Galneda's game Reviews on Newgrounds

[Neuron]

Addicting and stimulating!

ParagonX9 always does a good job giving us that warm, Newgroundsy feel of olde...years and years later, that song is still good, but I would have include an option for the player to choose between a variety of songs; it's strangely only a 1.5 MB game, so it couldn't take up THAT much extra room, could it?

I would also include a bonus for those who are accurate; if you hit, and hit, and hit, and hit, without missing, you can gain combos that intensify your score dramatically, or even unlock special, previously unobtainable perks...you could also see to Tom about implementing the achievement system in this game to unlocking achievements through NG accounts; some users like to collect those.

I quickly found myself opting for speed and rapid power favoring over a balanced health system...I stayed tiny, but when enemies started coming out in suffocating swarms, I quickly upgraded to rapid fire. When I blurred my vision, and kept everything peripheral, I could concentrate on the brighter shade of color as the enemy, and manuever in tight-patterns dodging enemies and blasting only what's nearby until they started to spread thin...I began dying rapidly around the color changing one's (white-to-purple-to-red each time you hit them) because that threw my strategy off.

...Oh, and that strategy also didn't work with the super-fast purple ones. :P

The strafing shooting enemies were interesting at first, but never presented a huge challenge. I kept glancing at my health to see if I were getting hit, and I don't think they landed a single shot on me after their first encounter. There needs to be more enemies with projecting attacks, or even proximity attacks to counter my close-up, or "chase-me" tactics.

The game is pleasing to the eye, and as distinct a noise the data collection "twang" was, it never got annoying for me. It all had a very good feel to it. Since this is an incredibly visual game, I would suggest enemies that could alter or play on that. One's that are two dimensional and seem to flip, to give the illusion that their visibility wanes off and on as they strobe their way towards the player...or flare orbs that emit and abundantly radiant light to cloak other enemies that could be hiding in the aura. Stuff like that wouldn't be too atrociously difficult to add, but could turn the tide of difficulty in the stage.

I think you're on the right track; I had fun playing this! Keep up the good work!

spectre1989 responds:

Thanks for such a detailed review, and I'm really glad you liked it. Those are some great ideas for possible sequels too, hopefully I can really play with the visual aspects next time :)

[HRmageddon]

Truly AWESOME game!

I've been killing time with this thing for the past couple of hours, actually. It's addicting as hell, and the challenge is completely dependent on the individual's strategy.

There's a variety of maps, however, some tend to repeat more than others. What would truly be an excellent feature (if you'll ever do a sequel to this) is a map editor function.

I've yet to play Multiplayer and Hard is only difficult because that ONE extra person they get really makes all the difference.

Regardless, though, the gameplay is spectacular! The zany, white-collared environment somehow brings me back to the days of After Dark screensavers, although don't ask me why...maybe it's the satire of the office environment.

Either way, I fell in love with this game. It's something I'm sure many a co-workers have dreamed playing out in their cubicles, and each different personality is perfectly balanced from each other.

I would change nothing about this game except for a wider variety of maps. (Maybe, MAYBE more power-ups) ...and now that I think of it, a little personalization couldn't hurt too...like, you could choose if you were from Gray Solutions, or Beige Dynamics...or Maroon Enterprises, or Some-Other-Boring-Color Conglomerate...y'know? Not just Gray every time.

It's addictive, fun gameplay as well as a great chance at exercising spontaneous strategical skills, The whacky animations and sound effects help it along as well.

All-in-all, this was a really well-made game, and I'd love to play more things like this; a beefy sequel would be welcomed with loving arms from many of us!

And hey! From Adult-Swim, no less!

Keep up the great work!

[Seed of Destruction]

I. Love. This. Game.

I had played all the way up to the tanks before I got my first game over screen, and what compelled me to write this review was I LAUGHED HARD when I got it.

"You have ruined everything." is now my favorite game over screen from any game I have ever played.

Artistically, I love how everything looks. The hand animated cut scenes LOOK great! They're all charming, and put a smile on my face, and I feel like I'm playing a title that was made by a professional game studio team. The distinct difference between the game play and the cut scenes bring back fond memories of playing on a Playstation, and somehow stir up an emotional sense of accomplishment whenever the cut scenes occur.

I've only played the main game, and so far, it's SO much fun...I'm probably getting nothing done today because of this. It's a style of game play that genuinely requires awareness of your surroundings, and the feel for it is fluid and satisfying. The physics engine is really well thought out, and the more I think about how I'm a Cowboy riding bareback on a giant flying sperm, crushing people, and destroying shit with careless abandon...the more awesome that sounds...lol

The only way that this can be improved (as far as I can tell as I have yet to play the whole thing through again) is a combo system would be quite rewarding for the superior Seed Riders, who dart and manuever skillfully, getting anything up to a x10 combo bonus, and losing the bonus over a few seconds of no-kills.

I'm going to be playing this for a long time...I'm loving how 2009 has been a very innovative, creative year so far for flash games.

I love both of you guys for making this! The music is charming, the sfx appropriate, the graphics and animations are badass, as is the premise and the actual gameplay itself. I will likely be striving for 100% unlocks, and I know what I'll be playing when I'm bored at some place with internet connection.

[Spewer]

One of the most creative flash games I've played.

What I loved most about the game was the challenge; It took me a good three days-worth of tries to beat this game. I'd get on, get stuck on a part and try it over and over and over again, before I would close it to get back to it. Thankfully, due to the cookie system, it picks up right where I left off.

Manipulating the cute little guy in the beginning, it was already different than anything than I expected when you had to manipulate around our character's ability to vomit strategically...and he holds quite a lot too!

...it's a good thing, as I recycled quite a bit, just in case I needed more after a certain event...

But I loved, LOVED how after every chapter, it introduced a new phase of genetic mutation.

Normally, you're the enthusiastic little pink grub who can vomit bile all over the place, time a propelled jump, and swim in your own liquid filth.

After that, you get a far-out looking white grub that spews foam which you can swim within in the air...I found this form the most difficult to navigate, as it usually takes a lot of foam in one area in order for you to "swim" in...and even then, gravity still holds some laws in that you have to swim quickly to avoid sinking.

I'm not bitching or anything...as far as foam-spewing air-swimming goes, that seems reasonably realistic. The fact that it takes so much foam to do what you need to do just adds to the challenge.

Soon after the airhead mode, we're treated to the Red Spewer...I'm going out on a limb to assume that it's blood, which is a pretty safe assumption, as this red liquid JETS out at a much higher velocity than the vomit from stage 1. The wicked, evil grin on the character somehow turns something ordinarily creepy and unhealthy into something cool...how, I'm not sure. But this allows you to propel yourself higher by regurgitating down, and get some impressive range when trying to activate switches from afar...sort of like an Archer Fish, but with blood.

...I think there's a lizard like that...

After the red mutation, you're introduced to a familiar face; a black Gishy form, which seems to spew a black, tar-like substance that solidifies after it hits any other surface. I found this form to be the most useful, because a skilled hand can minimize the amount of "tar" used...balancing on a single or double spit-wad on a wall, and repeating a process over and over again. You can form bridges, towers, staircases...and as long as you can reach it, you can gobble it up to recycle it again.

The Spewer has to undergo a lot of obstacles...rotating spikes, mostly, and pools of acid or no fun. The mechanics of the acid are fluid enough to be treated like a heavier vomit...now if only there was a way to use that stuff to our advantage......

...Thank God for the Yellow mutation, which holds and spits up acid. It's useful when having to travel grounds that hold pools of otherwise lethal doses of acid, you can swim through it like nothing. But often you'll find yourself in a situation in the yellow-form where it would be incredibly foolish for you to just release everything all at once; You'll have to reach a switch which is blocked by a material you can burn through...but there are more sensitive things that could also be burned around you...such as, the ground below you....which is the only thing keeping you from becoming chum. I found the best course of action for these kind of hurtles are to be patient, and just...(bear with me for sounding perverted) spit, swallow, spit, swallow...just be sparse...

Visually, the game is impressive and easy to look at. The mad scientist in the background succeeds in compounding the atmosphere intended, that you're a little lab creature being tested. I noticed that you have the option to turn it off for those that are easily distracted, but it never drew my focus from the puzzle at hand.

Audibly, little Spewer is adorable...and his little grunts and death cries match his cute expressions. The music, oddly enough, never became annoying, despite how much I played this

I'm running out of space; the ending was awesome! Perfect game!

[Pico's School]

An absolute classic

I can't believe this was submitted in '06...I could've sworn I had played this before then...

...perhaps my memory isn't that great, and I can accept that...but this game is just as addictive now as it was back when I first played it years ago. Exercises the shit out of my clicking finger.

WHEN'S PICO 2 COMING OUT TOM!? Your wife can take care of your baby, for cryin' out loud!

As for the medals; hint-hint, shoot anything, and be a nuisance, and you'll get them all. ;D

(I'm all for letting the gamers find out for themselves how to unlock the secrets...)

[Da Pink Knight]

Oh My GOD, what a beast...

It took me five tries to finally beat that ass-goblin, but I finally did it.

The level-down, boss-repair is a really interesting feature; really sets a sense of urgency when it comes to your stamina bar. "Oh shit, I'm getting low...better back off and play dodge-ball for a while until it recharges" because even if you press the crap out of those buttons, you're almost GUARANTEED one level down.

I mostly stuck with aerial attacks, hopping in up and down the stage, and almost never beside him because of that horrifying ground punch he does...and even when he does knock me down with one, I have to move to an area around him and quickly throw up my sheild incase of a cannonball...

...but what really messed me up was that buzzsaw...and holy crap, it has a reach to it...the only thing, ONLY thing that would make this easier is being able to move up or down in mid-jump, as that suits my strategy of attacking him in the air.

Even though this is one boss-fight, it's exhausting...when I found out you have to drain the PILOT'S health after you first break the armor, I shouted "NO!" because I thought I was coming close to beating it, finally...

...nope...not even close...lol

The challenge is refreshing, and I personally think you shouldn't dumb it down. As brutal as this giant wooden mobile suit is, it still contains a lot of comical quality in it through the details; the magic jump when I first did it made me laugh out loud, and the tiny expressions on the knight's face in the background and the pilot's "OH SHI-" draw a grin on my face while I'm intently manuevering and bashing away.

At no point in this game did I get bored with it, or just shove the keyboard away pouting "man, to hell with this game!" I wanted to play it to the end...and even after all that effort, I STILL haven't unlocked all the medals, so it's got some replayability to it.

Great job, MindChamber...and Happy belated Pico Day!

MindChamber responds:

thanks, Im really glad you kept with it, and even happier to know you beat it.

awesome

[Portal Defenders]

Addicitng as hell! The Achievements system ftw!

Great game, great concept! The Achievement system you've thrown in here up the replay-value tremendously!

Honestly I see no point in the points other than bragging rights...but Dammit, I'd like some more shit to brag about! lol

Truly revolutionary as far as NG is concerned. With all the different personalities included in here, it adds a whole new texture in the gameplay. "Fuck you, Kitty Krew!" "ARGH! POOZY, YOU ASSHOLE!"

Lot's of great snippets of detail all throughout. From the different game-over screens, to the Zamboni minigame, to the treasure chest (I'm not going to reveal the combination for Max Health, noobs) And I love, LOVE how as the game progresses, every boss, every boss is distinctly different.

Also, it's challenging. You gotta love it!

I'm looking forward to unlocking more achievements in different NG titles, can we expect a sequel from you guys in the future? Portal Defenders is awesome!

[-Grid-]

Very Nice!

This is very fun, and it looks great! The fact that certain glyphs have to be powered in order to move adds a great deal of strategy to this concept. I like it a lot, as the puzzles become more complex! If you were to revisit this concept again, I would only suggest adding another factor into the difficulty somehow...something that involves timing.

Great game, you earned that trophy!

[Emotional Response]

This is a great idea!

I want more! This is a good, fun typing exercise, and I think a lot of people could benefit from this while being entertained! Extra points for originality!