Neophyte-Ronin's game Reviews on Newgrounds

[Butcherbugs]

They're in My HEAD!

Expand upon it.

It was made in three days, right? This was a thrill to behold in Full-Screen Mode, and the formation concept is something that will be ripped off by everyone else who sees it in action. Might as well take the hint and see if this can become a shooter with tons of levels, faster pace, or what have you.

Congratulations. This is likely the best of the crop from NG Game Jam 3.

Glaiel-Gamer responds:

i wont expand on the formation idea in the near future, maybe the far future though

[World Of Text]

Broken

Cannot access all areas of the map, even if there are arrows saying you can click there. This has some major bugs that need fixing before even the beta phase of the project. Nice to know, however, that some games can be less than 100k.

[Music Quest]

Much Improved

Instead of patiently waiting for something you liked before to appear, this can let you browse genres and sub-genres with a click of the mouse. Highly recommended for any music lover.

mastermachines responds:

Thanks for the feedback! I'm glad you liked it.

[Music Explorer]

Sound Notion, Fun Even, but Poor Interface

The interface is rough but it's a genuine app that is actually quite fun to use. Let it play randomly and you'll find music you never even knew existed! Very cool. Still... that interface....

mastermachines responds:

Thanks for the feedback. Which part of the interface did you dislike? The search menu, the video display part, or both?

[Journey to the right]

Dull Construct of a "Better Mousetrap" Game

Judging by the first couple of flights, it would be a taxing feat to gather up enough cash to upgrade the machine. Also, the obligatory tutorial is far too lengthy and succeeded in boring me well before I started playing. Those two design bugs are the least of your worries.

The game engine seemed too slow and lacked ambient sound effects or even a simple, relaxing 20-second loop to accompany the experience. It didn't immerse me into the game, or made me care for the concept.

In all, it is a game that lacks incentive for most players to grasp onto it. Even so, there is a definite lack of harsh sentiment in the game itself. It's inviting, for the most part; most games of this ilk (hit-it-as-far-as-possible game) are often bawdy. If anything, building a better mousetrap to crash repeatedly is akin to an episode of Mythbusters.

With a few tweaks and "Journey to the Right" might actually be a decent game. Otherwise, Newgrounders will yawn and pursue something with a bigger body count.

DaveV responds:

Thanks for your review, i agree with most the issues you pointed out. I actually had to rush the final stages of the release and didn't have the time to add most of the sounds i wanted and didn't get a chance to balance the money earning speed. I'm gonna keep working on it in the next week.

[NostlgiaCritic Soundboard]

Verbal Screaming Therapy

The Long Insult is worth the time, by iteslf. Look for it in the top-right corner of the soundboard.

This is ideal for making a prank call. It is comprehensive, with clean sound quality and plenty of material to work with. Props to the jerk who records some prank calls with this guy at the helm. Highly recommended for both pranks and for verbal screaming therapy.

[breakout game]

Failure to Launch

Due to a debilitating program bug, the physics (namely the egg) refuses to bounce off the paddle and to the rocks. The game fails to launch, so to speak. You must remedy this of else your otherwise polished-looking game isn't going to fly around here. Do some more tests and submit it once you've isolated the problem.

[MF Flash Submissions 2009]

Interesting Idea... might want to hold onto it

I agree. This isn't any good to the reader if it doesn't link to the material in question. Consider this an early attempt at creating a user-specific catalog selection screen.

If it was used like that, then nix the music (can't have it playing in the background while loading up another game, true?

Another trick--and this is perhaps the best application of this particular format--is to do behind-the-scenes/commentary/document ary mode, where you can talk about how your projects evolved over the course of production. What got in the way, what was difficult, what could be better and, of course, why you like some parts over others.

In any case, it's like a little shameless self-promotion, but nobody is ever truly above that behavior anyway. It can even be updated over time, instead of creating a new one over and over. The whole format can be changed as well. You might have come up with something cooler than you think, so even if this gets blammed, work on the code a little. See if you can't offer up some links to your projects, change the music, and mess around. Don't forget to update it with your latest material!

MonoFlauta responds:

oks thanks a lot for the huge amount of ideas like the one of behind scenes and the link to the flashes. :p
nice review, really
thanks a lot

best regards,
monoflauta.

[Super mario Bomb-omb!]

Really Hard

The hit direction for striking opponents is terribly touchy, and there is often no warning about what just killed you (the Piranha Plants were good at popping up without you knowing). It is hard to fathom how you're supposed to get all the coins in the first stage; either I'm not jumping high enough or there is some esoteric trick that isn't readily apparent.

The game runs smoothly along--nothing too eye-catching to interfere--and it suggests someone who might have a hit if he takes time out to add some programming and beta test it further. As it is, it is a mediocre tribute that deserves some tender loving care to get right.

[Anime Character Generator]

Interesting Artistic Reference

When devising a character, the devil is in the details. Hence, a device like this could actually be a decent character generator. Top this with a D&D character stat sheet and voila, an organized character bio with artistic basis. It doesn't even need to be for an Anime, either.

Should this game be expanded upon with a save feature, an expanded database, and the ability to properly mix the color spectrum to its fullest, then you could have a fully realized gadget in your hands. (The sequel probably covered that, however). As it is, it is pretty good--an excellent start and one of the really decent dress-up kits--and it certainly allows for a good deal of customization.

I tried to resurrect Aerith in some streetwise fare for her infiltration into Garden, assuming she could be a wonderful, nature-oriented nymph-like Guardian Force (the game system in FFVIII still rocks after all these years). Her serene complexion and hairstyle were easy to rustle up, but sometimes the outfits looked wonky. Being very street level (and could pass herself off as human without any pesky SeeD officer knowing who she really is), she received the long-sleeved shirt, red in color, followed by a pink jersey underneath and a flowing pink skirt with a tie (not very adventurous beyond her typical garb, but she's in a new world and outside of her comfort zone). Light bluish wings (gossamer pixie wings not included in the gadget!), a materia-tipped staff, and either wrist bangles or divine power glowing in her hands round out the ensemble. If anyone else cares to replicate Aerith, make sure her eyes are either green or aquamarine and that the skin complexion is milky, not too tan.

That was my half hour spent. What was yours?