign of an end, a forced rethink of tactics or a difficulty curve to catch up and prove more challenging, there was no point going on.

At the end, I almost feel like there was little point beginning. It's not a bad game, but is like too many others and really lacks variety.

Maybe you could have added some other enemies that look different, move slower, and take more than one hit to kill. Maybe another kind that simply moves faster. Then maybe another that moves in before spawning regular cells...

These kinds of alternate enemies would help give it the diversity and depth it so sorely needs.

Over-Kill responds:

Thanks for the ideas.

[Classic Balloon Fight]

the trip

Played fight mode. Got 23xx. Played trip mode 2x. First time, I swear there was no path at all through the spikes. Played fight mode again, getting 25xx.

-- The pre-loader screen is horrible and doesn't fit the style/colours elsewhere.

+++ I like the idea of a limited-length fight mode. Good for the web market.

+++ Great bg info

++ instructions screen

-- I found that the fight mode seems to always be identical.

--- The randomised trip mode can sometimes be spaced in a way that doesn't let you pass.

--- 2 control methods. Why?

--- No high score saved.

==
Had fun, but this could still be improved a fair bit.

Already a good game, though the trip mode seems pants.

tank2tank responds:

Thanks for giving all the pros and cons. I'll bear it in mind when making the sequel. I think I'll drop the mouse control method, and I can't fix the major problem with trip mode, so I might drop that aswell.
But don't worry cos I've got an AWESOME idea of a new mode to put in the sequel. You WILL NOT be disappointed.

[Syncing the darn audio]

could use more

++ Cool bgm loop

++ Good intentions

--- Some instructions aren't really clarified. In step 2, I assume we're still working with streamed sound. But it'd be nice if it were stated.

--- Some stuff isn't really explained. I don't understand how tips 3 or 4 help. I don't understand why tip #2 would ever go out of synch when the Flash Player is meant to drop frames to ensure it keeps in synch with the (now silent) audio.

==
Nice idea for a tutorial but could use more explanations and bg info.

allemansing responds:

Thanks for your review.
In step #2, you are supposed to keep a silent loop in the background to create constant audioflow. Im not saying you should delete your other audio, it just helps the flash player keep in sync with the non-muted audio.
#3 simply gets the movie back in sync. I dont know why, but it seems like flash tends to slip out of synch the longer it plays, and actionscript kind of restarts it.
#4: Movie Clips play on time, unlike offsync audio.
Clear? if not, be sure to email me.