Written By: Tyler Selig
Ludum
Dare is among us right now, and this is the first Ludum Dare since I started
the blog. I have to admit, I’m not usually as up on the submitted games as I
should be, often only playing one or two. This time, I’ve decided to just
randomly select a bunch of them and write short reviews.
For
those who are uninitiated to Ludum Dare, it’s basically an indie game online
festival where there is a theme, and developers from all over the world make
short games based around said theme and submit them. They are eventually then
voted on, and ta-da, you have your winners. This time it’s “you only get one.”
So here
we go.
One More Bullet
Get here: http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-28/?action=preview&uid=7388
Rating: 7.5/10
One
More Bullet takes you to the Wild West, placing you in a duel. One More Bullet
has a nice art-style, and wonderful music to set the mood, which is tense
because you wait until the screen says “Go” and then eventually a letter on the
keyboard pops up and you have to press it quickly or you get shot.
I didn’t read the instructions
so at first I didn’t know what to do. Once I found out, I realized that One
More Bullet hits exactly what it’s trying to do. Instead of just pressing a
button, it makes the simple premise more stressful by making you have to find
the key on the keyboard. It tests your typing, in a way.
The Only Journey
Get here: http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-28/?action=preview&uid=14665
Rating: 8/10
The premise here is that you
have to reach the end, and you only get a minute to do it. The catch is, you
only get one chance to do so. I have to say, this is a beyond solid game that
manages to play and bend your mind in the short period that it exists. I also
have to say that the song that plays is incredible and ends a sense of
atmosphere to the entire thing, which is really simple visually – it’s black
and white with rectangles and squares… not a whole lot going on but it’s
fitting because the game uses it in interesting ways.
You Will Fail
Get here: http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-28/?action=preview&uid=30512
Rating: 5.5
You Will Fail is a wave-based
shooter that has you defending yourself and your Core from a really eerie alien
head (seriously, it’s creepy). You only get one chance, one life but unlike The
Only Journey, you can just reload the thing and try again.
I have talked about the music in
every review so far, and I do it again here. It manages to be creepy and
other-worldly, much like the visuals. It adds to the effect.
The game is fun, but there are
some bugs that completely ruin the flow and makes me knock it down from at
least a 7. Whenever the alien is about to talk – in a nice touch, he basically
tells you how he’s going to kill you whenever you clear a wave -- the game
freezes. The developer commented on this as well, but it really bothers me that
it happens. The other issue is that sometimes, regardless of what platform you’re
on, it’ll just restart you at the bottom. It’s a jarring experience.
Even so, it is a fun game, and
without those bugs I’d be more favourable to it. This kind of thing is bound to
happen in jams where they only have a short period of time to create.
Sense
Rating: 8.5
Sense
is a short platformer with the idea that you can only use one sense – sight or
sound – at a time. It’s actually the first game of Ludum Dare 28 that I’ve
played that I wish would get fleshed out into a full game because it’s a neat
idea, and there’s real talent on display here.
I have to give props to the
sound, because the one song that plays is astounding. It’s so catchy and
fitting, lending a sense of menace as you walk through this dark caves avoiding
rocks, light and some strange dude at the end who just follows you.
Throughout the three levels, it
switches things up a little bit, but considering the game can be beaten in 10
minutes if you know what you’re doing, it’s expected that it doesn’t have a lot
of variety.
Apocalypse One
Get here: http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-28/?action=preview&uid=24574
Rating: 4
When I’m reviewing indie games,
I don’t like giving them negative reviews because I figure being indie is hard
enough as it is. I’ll still do it, but it hurts me more than giving a AAA title
a bad review.
Apocalypse One puts you in a
warzone, and you have to make your way to the landing zone while clearing out
the enemies. Very simple idea, but it’s just not done that well.
First of all, the way it plays
on the theme is that you can only choose one character at a time, but yet you
end up playing as all three anyway. Two of them are useless, the other one is
much better. This imbalance does my head in.
Aside from that, it’s just not
polished. I know, it was made quickly, but other games have a sense of polish
that this lacks. For example, at many points I’m trying to move and it just
stops, causing me to get shot. Or I can’t advance through a walkway right away.
I would avoid this one.
Super Rashomon RPG
Get here: http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-28/?action=preview&uid=12708
Rating: 8.5
Super Rashomon RPG is an
action-RPG that starts you off as a magic wielding knight, but there are
actually three different perspectives to choose from, and you unlock them as
you go. It’s an interesting idea, and one I wish more games would do.
It’s got simplistic gameplay,
but there’s a surprising amount of polish here for a game that was supposedly
made in 48 hours. It’s nice to see such talent on display, from the visuals to
the extremely catchy tunes, Super Rashomon RPG is a win.
One Night At The Space Opera
Get here: http://www.ludumdare.com/compo/ludum-dare-28/?action=preview&uid=29240
Rating: 3
The principle here is that you
choose three different actors, and you have to sing to the emperor to please
him. You have to follow the commands on the screen, but depending on what
actors you’ve chosen, you may not be able to do it correctly. I’m not sure I
like that idea that much, but my main problem is just that the game is annoying
and not that much fun.
The first time I played, I just
kind of did whatever, and the sound was so awful I proclaimed, “How do I get
out of this hell!”
I just can’t recommend this.
So what Ludum Dare games peaked your interest? What do you think are
the best? Let me know in the comments below, or hit me up on Twitter
@ArtBathednCrime.
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