Independent Casual Games

Recently I played Envirobear 2000, Cream Wolf and VVVVVV.

I would have to say I liked VVVVVV, by Terry Cavanagh, the best. It took the simple platformer style game into something innovative and interesting. Having the player alternate between upside-down and right-side-up not only added an extra level of challenge but it made the game stand out - something that all designers need to strive for in this ever-evolving industry.It just made me think that extra little bit more than the general platformer. It was reminiscent ofPsychosomnium in the sense that it added the facet of thought-provoking navigation. These mechanics, coupled with the fast-paced gameplay made for an extremely enjoyable experience. One other thing that Cavanagh added was constant checkpoints to allow the player a nearly seamless gameplay experience. Bravo!

Cream Wolf by Adult Swim Games was alright. The best part of it was the nostalgic feeling I got because it reminded me of PacMan. And, while it kept me amused, I didn’t think that it pushed any level of new “mechanics”. I lost interest after about three rounds of avoiding cars and eating children. The idea was fun but the gameplay lacked nuance.

Envirobear 2000. Hmmm. I think I literally pressed every button on my keyboard and mouse and was still unable to made the car go forward. I changed from drive to reverse, I threw the timer around the car, I tried to press the pedals and I roared in frustration (in game, of course). I also read the readMe file which didn’t say anything about how to ACCELERATE. And the “click to drive” on the menu screen only helped me turn the steering wheel. My incompetency certainly ruined the experience for me. And I feel stupid. Apparently I’m the only one, though, because everyone else seemed to love it.

However, I did manage to get rammed by other cars driving around and even got enough momentum to run into a bush and savagely eat all the strawberries. This amused me. But then I went back to being angry at the game until snow whited out my screen and I quit, reluctantly and resentfully.

My usability diagnosis: MAKE THE CONTROLS MORE OBVIOUS FOR THE DUMB PEOPLE LIKE ME!