Recent reviews by Random-storykeeper

Neutronized said that Shovel Pirate calls back to the Neutronized games of the past. While this does play like one of their older Flash games, I think Shovel Pirate does a great job at capturing that charm and presentation of older Neutronized games while polishing up the elements to enhance the things that didn't stand out as much. For example, the enemies have a little bit more to them than only walking back and forth on a platform. Some can be utilized as platforms once killed. Some can be dug out of the ground. Monkeys can be defeated with their own baseball. In later parts of the game, you can push enemies back to trigger traps so they don't trigger on you. The game even plays around with layers, allowing you and enemies to go behind walls (sadly not at the same time).

Shovel Pirate is a very quick and straightforward sort of game. You wander through a single level, equipped with a shovel, and your goal is to hit the flag pole with the shovel at the end. There are gems you can collect - three in each level, along with one optional collectible per level that can be dug out of the ground. You can also find a map item in every level (except the first), which marks the general location of all the gems. Honestly it was more helpful in tracking which gems I found within a level than it was leading me to them. In later levels, I just started digging up most of the dirt which you can generally get by. Some clods might bring up enemies, but since they get pushed back when dug up, they aren't really a nuisance.

The collection of all gems is required to unlock the ending. I don't really think that's a spoiler, as collection requirements to unlock levels and endings have been present in Neutronized games ever since they started porting their games to mobile. I would mention the annoyance of designing an achievement for a "bad ending" being to not collect all gems (thus forcing you to erase your progress), but that is also only on mobile which is just a relief. For future games, I really hope the addition of bad endings is more reliant on like going a different route within a level or performing an action that can be performed multiple times even if you've already gotten the good ending. Players just don't know that NOT collecting all gems is a requirement to get that bad ending and some people just instinctively try to go for all items on their first playthrough. I only avoided gems because I knew that's how bad endings are set up for Neutronized games, but that still doesn't make for a good general playing experience. But I digress!

Graphics look amazing as always and it feels so good to play a Neutronized game on a controller. The player character reminds me a bit of Snow Tale, and the initial version of that game was an absolute slog on the controls. In Shovel Pirate, I could tell that Neutronized has really improved their controls over time and I don't think player movement was ever something I had a huge issue with (again, this is a different story on the mobile version). The movement felt very fluid and it didn't feel like moving was a slog. Perhaps this is also a testament to the game's performance on my laptop but I think the controls were actually a standout for me.

If you've ever played an older Flash platformer kind of like Nitrome where it's just a linear set of levels with optional collectibles and gems, this might be something worth checking out. I loved playing this on a controller with full-screen just immersed in the environment and this plays way better than it does on mobile, where shovelling near a ladder can be...well, unintentional. The levels aren't super difficult but I think the level design is pretty solid overall and I did feel that sense of difficulty increasing on my first playthrough. However, even with getting all gems and collectibles, you will probably be able to clear this game in under an hour. I didn't really mind it in relation to the price of roughly $4 CAD - I felt like I had a short experience that was full of quality and as a person who does not really have a lot of full time on her hands, I think this game is a great way to relax after a long day at work. All the achievements (as of writing this) are pretty easy to get and you will probably just unlock them anyway by naturally playing the game, defeating all enemies and digging up all piles of dirt. I had a great time playing Shovel Pirate and as a fan of Neutronized since around 2011, I'm really excited to see what other games they'll come out with next (hopefully all of them will be on Steam!!).

Although this game starts out exactly like the freeware version, I think there's enough changes along the way that I personally felt like it was worth the price. At the very least, I like seeing how the art is updated over the course of the normal route, and I appreciated the controller support and ability to auto-run (I mean sure, these are things you could probably have set up in some fancy way with the freeware version, but it's nice that this game has it built in). I almost wonder why this game has an auto-run option in the first place - I've never really encountered any instance of the game where I absolutely had to walk. Running all the way!

Beating the true ending gets you access to the Extra mode, and it seems like this mode is specifically designed to flip everything you were familiar with in regards to the original game upside down. It was definitely a lot scarier, particularly in regards to the chase scenes, where my finicky fingers kept overshooting doors. Hmm maybe that's when walking would be best...although I had trouble finding the controller equivalent of what the shift key does.

I do like that there's some updated art even in the Extra mode that wasn't in the, well, already updated original game. There are some nice details that I don't recall being in the freeware, like the yellow flowers gradually eating their cake.

I'm not sure if I appreciate all the additional chase sequences in this one. A lot of them kind of felt unnecessary, but I think I would get used to them more if I were to pick up this version again. I do like some of the changes to the puzzles and seeing a more in depth appearance of enemies that I normally wouldn't have seen in the original.

Also, in Extra mode, going into the room with the skull spiral after re-entering when activating the lever just makes me laugh every time. It's a skull party!

So yeah, I felt like I had a good experience overall, as a casual fan of the original.

When I first heard that Gunbrick: Reloaded was going to be Nitrome's next Steam release, I was kind of disappointed and not super looking forward to it. Having played the game all the way through (minus the pocket game levels), I can say I quite thoroughly enjoyed it. Gunbrick is one of Nitrome's best concepts, and the additional levels add another dimension to the gameplay, quite literally to speak.

The game uses Gunbrick SD - the one originally released as a mobile game - as a base. The levels play out the same way they did in that version, with a few minor alterations. Certain levels have green SD pickups that you can collect to unlock a bonus isometric level. Their locations start out pretty obvious, but in later stages, can be concealed quite well. After you beat the level you obtain a card in, you have the option of immediately going to the bonus level you unlocked. Beating that bonus level then brings you back to the main levels.

Having this setup was a good idea for both new players and those who have played the game before alike. It allows for a nice detour in between the super familiar stuff, and the concept of allowing Gunbrick to rotate on an extra plane provides more mind-bending puzzles and sometimes confusing controls. I think it's more because I wasn't familiar with an isometric setup, but I can only execute the controls for the isometric levels properly when I don't think about them too hard. This can be an issue because the isometric levels can get pretty mind bending. The boss level in particular was very challenging since you had the extra pressure of not getting hit and resetting all your progress immediately. Fortunately, there are enough safe spots that allow you to step back and think for a moment.

The isometric levels have new music as well. It cohesively fits in with the main Gunbrick music while providing a distinctive tone that gives the feeling of being in another dimension, which is perfect given that these levels seem to take place...on the Internet? It's amazing given that the isometric level tracks and the main game tracks are done by two different composers, and you can alternate between these two types of levels frequently when first playing through the game. I'm in love with the second track of these levels; it has a really strange off-beat drum that always sounds like the percussion is trying to kickstart itself. Everything in that track seems off, actually, but it still manages to hold itself together beatwise. The third track has that classic Dave Cowen motif inserted into it and follows close behind my favourite.

I never really did play through the entirety of the mobile Gunbrick, so Gunbrick: Reloaded gave me a chance to experience the game in its entirety, with the extra bonus levels interspersed all the way through. I think there's a whole lot of content in the new isometric levels that even if players are quite familiar with the Gunbrick series, the extra levels will justify its price. Along with this is the added bonus of the original icon game, which you unlock after you beat the boss in the isometric levels. Even though this version of Gunbrick is free to play on the Nitrome website, I'm glad it's been preserved on Steam now for the end of Flash.

While I do hope to see some original Nitrome Steam games in the future, I do hope that Nitrome will bring all of their browser Flash games onto Steam. I understand that a couple of them have mobile ports already, but it's like, a handful out of hundreds of their games. Given their versatile nature, it would be a shame to lose access to all those browser games especially once Flash support is dropped (and Nitrome games are removed off Flashpoint).

I've been waiting to play this for over a year, and I'm glad Nitrome has finally come out with their first in-house Steam game. Despite its frustrations, Bomb Chicken left an overall positive impression on me. I beat the entire game using a gamepad controller, and it felt fantastic.

(I want to clarify that my current time spent on the game is not truly reflective on how much I played the game - I would say maybe 5 or 6 hours would be the amount it took me to beat the main part as a whole. The rest of that time was going back to find the secrets, and I also left it running in the background a lot to record the music.)

The one thing I really appreciate about this game is how much Nitrome utilizes the bomb mechanic. The game is level based, and a lot of the levels introduce new mechanics that influence the way you'll use your bombs. Sometimes, they're used to help you break blocks or doors and destroy enemies. Other times, they're used as shields to protect you from oncoming hazards or to take the hit from a bullet being fired at you. And of course, bombs replace your chicken's ability to jump, allowing you to cross gaps or reach higher areas. With the quick responsiveness of the controls, the bombs work as both a puzzle and an action platformer mechanic, and both are prominent in a good number of levels.

Many different hazards and enemies are introduced throughout each of the levels, most of which only appear in a certain set and aren't really seen again. This helps to keep things fresh and challenge the way you use the bombs. Towards the end, the game definitely ramps up to being more of a challenging platformer where you need crazy good timing and what feels like near precision with how and when you place your bombs. Some rooms almost made me rage, but upon passing them, man did it ever feel good. For the most part, though, I think the levels had just the right amount of difficulty. The hard sections generally came from trying to collect all the gems and going into the level blind not fully understanding how some of the mechanics or gimmicks in the level worked.

I've completed the main game, but I haven't found all the gems and secrets yet. There's a lot of pretty well hidden secrets so far, and the puzzles within those secrets are quite clever.

The music complements the game very well - I love how there's two different versions of the same track for each level "set". When you start hearing the strings and other instrumentation bits kicking in, you know that you're in for something big. Most of it is dark and sets the mood fine. I suppose it's not music you can really hum; it's more there to add to the atmosphere, but I think it made sense given the overall tone of this game - it feels more serious than say, Gunbrick on mobile.

If I had any issues with the game, I think it's with the lives system. Not that I hate it necessarily - it didn't give me that much trouble in the grand scheme of things - but I really wish you didn't lose lives in the boss levels.

To clarify, each level spans multiple rooms. The game doesn't give you health - you die in one hit from any hazard or enemy - but you'll respawn in the same room you died in, thus losing a life (unless you die in the room you start in). When you lose all lives, you have to start at the very beginning of the level. For a lot of the normal levels, this is fine; it gets me to practice going through some of the tough parts and try to develop a consistent strategy. But for the boss levels, it's just one room you go through to get to said boss. When you die during the battle, you start from the beginning of the fight anyway, so it seems pointless to have your lives drained to zero and then be forced to go through that starting room again. The bosses were already pretty challenging on my first encounter. :P

I also had some issues pertaining to this game's performance, however, I wonder if it's just to do with my computer. Whenever I pause the game for the first time after booting it up, it freezes for quite a long time. Also when I take a screenshot of the game via Steam's F12 feature, the game doesn't recognize my menu navigation commands on the pause screen. For instance, when I took a screenshot, I paused the game and tried to turn down the music. When I went to the volume slider, I was only able to adjust the volume by one increment, and the rest of the buttons just wouldn't respond. On the menu itself too, I was only able to go to the Options, and I couldn't even quit the game. The controls seemed to be responsive when playing the game itself; it was just the user interface that started acting up after I took a screenshot.

So yeah, besides those issues, Bomb Chicken was very hard, but when I beat it, it was so satisfying. I felt like it was worth the price I paid for it, and I'm super excited to receive the physical PS4 version. I'd recommend it if you enjoy platformers with a mix of puzzle challenges and tight timing and navigation. I was really satisfied as a long time fan of Nitrome.

I'll admit: I pretty much never cry at sad movies, video games, whathaveyou. Even with To the Moon, I felt sad, but didn't cry.

But this game broke me.

The game is practically everything a good follow-up game should be, and then some. The one thing I liked so much about To the Moon was how small the story was - which sounds weird, but it seemed like the main focus, in that game, was kept to two people just doing their job. Finding Paradise also keeps the focus on the patient and his life, but also starts to address some additional outer plot points encountered in the minisodes and heck, even at the end. It gives you a wonderful story and still leaves you waiting eagerly for the next release.

Also, the banter between everyone was just fantastic. The chemistry between Neil and Eva is impeccable, as are Neil's humourous intentions. And some scary imagery, too! Faye with the blacked out eyes, mouth and tentacles...

It seems as though this game does give you enough information that you don't have to play To the Moon first before playing this game. I do, however, recommend doing so, along with the minisodes, if possible. With A Bird Story, yes, this main character is the patient (don't think I'm giving anything away there), though unlike To the Moon and this, doesn't really have a lot of gameplay and no dialogue at all. I actually really did like A Bird Story, but after playing Finding Paradise, I do appreciate it more. It's not absolutely necessary to play A Bird Story to understand what's going on in Finding Paradise, but it might help to set things up in terms of the plot. Or maybe just leave you with more questions...

One thing I would mention that I didn't like is that I was experiencing a pretty low framerate for a good portion of the game. There's quite a few more instances of control-heavy moments in Finding Paradise that were very hard to control due to this. Switching to the beta "alternative" seems to aid in a smoother, more fluid performance, though.

Man it was hard to put this game down. I almost stayed up the entire night to finish this. Highly recommended.

I normally can't stand these sort of random encounter battle games, but I have to say, Undertale's humour and charm made it completely bearable, and at times, even fun.

I haven't completed the game fully yet, but from where I'm at, I can say that you do get a LOT more content, even if you have played the demo. The new tracks? Beautiful. The humour? Hilarious! Sans and Papyrus are spot on funny.

There are puzzles, albeit not too difficult. Lots of different paths, it seems. The fighting sequences seem to change up just enough, and there seem to be a lot less frequent random encounters than in the demo? which I do enjoy.

Anyways, BUY THIS GAME (and its soundtrack) ;) .

I got this game on sale for 60% off its original price, and thought that was worth the experience. The entire game took me about an hour and a half to beat, albeit with a few pauses to chat with a Steam friend.

The game is extremely focused on delivering its story and puts the "game" element on the backburner. You're really only there to help push the story along with the press of a key or using the arrows to make the character walk from point A to point B. If anything, I wish the character's movement could have been faster; it was a little sluggish but the game tries to compensate by directly transitioning into the important locations so you don't have to constantly walk the same paths with no events occurring. A Bird Story makes some smart choices on how to set up the scenes to convey the story without having to use words.

The stylistic choice of portraying the characters was interesting: every character except the boy, the birds and the badger are silhouettes. I'm not sure if this was to achieve a minimal style, but it did seem a little odd.

Art and music are top notch. There's one point where you get to see several overhead scenes, and it's just very pretty and breathtaking at some points. Flying on the paper airplane to find the nests was by far the best scene in the game. The music is playful, beautiful and soulful. It fits perfectly with the sound effects and colours.

If you take the game as an interactive silent film than a typical game, the experience is more enjoyable. If you just care about the gameplay, then this isn't really a game that will entertain you. For me, I don't mind games that can deliver on story and have minimal gameplay, so overall, I had a good experience. Not sure if I'd replay it again anytime soon, but I'm glad to have purchased this game at the sale price, at least.