Galaxian Reviews - Submit Your Games and See my Reviews

Game Reviews & Feedback
69

Serenity - By @AbstractGallery (although @meburningslime submitted the game, I think he helped build the game too)

Review of Gameplay - It appears that this game is supposed to be a rage game, but so far, no raging has happened. As a normally calm individual, I see this as a good thing. Aaaand I just fell several hundred meters from the sky and lost a bunch of progress. Aaaand it just happened again. This is a difficult game, but it appears that this should be the case. Aaaand I fell aga- wait, I just fell into a new area entirely. Maybe this is an alternate path? Ah crud, I fell all the way back down to the bottom of the level. I’ll do what the narrator suggested and take a short break.

Pros:

  • Simple gameplay

Cons:

  • Not really much to do other than try to get to the goal and not fall off. Hence is why there are so little pros compared to the previous games.
  • “You beat the game, after trial and error, time and time again, every fall. You didn’t cheat, and you are an incredible person.” Except I literally went to the editor just to see what the “thumbnail” level was all about. Now I can’t reset my cheated clear. It would have been funnier if the game taunted you for skipping through the editor, just like PixelPizza does with Stacey.
  • I’m not really impressed with its overdependency on wall-hugging and wall-climbing. While Taile Gamougg 3: Journey Through the Land of Blocks also included points where this was a problem, at least it was not a core gameplay necessity.

Art: [3] - Personally, I am not a fan of chunky pixels, but at least this game’s art isn’t a pain in the eyes, or taken from other people.
Sound: [2] - Outside of PixelPizza’s game Tonight and my own game Porky’s Nightmare, I have not yet played a game here that uses a voice, even though this one is text-to-speech. But other than that, the game is boringly quiet for most of the time.
Story: [X] - This game contains no story, and therefore won’t be included in the final grade.
Entertainment: [3] - Just a simple platformer where you have to get to the goal while trying not to fall off each time. There isn’t really much else to do, and while it seems that the game encourages you to try again to get as many clears as possible, it doesn’t feel accomplishing enough. Admittedly, the one clear that I got was a cheated one, since I went through the editor, but imagine if someone spent close to an hour trying to parkour their way all the way to the sky to get 1 point and nothing else.
Originality: [4] - The game admits that it is based off of Jump King, which itself is based off of Getting Over It. But the experience different nonetheless.
Difficulty: [2 or 4] - Honestly don’t know what to grade this. The gameplay is simple and easy to understand, but it is frustratingly difficult. I didn’t exactly rage, as in resorting to yelling or chucking random objects across the room, but I did get very annoyed every time I missed a jump. Especially if it is the same jump. I can tell this is meant to be a rage game, however. So, this is probably the first time that I make a review with two possible total scores.

Total Score: 2.8 OR 3.2 / 5
This is an “okay” from me, AbstractGallery and Meburningslime. I wouldn’t say that this was a wasted effort, or that this is a bad game. Quite the opposite, actually. I can see what you guys are trying to do, but I am not impressed with the result. This game needs major improvements on art, sound, entertainment, and maybe difficulty.

Better luck next time, and thank you for your submission!

~ A quick note before I move on with the next review:

If you submit a game here, even though that game does not belong to you, I will assume that you and the game’s original creator collaborated to create the project. As a result, you will be included in the review, whether or not you actually participated. While I don’t know if Meburningslime actually helped in the creation of Serenity, since he was the one who submitted it, I am assuming (so far) that he participated in its development. Therefore, this review was for both him and AbstractGallery.

This warrants a disclaimer: if you didn’t participate in the creation of a game, please say so in the comment unless you also want to be given the same criticism.

7 Likes
70

That’s true: you did submit the game before, but I went on a hiatus and never got to the review. Thank you and @F3Art for resubmitting your games. I will try to get to them as fast as possible.

5 Likes
71

I’ll… Just take the dub of making bitwit have ptsd. “Mediocre” is not something that anybody wants. There’s nothing I can possibly do to improve on the game, so I guess I’ll just move on…

4 Likes
72

Rise - By @Johnny_boy

Review of Gameplay - I had already played Rise before, and my goodness, what a masterpiece. Congratulations on getting it featured, by the way! I like all the art, the music, the sound, the controls… everything! This game is great and deserves the position it received.

Pros:

  • Music is fantastic!
  • Art is expertly created!
  • High replayability value.

Cons:

  • Sometimes tedious with those appearing spikes, which requires memorization. This sometimes doesn’t mix well with the fact that there are lots of other hazards thrown in the mix.

Art: [5] - The art gives me nostalgia to when I would play games on my iPod. This game deserves recognition for a unique artstyle I have not yet seen on Flowlab. Perfect score!
Sound: [5] - The song selection that you have made is amazing. I am not a huge fan of TheFatRat, but you clearly have chosen good soundtracks for this game. Another perfect score!
Story: [X] - This game contains no story, and therefore won’t be included in the final grade.
Entertainment: [5] - This game has a high replayability value, as its songs are catchy, contains a leaderboard, and contains a shop. I have come back to this game time and time again just to experience all of this again. Another perfect score!
Originality: [5] - This game reminds me a lot of Geometry Dash. But reminders alone are not enough to bring this grade down, unless they seem very obvious. This game is unique in almost every way possible. Another perfect score!
Difficulty: [4] - Sadly, this is where the perfect score streak ends. While the overall difficulty of the game is just fine (mixture of easy and hard), what really brought the grade down were those spikes that appear only when you are close enough. Often times, they appear at a timing where I can not possibly react fast enough to not fail. This is especially concerning when you move at a faster speed. Either they should appear faster, or there should be a quick indicator as to where they might appear. I’m probably asking for too much, but this is just my experience and opinion.

Total Score: 4.8 / 5
Impressive work with the game, Johnny Boy! Once again, congratulations on getting it featured. The only complaint I have against the game are those reappearing spikes, but other than that, this is a masterpiece. I will definitely come back to this game every now and then. And, actually, this could be a great opportunity at putting the game on other platforms other than Itch. I remember someone recommending Cool Math. Perhaps that is something you are interested in?

Congratulations, and thank you for your submission!

6 Likes
73

Thank you so much for the review! I never realized the spikes were so hard to avoid. I will make sure to make it easier.

Also I contacted coolmathgames, but they never sent me an email back so I will try some other websites.

Let me know if you have any websites to recommend!

Again I really appreciate the review!

5 Likes
74

@MetaNinja taile gamougg 3: Journey Through the Land of Blocks does have a story, just like all the other Gamougg games. It just isn’t shown in the game because I had no idea how to put it in the game at the time (and I barely do now). The story of all three games in the original trilogy is explained here. For future reference, all of the original Gamougg Trilogy titles are not capitalized, except for the subtitle (like Journey Through the Land of Blocks for example).

3 Likes
75

Ah, I see. I just read through the whole thread. Yeah, it was very unclear from my perspective, so I decided to leave it ungraded and exempted from the final score. I would rate the story 3 / 5 for being an interesting and complex story. It would made for a good RPG game, thinking about it. However, overall it feels a bit random, and it doesn’t really feel like the characters have a good motivation to do whatever they did. Like, why does Gamougg like exploring? Why does Noob Saibot want to assassinate him? Why and how did they end up becoming friends? I think you get the picture.

Alright, noted. :+1:

4 Likes
76

August Silence - By @F3Art

Review of Gameplay - My computer had the audacity to crash the game midway. Thankfully, my progress was saved. I spent about 20 minutes exploring the whole space station, looking for a way out. Looks like that yellow orb is the way out, but I can’t get there fast enough. Luckily, exploration pays off, as I am able to find some upgrades for my gear (RIP my fellow crewmates) and defeat the various enemies that are plaguing the space station. This is a fantastic experience, and I hope that everyone playing this game enjoys it.

Pros:

  • Upgrades? Oh yeah!
  • Simple platformer mechanics.
  • Has some challenge to it, like you can only progress if you defeat the cycloptic enemies.
  • Interesting storyline, even if it isn’t being told outright. Just seeing the whole station in ruins and my crewmates’ unfortunate ends really shows that something happened here, and it won’t be good for me if I choose to stay.
  • Unique fighting mechanics.

Cons:

  • Game is a bit too short, but that is usually a creative decision made by the game developer, so I don’t consider it as a flaw.

Art: [5] - The art is simple pixel art, and I love those types of games. For this game specifically, everything is perfectly made, and it is easy to tell what everything is supposed to be. The pixels are not too chunky, or tiny. If I could describe it in a single word, it would be “perfect”.
Sound: [5] - The eerie soundtracks used for the game makes it feel like a dystopian world. Again, dystopian stories are my favorite. The use of sound effects are also great, as they all feel appropriate for what is happening on-screen, and in the game world in general.
Story: [5] - While the story isn’t outright shown or displayed to the player, from what I can see as I travel the ruined space station is that something happened here. Something happened to my station and my crew, and it won’t be pretty if I stick around this ship. So, time to nope out of here as fast as I can.
Entertainment: [5] - I did list the game’s short length as a con, but I also noted that this is a creative choice. And personally, with how amazing this game looks, its gameplay, and not-that-bad difficulty, I can forgive it. Plus, I took a quick look in the editor and found a boss level, something that I have yet to encounter. I might play through the game again later to see just how I can confront this boss… I need to avenge my fallen crewmates. XD
Originality: [5] - This game appears to be fully original. While I have played games with the whole “escape the space station before the aliens catch you” theme, none can be compared to this game. FYI, when I was saying “crewmates”, I was not referencing Among Us. This game is completely different.
Difficulty: [5] - I think you are the first person to achieve a perfect score for this category. For its short length, the game is not that easy, as I nearly died twice to those flying insect things, and almost suffocated trying to get the speed boots. But it also isn’t that difficult, either. Killing the enemies is not a tedious task, and can be done pretty quickly as long as you know what you are doing. Although I didn’t legitimately experience the boss just yet, I played through it just a tiny bit by skipping through the editor and lost 2 HP already. I may come back to this game to actually defeat this guy without going through the editor.

Total Score: 5 / 5
This game is absolute perfection, F3Art! The art, the gameplay, the sound, the story, everything! Congratulations on getting it featured! This is a game that I would love to come back to every now and then. I am excited to see what future plans you have for this game, if you have any.

Congratulations, and thank you for your submission!

6 Likes
77

Gamougg likes exploring because he’s bored and wants to go on some seriously bizarre adventures. Noob Saibot didn’t really want to assassinate Gamougg, but he was tasked with doing so. They ended up becoming friends after teaming up to escape the Nether (they did not have a Nether portal). Instead of the steady transition from allies to lovers like in a Disney movie (I just saw Treasure Planet yesterday), Gamougg and Noob went through the much cooler transition of enemies to allies to friends.

3 Likes
78

Thanks for the review! I’m glad you like it so much. you really understood everything that i was hoping to communicate with the game. also, the boss isn’t finished, and actually can’t be found without going into the editor. I’m glad you found him though! you reminded me that I should put him in the game somewhere officially, either as a secret boss or something you need to overcome before you complete the game.

btw, are you participating in flowjam?

4 Likes
79

No problem! I initially assumed that the boss was already finished since I remember you saying that they game was “officially complete”. It does seem like it would fit in as a secret. Perhaps as a secret ending, or an extended version of the current game ending?

Also, I was originally going to participate in the FlowJam, but I became greatly disappointed with the themes and prizes. So unfortunately, I’ll have to pass on yet another FlowJam.

3 Likes
80

yeah, the game is complete but, even complete games get added on to right? I’ll think of it like a DLC type thing.

that’s too bad you won’t be participating. I wish you luck if you join in next time!

and can you do a review of neon break? it’s my flowjam game and I’d like to get some feedback so I can make some changes before the end of the week.
one sometime after flowjam instead would be great too if you’re busy rn.

and your reviews are super great and really detailed by the way! looks like something I might want to try out, maybe it would be fun if I started a review topic :thinking:

5 Likes
81

Sure, I’ll review Neon Break once I get the chance to do so!

3 Likes
82

Neon Break - By @F3Art

Review of Gameplay - I spent 5 minutes trying to figure out how to not die in 2 seconds, and then I realized that you can still move in a new direction if you are currently moving. I was also initially wondering why the game was telling me to kill all enemies when the yellow one kept killing me. When I finally got things figured out, I quickly got the hang of things. I finally reached the end of the game in about 10 minutes. I think that the levels are pretty clever, and the gameplay is very unique… although this might be the goriest game I have played.

Pros:

  • Unique gameplay.
  • I like the music…!
  • This is a puzzle game where you must think about how you should beat the level.
  • Fits in with the FlowJam themes.

Cons:

  • If you are not a fan of gory games, this is not one you may enjoy.
  • The blood effect can sometimes obstruct the camera’s view.
  • There is a bug where you might die if you enter the exit by ramming into a side that contains a broken bone. There is another bug where sliding against a wall may cause a bone to break twice in an instant, or even break an already broken bone.

Art: [5] - The game’s art is simple but great either way. The blood splatters gross me out, but they add to the game’s atmosphere. Disliking gore is a personal preference, and thus won’t lower the score. Unless there is too much of it, and this game seems to know when there is too much.
Sound: [5] - The songs used for this game can become quite catchy, and the sound effects used are outstanding. It kind of hurts in the gut to hear blood splattering and bone snapping, but that adds to the game’s atmosphere.
Story: [X] - This game contains no story, and thus will not be included in the final score.
Entertainment: [4] - The game is very fun to play, as you slide around to smash the enemies to smithereens (and try not to smash yourself in the process). But the game doesn’t really have any replayability value, and it is quite short. Since this is a game made for the FlowJam, and thus is around 2-weeks old, I can see why this is the case, and I hope that new levels are added in the future.
Originality: [5] - Puzzle games where smashing objects to advance to the next level are quite common. But this particular game is different. It adds the twist that, if you hit the same are twice, you must restart the whole level. This throws some strategy into the game and is what makes it a unique experience.
Difficulty: [4] - Overall, the game offers great challenges as it takes trial and error to reach the goal. But it also isn’t challenging enough to make someone extremely frustrated and dislike the game. I do have two problems with the difficulty, though. For starters, there are the two bugs that I mentioned in the cons list. The former didn’t bother me that much as it only happened once on level 2, but the latter happened almost every single time I hit a wall and tried to move. The second problem I have is that sometimes the blood effect that reveals which side is injured can obstruct the camera view, especially if the wound is brand new. Certain fast paced gameplay, such as killing a yellow enemy and immediately trying not to run into a wall, becomes more intense. This can be seen as a good thing, but not when it happens over and over again.

Total Score: 4.6 / 5
Impressive work on the game, F3Art! This has a high chance of winning the FlowJam. Of course, this is the only FlowJam entry that I have seen so far, but I can tell that this will definitely be part of the Top 3. Try to fix those two bugs that I mentioned. I’m honestly not sure how to fix the visibility issue, though. I hope that you are able to add more to this game after the FlowJam ends!

Congratulations, and thank you for your submission!

5 Likes
83

Hey, I played your game too, I find it very difficult to play the game on mobile the the swiping is a little janky.

4 Likes
84

I played the game on PC, so I got to use the arrow keys. It was much easier. I don’t really like playing mobile games that much. XD

3 Likes
85

yeah I’ve noticed that, sometimes you have to swipe twice in one direction to get the player to move, and it’s like there’s a bit of input delay. I don’t know why it’s happening, I used JR 01’s swipe bundle and the movement outside of that uses the same logic as the arrow keys.

3 Likes
86

I think I fixed this one just now. but the other one is something I’ve never experienced.

3 Likes
87

my little game here is a bit unfinished, just a few small things i need to add/fix
a review whenever its not a bother to you would be cool :+1:

3 Likes
88

Sorry for the delayed response. I’ll be happy to review your game when I get the opportunity to. I looked at the community post about it and found it intriguing.

3 Likes