Bezman's game Reviews on Newgrounds

[Doeo!]

The presentation really makes this shine.

Finally completed the game on hard (after maybe 6 attempts - 2 today, at least 4 yesterday). 46890

The world falls into place before our eyes. A desert is transformed into a vibrant grassland, with hills falling into place as if they were children's toys being dropped from just above the screen.

The train steams past, containing the Doeos; Doeos form curvaceous patterns in the sky...

The difficulty settings were exactly what they said on the tin - I tried 'easy' first, never feeling that I was in danger of failing, yet thanks to the style of the game I was forced to remain an active participant. Hard, on the other hand, really did feel like a challenge and kinda forced me to learn the patterns.

I played the flash you cited and feel yours is an improvement, thanks to the greater prevalence of changes within any area. Yours feel more alive - specially the commentator level when we fly up and the train level after the crash. Little things like buildings opening add up and the 'intro' at the start of level 1 certainly helps.

One mechanical improvement is that in your game, the Doeos seem to last for a more defined period of time - with a few exceptions, they remain on screen for roughly equal amount of time, the blue Doeos being a visual indicator that they will disappear sooner.

I'd have liked to see some visual indicator of when they'd disappear, or maybe have them all last EXACTLY the same length of time - with a one or two additional colours lasting differing times to give you freedom in design.

The mechanics are fairly standard when all's said and done, but your presentation really made this - the lovely graphics, the inventive world and the music.

It seemed a shame that the 'replay' screen seems to be like an afterthought, lacking the excellent graphic design sensibilities shown elsewhere.

One question - what's the 3rd flag? Blue with white circles. It seems to result in Japanese text...

raitendo responds:

a review from you is like a visit from an old friend, Bezman :)
I hadn't even thought about having them appear for exactly the same time - but now that you bring it up, it really makes sense, especially with the hard option.
The replay screen is, as you noticed, tucked on after the rest of the game was done. I'll do better next time, I promise!
The third flag is the official flag of Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It's in the Osaka dialect, not that it differs extremely much from ordinary Japanese but it's somewhat of a joke, I suppose. Hasn't helped it getting picked up by many Japanese sites yet though, but maybe it will come.
Thanks for the review!

[Cavern Dodger]

Nowhere near as good as the original.

9353

I don't feel like being able to go forwards and back adds anything to this game - maybe even detracts from it.

Having to tap forwards from time to time isn't really an interesting challenge, just one more thing we have to do. It did mean that thin caverns became easier, but that in turn negated the challenge of succesfully rising/falling to the correct height like in the original version of this game.

As a result of that and low frequency of spikes, though I did die, it never seemed like it was getting particularly hard. I really wouldn't want to sit through that lengthy cakewalk again to beat my score.

Still, at least it works OK and the graphics look decent enough.

2/5

gspschmid responds:

I suppose the non-fixed character really created some of the problems, so I agree - I should really get a better solution for that. Thanks for the input!

[Tic Tac Toe Cubed]

Unbalanced. Work on the rules&mechanics.

6-6, 6-3, 7-1. I started a couple of games trying to get the computer to not get any lines, but it doesn't seem possible.

This was an interesting twist on the classic game, but I prefer 'normal' 3D knots and crosses (4x4x4, get 4 in a row).

With this game, going first is too much of an advantage and for me that sorta ruined the game. Maybe a game should be comprised of 2 rounds - you start, then they start - and the points added up? Or maybe you could work out a points system (say 10*yourScore-5*their score) and we'd be playing to maximise that? Or use a handicap? Or fill the central space wih a neutral colour (or 'wildcard')?

The 3D bit was fairly impressive (even though I couldn't get it to rotate upwards, if you see what I mean) and the coding seemed fairly solid.

The graphic design could certainly be improved, but I think you've got to first sort out the mechanics.

This could be a great game.

-Review Request Club-

CaptinChu responds:

I like the wildcard/neutral idea. I'll think about its implementation.

[Evasion - Tequila]

I really enjoyed playing this.

Yep, it's a simple avoider. However, the crazy objects really livened it up for me.

The sfx for running is a bit annoying.

The objects fall in an odd way - kinda moving in steps rather than smoothly - although it does add to the 'drunken' feel.

I liked the addition of lasers. It did add a bit of strategy, deciding when best to use them. I think maybe they should have been a little wider though? On a couple of occasions, I fired a laser, kept totally still, but still got killed by an object that the laser didn't eliminate.

The comments were fun, but you need more.

The ranks add to the fiero element - I'm sure I'd be well happy if I got an A! But do all the messages have to be so negative?

Essentially, the crazy shenanigans totally made this game for me. I loved how it was synched with the music and the dancing men in sombreros totally made it for me.

Maybe add better graphics and tweak the mechanics a bit.

I played it maybe 7 times and could only get A-.

7.5/10
You gave this submission a vote of "5"
-Review Request Club-

MinusNick responds:

Ga-WHA!!! A FIVE!!! Holy crap I love you!!! Ahem *Composure*
I originally made the objects fall at a constant speed, but that looked dumb. This way was better; trust me. I'll edit in wider lasers tomorrow; thanks for that suggestion!
Thanks a lot for the review and high score!!!

[Stabika: 99 Red Balloons]

Fun, but not as good as the icon.

Nice game. Fun idea and the minds and balloons were drawn nicely.

I enjoyed playing it a few times, though I'm not very good. 107,106,???, 97 and 98s.

I felt the central figure should have been omitted. Unlike the balloons and mines, it wasn't drawn very well and in my opinion brought the game down a notch graphically. Also, having a big object getting in the way of our clicking didn't make it more strategic or whatever - just a bit annoying. Specially when I was left with one fast-rising ballon that appeared for half a sec above his head, then vanished for a while...

I think you should take off the bevelling on the 'balloons left' bar. Filters do use proceessor power and this game does lag pretty badly - it sorta juttered for me whilst I was playing instead of everything moving at a steady rate (and my processor is 2GHz). Maybe also removing the scrolling bg would help slightly?

I actually think without the bevelled text, it'd be visually stronger and when we can see the information graphically, it's not really necessary to tell us again with text.

The last complaint I'll make is regarding the fact that you can click to restart by accident. In any game that encourages frantic clicking, I think there should be maybe a 2s delay before the buttons appear on the end frame. I think my best game was game 3, but will never know the score.

Not as great as I thought it'd be after seeing the awesome icon, but a fun little minigame nonetheless.

The songs are - of course - beyond reproach.

-Review Request Club-

Matt-Porter responds:

Thanks for the in depth review. I can see some of your points here and agree with most. I myself made this computer on a duel 5600 AMD processor so I honestly didn't see the slow down and the idea completely skipped my mind as I said a few reviews down. I did however add in a quality button to compensate for this after a review mentioned the lag such as yours.

Anyway, again the main point of this game was really just to be a virtual poster, letting fans and non fans of the stabika series alike know that after nearly half a year, stabika 3 is done and about to be released. It really was me just playing a prank on Millz and us laughing, then we recently decided to polish it up a tiny bit and submit it for the above reason.

Well, thanks for the review and for the constructive criticism.

[NG Preloader: The Game2.5]

trial-and-error.

I got to the level with 4spinning blue bars (and nothing else but static blue). Idecided to give up at that point.

I've played a few of these sorts of games and my main beef is that it all seems to be just a test of continuing to click. Trial and error if you will. Despite you implying that the correct button has some visual distinction, I find that hard to believe when sometimes a grey button progressed me, sometimes a yellow.

So we have a game that's just about trial and error and I consider that a pretty poor show.

If you actually had differences betwen the buttons (maybe the correct button is always the same size, but false buttons are smaller/larger/have reversed text/altered shapes/embossed text etc.) it might be a cooler game - a game of observation rather than blind perseverence.

Some levels I saw were kinda pretty and I like that you introduced moving stuff.

But your game needs a serious rethink to make it more than trial-and-error.

-Review REquest Club-

Chaz-o responds:

No.

Simply No.

[NG Tutorials: B/P Pts]

sentation was abo

I like your bg and the classic audio track works well here.

Text is all fairly nicely laid out and readable.

The actual content - I would suggest starting with an overview of what B/P points actually are. It'll help folk who don't understand what they're looking at. Also, with tutorials I think it's good to spend a sentence or paragraph describing what you're about to cover. That way, folk can decide if the subject interests them and whether it's worth their time.

The actual content - I disagree with the whole philosophy of 'voting based on predictions'. I strongly feel that folk should vote based on percieved quality - otherwise you're just furthering the corruption of the system.

I know you spent a paragraph touching on the morality of the subject, but it wasn't very clear and by even writing this tutorial it seems clear where you stand.

The fact that you'll get a blam point if it's stolen and deleted by admins is interesting and one I didn't know. You didn't really explain it properly though - it could have used further explanation. I assume we don't get points for saves in that instance, but it's worth clarifying.

Anyway, the presentation was above par, the subject is one I'd disagree with and I felt the writing could have used a bit more clarity at times. Also a better (textual) intro.

- Review Request Club -

Sispri responds:

Thanks anyway.

[Pushies Plus 2]

I just didn't enjoy the mechanics as they were.

The game kinda felt a bit random to me. I managed 124 seconds on insane with power-ups, 48s without. I kinda just felt that the basic action - with blocks flying faster than our mind can really comprehend and our avatar moving through blocks that are meant to push it - kinda often feels like 'push and hope. Sure, I understand that the optimum strategy would be to move towards sparser areas, move around obstacles... but having stuff move through us kinda makes a mockery of that and I guess I just felt the gameplay was a bit shallow.

The graphics were cool though and I liked the way you had various designs and colours. The general aesthetic and music was cool too.

I just didn't enjoy the mechanics as they were.

ETERNALGAM3R responds:

The game isn't for everyone. Some people like it some people just don't and I respect both sides evenly.

Although I would like to disagree with you on the 'shallow' gameplay. I think its what you make of the game that really brings it out. Its more the experience that you have when you play the game that I was looking for and I seemed to capture it with most people.

I would agree with one thing though. Its pretty basic and does get boring. I'm trying to add more player engagement and more diversity in the next one. Hopefully I'll win you over, lol.

Thanks for the review.

[Ballmaze]

an obstacle rather than to entertain us.

I could only be arsed playing through 'normal' mode. I felt that the earlier levels were a bit too samey - having no traps other than static walls - and though there were some great ideas - I loved the 'frogger'-type level and the idea of the circles that unlock things - I kinda felt there were too many levels that were just put up as an obstacle rather than to entertain us.

Maybe it's just not my kind of game, but I'd like a bit more variety in levels I play and more emphasis on varied fun rather than 'hard fun' as it were.

Also, a record of lives lost and time taken would be cool.

The levels actually looked rather nice when you introduced the circular walls, but graphic design could have been far improved.

About half-way through, I got really frustrated and just cheated through the remainder of the levels.

The tutorial 'broke' when I first hit a wall - the circle started appearing INSIDE the wall and I needed to restart the game. Trying the classic mode on pro proved too hard and I needed to restart to try an easier difficulty. Trying on Noob, I couldn't work out how to win (I collected all collectibles and nothing happened...).

You've got some good ideas here, but I think you need to polish it all a bit, maybe make the game more player-friendly.

Kalimor responds:

Thanks for the advice, and I'd agree with you on quite a few points there:
1) I wanted to make a record of lives and time - the code is actually in there, but I couldn't quite get it to work (yes I know this is really basic stuff - probably just a missing word in the code)
2) I would improve the graphics, but the entire game took me over a year (not all at once lol!) to make, and my skills improved so much after that time that I honestly couldn't read my own early code and just wanted to get rid of it, and start anew.
3) The broken tutorial is because of the scaling problems
4) Noob mode not working is probably for the same reason
5) Pro mode is too hard. I am the only person who has ever completed it to my knowledge.
6) I made Classic mode long before I made any of the rest of the game, (hence the name) so everything there is much more messily coded, and less imaginative. As this is my first real game, I only really focused on the normal mode, as I had no real skills to speak of while making Classic mode :)

But thanks for the advice - I'm planning to make a sequel, and it will be taken on board.

[Button Masher]

Time-leecher.

Despite the twist you implemented (we lose if we stop clicking - nice stuff) this really has no element of skill, any high score seems just a measure of how much time we're prepared to waste.

Personally, I despise these games with neither challenge, nor any 'juicy' responses. It just seems like a chance to leech our time, giving us no new experiences.

If you maybe had a meter to show how long we had before another click AND made it so each click had less time before we'd lose AND you sorted out the highscore problem (as soon as we click submit, take the movie to a new frame where the button isn't present) then it'd maybe be a mildly interesting test of button mashing.

Currently, it's just a measure of how much time we're prepared to throw away.

aquaticmole responds:

All games are really a test of how much time your willing to throw away. :7

As for this game. It was just a little project I decided to make just for the hell of it.

Thanks for the review, and remember. Stay classy.

^___^