Review: Mushroom Madness 3

Mushroom Madness 3	Mushroom Madness 3 Developer: SilenGames Sponsor: Kongregate Genre: Defense Shooter
Ridding your garden of pests has never been more fun.
	4 out of 5 (Great)
	System:	4
	Atmosphere:	3
	Storytelling:	1
	Replayability:	4
	Fun Factor:	4
Protip: Trying to get the 30 combo achievement? Play Swarm Assault Level 1, let all the bunnies onto the screen, then nuke 'em all at once.

The gist

There is something about taking a tennis racket to a poor rabbit trying to dig up a mushroom that's really satisfying. Mushroom Madness 3 takes the reasonably successful formula of Mushroom Madness 2 and adds significantly more of everything: more enemies, more upgrades, more game modes etc. This creates an experience that is lastingly satisfying and addictive. By the time I finished everything there was to do with the game, however, I found myself wishing that there was even more there. My biggest gripe with the game was that it is much too easy; I got 3 stars on almost every level on the first try, and money was never really any obstacle to overcome. All in all a great game that could really become top of its class with a bit of creative thinking and an appropriate difficulty curve.

The score

System: 4
The system seemed very robust and accessible. All of the objectives were very clear despite the chaos on the field. The weapons really felt comfortable to use, and I got down the proper timing on the bats very quickly. There seems to be some disparity on the usefulness and interest of some of the weapons, however, which created a jarring feeling that pushed me to preferentially upgrade my bat.

Atmosphere: 3
There is a very strong theme here, which is that you are some military guy trying to keep every critter on earth away from your mushrooms. You are basically Bill Murray from Caddy Shack. The problem is that this theme isn't very interesting or visually appealing. All of the characters feel kinda awkward and out of place, like they were made by an art student that had never used a 3d rendering program before. Regardless, the theme is at least extremely cohesive. Sounds were ok, but I was really unappreciative of the fact that my super-powerful hammer sounded like a golf club when I swung it.

Storytelling: 1
All we know is that you love mushrooms and you hate animals that want to eat them. Also for some reason killing a spider makes it rain. There is no context for the situation, but I do love imagining that I am Bill Murray blundering around to stop the critters with my dynamite and shovel.

Replayability: 4
There is far an away a vast improvement to the replayability of this game over its predecessor, but the creator didn't go quite far enough with the idea. Give me more open-ended modes where the difficulty scales with my current power level. I thought that survival was going to be it, but that mode is too hard early in the game and too easy late in the game. The achievements were fun to go after at least, and there are enough upgrades to make you feel like actually accomplishing something for a decent length of time. It's worth noting that this was my second playthrough of the game, and I had just as much fun with it as my first playthrough.

Fun Factor: 4
This game is extremely fun up until the point when you realize that it's gotten just too easy. I didn't even utilize half of the traps that the game presented to me in most of the levels. All I need is a decently powerful bat and I can take care of almost any situation. If the second half of the game was as compelling as the first half, this game would surely get a 5 for fun. The game right now is more like half a game experience with some extras thrown in instead. That half is a really good half though. Also I really liked the fact that game had a good variety for star requirements, because it meant that I could focus on different aspects of the game at different points.

Review: Next, Please!

Next, Please!	Next, Please! Developer: Vyacheslav Stepanov Publisher: Armor Games Genre: Puzzle Platform
A quick puzzler that's a lot of fun.
	4 out of 5 (Great)
	System:	3
	Atmosphere:	4
	Storytelling:	1
	Replayability:	2
	Fun Factor:	5
In order to reach the exit, you utilize frozen corpses of yourself as platforms. Yeesh.

I've found that it is very difficult for a puzzle game to be simultaneously engaging, challenging, and stylish. Although Angry Birds this game isn't, it brings all these components together in a very nice way. The game revolves around a group of clay men that looks suspiciously like a dogs and their struggle to escape the confines of their prison. The trick here, however, is that in order to successfully reach the doors towards safety, you must turn yourself to stone and let your friends use you as a platform. I really appreciated the difficulty curve here, and the novelty that each new level brought. Just when I was about to get bored of the game and quit, I realized I was on the last level; like Baby Bear, this game is not too short and not too long, but just right. That said, there isn't too much ingenuity here, and as far as platformers go, its really old hat.

The score

System: 3
Nothing struck me here as particularly interesting, system-wise. The controls are fluid enough, but I feel like its missing something that many top-notch platformers have. What kind of platformer doesn't let you modulate the height of your jump? There were many times I wished that dying should just make you restart the whole level, because its impossible to get 3 stars after wasting a guy. Also the fact that the explosion animation stays around so long on the guns was really frustrating.

Atmosphere: 4
I think the main character here is really unique. It's sort of a mix between a clay man and Dogbert, and its animations, while simple, have a surprising amount of character. The levels are kinda bland but very appropriately designed for the game. The sounds and music are also very appropriate. All in all, no complaints, but nothing spectacular to warrant a higher score.

Storytelling: 1
For some reason puzzle game developers have decided that storylines are completely superfluous to their genre and should be completely eliminiated. There isn't even an explaination of how or why you are freezing yourself in place or what you are doing in the rooms in the first place.

Replayability: 2
I suppose you could go back for 3 stars on every level, but if you're trying, you'll probably have it by the time you finish the game. There's very little reason to play this game after you've finished it. You could go for a higher total score, but there is no explanation as to what that number is even based on, so it seems not worth it.

Fun Factor: 5
As far as puzzle platformers go, this one is short and sweet. You may not need to replay this game, but you will feel satisfied after your first play-through. The difficulty curve is just right, and the levels are varied and creative enough to keep you completely engaged during your whole play-through. Some of the levels are challenging enough to require multiple attempts without becoming frustrating, and when you finally get 3 stars on them you will feel proud of yourself.

New Look!

I apologize for the delay in reviews, but I've been working on a new template for the site and posts. You may have noticed some intermittent changes as I played around with settings. I think I have things the way I like them now, but of course I will change more as I get inspired.

Please compare the new post layout to the old and let me know what you think!

Thanks for your patience,

Chris

Review: Tech and Magic

Tech and Magic
Developer: flashrushgames
Genre: Wall Defense

The main character looks remarkably similar to Veigar from League of Legends, who looks remarkably similar to Vivi from Final Fantasy, who looks remarkably similar to Orko from He-Man. There has to be some copyright infringement in there somewhere.

Total Score: 3 out of 5 (Good)

This reasonably quick wall defense game features a sleek design and an interesting system, but ultimately succumbs to a lack of variety and repetitive gameplay. There's definitely promise here, but this game will only ever be noted as the predecessor to a really good sequel, should one be developed. The enemies look good, the controls feel right, and the powers are pretty cool if a bit unbalanced. Let's hope that the developer expands on this concept and delivers an expansion or sequel worthy of a 5 out of 5.

The score

System: 4
Everything in the game feels pretty good. The pacing of the upgrades and enemies are appropriate, and the controls worked well for me (I really appreciate auto-attack style wall defense games). I wish the game was a little more clear on what each of the powers do exactly; for example, I didn't know that the fireball couldn't hit flying enemies. Nothing is really out of place as far as the system is concerned, which is good.

Atmosphere: 3
I dig the Arcanum-esque magic vs. technology feel of the game. The sprites are reasonably simple, but they look very distinct and very clean, which is good for a defense game where there are lots of enemies on the screen at once. The game's music is properly motivating, though the sounds effects were a bit jarring at times. I would have liked to see some more interesting changes to the animations of the castle and powers as you upgraded them. As it is, upgrading isn't really exciting from a flavor perspective.

Storytelling: 1
There is exactly zero explanation as to why our hero is protecting a medieval castle complete with magical crystal cannons from aggressive firearm-wielding robots, so I'm left to assume that this game represents commentary about Man's struggle to exist in a world full of technology... with magic or something. I'm sure it involves Scientology somehow.

Replayability: 2
This game is pretty short, and there isn't really any compelling reason to play it after you finish. Their aren't even really enough powers or enemies to really motivate you to keep playing, and I found myself almost quitting a few times. I suppose its a good thing that my the time I was ready to quit playing for real, I had beaten the game. I would love to see more game modes, and more variety.

Fun Factor: 3
The first few levels and each of the boss levels were really fun for me. I enjoyed picking my upgrades and trying out the powers, and seeing the new enemies when there were new enemies to see. That said, there really isn't anything here that's going to excite those that don't like the defense genre. The game is a solid example of doing everything in a game just enough and no more, and it really suffers for that. If you are a fan of the genre, you'll have fun. If you aren't a fan, you'll probably get bored pretty quick.

Review: Bloons Tower Defense 5

Bloons Tower Defense 5
Developer: NinjaKiwi
Genre: Tower Defense

The new monkey ninja is, as far as I can tell, the most broken tower ever

Total Score: 5 out of 5 (Best in Genre)

The latest (and dare I say greatest?) in the Bloons tower defense series. If you've never played a Bloons Tower Defense, I would highly recommend starting from the beginning and and watching the series refine itself. This installment plays much like Bloons TD 4, except even more polished if that were possible. The levels are much better balanced and the towers are very well crafted to create a smooth and extremely fun gameplay experience. Probably one of - if not the - best tower defense games out there right now. A must play.

The score

System: 5
The layout has always improved a bit with each iteration of the series, and this one is no different. A highly robust system that is simple and smooth for the entire session (BTD 4 would lag a bit with more enemies). The game is very easy to pick up and play, and you are introduced to the towers over time so that you can learn them each as you go. The "monsters" are simple; there isn't any health or armor to deal with, so things are largely transparent and each to understand.

Atmosphere: 5
The visuals are improved over BTD 4 and some of the best in the genre. The music is good and isn't annoyingly repetitive. Besides the fact that monkey with darts attacking evil balloons makes no sense, each of the towers are extremely well stylized and interesting, and there are custom changes their appearances for each of their upgrades. Very cool. I also really like the sort of monkey village menu screen.

Storytelling: 1
There has never, and as far as I can tell will never, be a cohesive storyline to the Bloons series. We are simply left to wonder why monkeys hate balloons and also are extremely good at throwing darts. No intro, no cutscenes, nothing.

Replayability: 5
Even if there was no specific reason to keep coming back to Bloons TD 5, there is always this compulsion to play it for old time's sake. I personally enjoyed giving myself handicaps in BTD 4 and seeing how far I could get. In BTD 5 you don't have to give yourself handicaps, because there is already a mode just for that. There are special missions that you can undertake in order to earn cash for special things in which you must beat a level at a particular difficulty with one arm tied behind your back or something similar. There are even daily challenges too so that you can keep coming back every day forever (or at least until BTD 6 comes out). And that's not even mentioning the special game modes that you can play.

Fun Factor: 5
Even if BTD 5 isn't objectively the "best" tower defense game, it sure is the funnest. The stylized and varied towers, understandable enemies, and robust system makes this game my new de facto flash entertainment source. There really isn't any more I can say on the subject; BTD 5 is simply pure fun.

The Review

The Bloons series began as a accuracy-based puzzler where you were a monkey who threw darts at a field of balloons hoping to pop them all and move on to the next level. This was a reasonably popular game, and enjoyed a few successful sequels. I wasn't until NinjaKiwi released the first Bloons Tower Defense that the series really started to take off. This game was one of the first to employ the clever scheme of "one-hit, one-kill" in tower defense games, and featured a good variety of towers that offered challenging and rewarding gameplay.

Each iteration of Bloons Tower Defense has improved upon the previous; BTD 2 added more towers, BTD 3 a graphics overhaul, and BTD 4 more or less defined what it meant to be a good tower defense game with its clean layout, multitude of upgrades, and balanced gameplay. Bloons Tower Defense 5 continues this progression by maintaining that clean layout, but also improving many areas that could see some polish.

The first improvement that is immediately obvious is the graphics and core system. Bloons is not, by any means, supposed to look wonderful; it is a top down tower defense game, after all, there is only so good you can get here. That's why NinjaKiwi focuses on the graphics system in the perfect way, by adding subtle and elegant animations and stylish towers while actually improving the performance of the system in the later parts of the game. Each tower has two separate upgrade paths with four upgrades each that uniquely change the look of the tower (read: that's 9 sprites for each tower). It all boils into a visually appealing, but still recognizable system.

Secondly, the difficulty and wave progression of the balloons have been changed. There is a brand new balloon added, the heart balloon, that heals itself over time if you don't kill it fast enough. Not only that, but these heart balloons (and also camo balloons) can come in any flavor of balloon. If you were thinking "wait, doesn't that mean there are camo lead balloons now?" then you win a prize, and also lose the round. You actually have to play around camo balloons now. Scary.

There wasn't really much of a reason to keep playing Bloons Tower Defense 4 once you had beaten all of tracks on hard (Apopalypse mode doesn't count). In BTD 5, they have a new set of "missions" in which you play on certain levels with a set of handicaps, such as being able to build only once of each type of tower. These missions give you currency with which you can buy super one-time-use towers to help you out on the harder levels. And there are daily missions, too, so you can come back and have new content to play each day.

Bloons Tower Defense is fun, and is easily one of the best tower defense games to date. If you haven't played any Bloons TD, you can easily start with this one, but I do recommend giving the others a peek and see where this game got its roots. NinjaKiwi really know how to polish a game and give it a good shine, and this game is no exception. It definitely earns its title as a "must-play".

Review: Netbots

For games like this that aren't especially deep or interesting, I am going to forgo the full-length review. There just really isn't that much to say other than that first little paragraph. So without further ado I present the review of:

Netbots

Developer: Maik Haider

Genre: Puzzle

This is literally the whole game over and over again in different configurations

Total Score: 2 out of 5 (Okay)

Netbots is basically just tangrams with weird robot heads and a nonsensical storyline about attaching these robot heads to various machines (not featured) to make them run better. The puzzles, while of the appropriate difficulty curve, lack variety and depth; there is literally nothing more than adding the same 7 or so shapes onto the screen in different configurations. For puzzle lovers maybe you'll get through the whole thing, but for the rest of us you'll play 5 levels and give up. In any case, you won't really feel accomplished after you are done.


The score


System: 4
I really like the user interface of this game. It is very clean and simple -- elegant even. The game requires only very little nudging to get you to learn what to do; solving the puzzles is pretty intuitive once you understand how to form the blocks. The only hindrance to my puzzle solving was the difficulty of the puzzle itself, and that's really all I can ask for of a system in a game like this. That said, it would have been nice to see more features, such as being able to remove a created block by clicking on it.


Atmosphere: 1
The theme here is that you are assembling these Netbots onto a network, but nothing about the game gives that impression as you play. All there is are these very simplistic robot heads and a hex-based grid behind them. Not even the cutscenes have much depth or creativity. The music is so unbelievably repetitive I had to turn off my sound while I was writing this review because its looping was driving me insane.

Storytelling: 2
I really admire that there are movies (if you could call them that) to break up the puzzle playing experience. The storyline, however, is so simplistic I almost felt slighted when I actually earned one. And really the entire storyline really doesn't appear in any way shape or form in the game except in the movies, so you might as well play the game and watch a Youtube video every so often. It would have the same effect (maybe even better).


Replayability: 1
I almost challenge someone who doesn't otherwise love puzzles to sit through this whole game. I didn't, though I got farther than I would have for the sake of this review. There aren't even that many levels for those who really do enjoy this type of game, and the levels that they do have feature such little variety that you might as well play the same level over and over again.


Fun Factor: 3
I want to be fair to this game. It is fun... just not for very long. Its entertaining to exercise the logic part of your brain, and when you do solve a level based on pure logic it really is rewarding. Unfortunately, most (if not all) of the game can be solved with only a bit of guess and check. It's too easy to resort to that (or to rely on the hint button) when the answer isn't immediately obvious, so you won't really ever get the sense of accomplishment from this game that you might from other puzzle games.

Review: Burrito Bison Revenge

Burrito Bison Revenge
Developer: Juicy Beast
Genre: Flight

Ruining gummy bears' lives has never been so fun.

Total Score: 4 out of 5 (Great)

This sequel has even more gummy madness than the original Burrito Bison. Every part of the game has been added on to, and you will be immediately sucked into the absurd style of the game. It is super easy and super fun to rocket-smash into poor gummies, although some parts of the game can be confusing to keep straight. There really isn't much storyline, but that's really par for the course in flight games, and it excels at most of the other aspects.

The score

System: 4
With a clean layout and a single-button control scheme, picking up this game knowing what to do is super simple and easy to do. My only gripe is can be difficult to remember what to do to get the most out of each type of gummy you hit.

Atmosphere: 4
The visuals are awesome; the expressiveness of the characters and the design of the environments really pulls you into the absurdity of the game. The sounds are kinda meh, but they don't distract and the music is decent.

Storytelling: 2
All you get is a few comic-book style pages that you scroll through to get the story, and there isn't really much integration with story and the gameplay. The concept would have been more exciting if there was more substance.

Replayability: 4
With the number of achievements and upgrades this game has to offer, you could be playing it for a good week before you've accomplished everything. This is, of course, it you don't get bored of the games one-dimensional play style, but it really is a well-made single dimension.

Fun Factor: 5
For some reason, it is extremely satisfying to watch a luchadore beating the crap out of a gummy civilization. Some people complain that there isn't much influence the player can have on the game, but I simply don't agree here; when you click will have a profound impact on your score.

The Review

Burrito Bison Revenge is the sequel to the original Burrito Bison. When I say sequel, I mean its more like an expansion; it takes the original scaffold of the game and improves upon it by adding more of everything. In the original Burrito Bison, you are a luchadore minding his own business at the supermarket who is kidnapped by the Gummie King and brought to Candy Land to fight in their arena like a lion. Or something. After smashing your way to freedom in the first game, this sequel has our hero returning to Candy Land after realizing that the gummies still have his wallet and can't pay for his groceries until he pries it out of their cold, dead hands. I would have liked a more thorough presentation of this wacky storyline, but alas, all we get is a few panels of a comic book.

The gameplay mechanics in Burrito Bison Revenge are almost identical to the original, and that is a very good thing. The single button control and clean interface are extremely easy to pick up and play, and you'll find that there isn't much of a learning curve in figuring out how to effectively use your signature rocket smash. This time around there are significantly more special gummies that require the proper completion of their micro game to use effectively. There are enough that I was hesitant to unlock the appearance of the last gummy because I was having trouble remember what to do for each of the others already.

The games style and aesthetic are very appealing, with a sort of scooby-doo style scrolling background that is very creatively constructed for your return visit to Candy Land -- you really messed things up on your original escape. The sprites are very well made for this style of game; there is a lot of variety and expressiveness in the characters that can be sorely lacking from flight games.

This game is quite fun for what it is. The feeling that you get as you smash into a fleeing gummy is quite satisfying, and there is enough game to hold your attention that you won't really get too bored. There is always that top-yourself motivation to keep playing, and the consistent upgrade progression will ensure that you keep going farther and farther. This time around there is even an endless "survival" mode that will keep that feeling going for as long as you are still interested. For me, that was quite a long time for a flash game.


So while this game is really single-dimensional with its single button control and repetitive go-farther attitude, it is extremely fun to click and smash. Whether you will have fun for 5 minutes, 5 hours, or 5 days really depends on how long the upgrade progression and achievement collection holds your interest. But if you enjoy flight games at all, you will have fun.

How I rate games - The rubric

Now that I have explained to you why I want to review flash games, I think that it's time that I tell you how I will be rating them. The most important thing to a reviewing site is consistency, so that the audience (you) can reliably understand what a particular score might mean in context to other scores and other reviews. Here I will be providing a rubric for my reviews -- one that I will keep in mind during the review process of every game. Obviously you needn't refer back to this rubric before reading each review, but I think that giving it a glance once-over will help you understand the method to my madness.

The rating process

Most ratings systems are tired and old. They don't really provide much relevance to the average gamer. Topics like sound don't need their own score, and so I am inventing my own broad categories to integrate each aspect of the game into relevant scores that you can use to objectively decide whether any particular game is for you.

Each game will be scored 1 to 5 in these categories:

1. System - Basically the skeleton of the game and how well it supports the other categories. This category will be influenced by aspects in the game such as the controls, the flow of the menus, and the layout of the user interface. A game that is intuitive to play and just makes sense is the goal in this category.
2. Atmosphere - How immersive the game is. This category will be primarily scored on the audio and visual effects and how well the game utilizes these to heighten your suspension of disbelief. It doesn't matter if the game is deep or a parody or what, as long it uses effects to convince you that it is the most of whatever its trying to be.
3. Storytelling - Almost every game has a story, even if it is a very shallow story or a very short game. There are two ways to score highly in this category; have a very provocative storyline, and tell your story in a unique or interesting way. Using storytelling to influence other aspects of the game (such as a tutorial) will be a major bonus here.
4. Replayability - The whole point of playing flash games is to waste time, right? Thus, I am giving how much time you will waste enjoyably with this game its own score. Replayability describes how long the mechanics of the game will hold up before they become stale. Sometimes its several run-throughs, sometimes (for longer games) you'll be bored before you even beat the game once. Games that have variety or very addictive mechanics will score highly here.
5. Fun Factor - Sometimes a game is complete crap in every objective way, but it still incredibly fun for some unknown reason. Maybe one small part of the game is so addictive that you end up playing it for a long time even though the graphics are terrible, or maybe it just makes you laugh for 10 minutes straight and that's all its supposed to do. This is kind of a catchall for all the parts of the game that aren't included in other categories.

 Finally, the game will be given a "final score" that is a weighted averaging of the five categories. The weight will change from game to game depending on how I think each of the categories "should" have scored compared to what rating that they actually received. A RPG with poor storytelling will suffer more than a tower defense game with poor storytelling, for example. A game's final score will be highly dependent on the how it compares to other games in its genre.

Why I like flash games

So I've decided to start a blog in order to provide a positive activity to my mild obsession, flash games! I like flash games. A lot. And I'll tell you why:

1. They are short.
2. They are addictive.
3. They are independently developed.
4. They are numerous.
5. They are free.

They are short

With a full time job as a molecular biologist and my other hobbies taking up a majority of my free time, I don't really have much time to sit down with a long game and play it through as much as I would like. Even when I do have a bunch of free time, I get distracted easily. That said, most flash games are short enough to hold my attention span.

Flash games are the science fiction short stories of the gaming world. They almost always have a single driving focus that they are completely based around (e.g. a game mechanic or storytelling style). By the time that I become bored with that focus, the game is over and I can move on with my life -- and on to the next game! That brings me to my next point.

They are addictive

Because of their short length, flash games often rely on replay value to keep players engaged. And it works. If you've ever played an upgrade-style flash game or a good strategy game, you'd know what I'm talking about. There is always something to keep you going back to that one simple focus, whether it be a high score, multiple endings, alternate play styles etc. Often I will find myself having played the same otherwise "boring" game for hours simply because of some simple aspect that varies the game over time.

They are independently developed

Flash games are almost always made by one person, or a very small group of people (read: less than 5). Designers don't generally develop flash games for profit or for a specific audience, so they really have no obligations when designing their games. This allows them complete creative control over their game. Like indie rock bands, flash developers are truly free to explore the medium and try things that would otherwise be... I don't know, unmarketable?

Case in point: The Majesty of Colors. During this entire game, you are a sea monster who peers up into the world from its watery abode. The only control you have in the game is one of the monster's long tentacles, which you use throughout the game to either help or hurt random humans who venture out above you. EA would never try to make this game. Sony would never try to make this game. It isn't going to make a million dollars, and yet it leaves you with a great empathy for the creature through the story's great narrative.

They are numerous

This isn't really an argument for any one flash game, but rather its the reason that flash games in general are my go-to for entertainment. If you find yourself bored with a flash game, stop and play another one. There are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of flash games that have been developed since Macromedia (now Adobe) originally developed flash actionscript. And there are dozens of websites whose sole purpose is to host these games (at some point I will list and rate these sites).

They are free

One might ask why I play flash games instead of smartphone apps, which are very similarly designed and executed. My answer to these people is that flash games are free, and designed to be such. It is true that I do play smartphone apps, but its obvious that those developers want you to pay for the paid version of their game even if they provide a free version. Conversely, flash games are designed to be free from the get go without limiting gameplay. Many popular apps were actually originally free flash games or based directly on free flash games (Plants vs. Zombies, Alien Hominid, and Castle Crashers are examples).


I will be posting reviews of my favorite (and not-so-favorite) flash games on a regular basis. I will also be posting articles about my views on the flash game market as a whole. I should post more regularly as I get into the swing of things and as I play games that I think are really exceptional or interesting.

If you have a flash game that you would like me to take a look at, shoot me an e-mail and I'll be glad to play it and review it.