shinobody's game Reviews on Newgrounds

[Run, Billy, Run !]

This is really good. Please add option to control the character with arrow keys and Z, it's so weird having to clump my hands so close to each other.

FFuriousDuck responds:

Hi !


Alright, i'll add it in the next update !

Take care !

[Cross Strike]

Super janky. Enemies are really aggressive which kind of discourages playing it like a fun Mega Man style platformer, and encourages playing as safe as possible. Also camera seems to be a bit janky and sometimes player can go off screen when falling too fast.
Also if you're gonna make a story that is an afterthought and not very interesting, add an option to skip it.
It's not bad, could be great with more polish.

Yword responds:

Thank you so much for the feedback.

[Bullet Hell Maker v0.2]

Great idea, and great execution. Could of course use some polish and better graphics - ideal would be some way to share your levels.
Of course, here on Newgrounds we can use reviews, so that's kind of solves it.

One suggestion I'd have would be to add screen-clearing bombs, perhaps 1 per stage.

ChacsGames responds:

For the next versionss, I've planned a new function for saving and loading levels made in the editor. That's why there is free space around the editor button in the menu. Sharing levels could be another option, if only I know how to do this in javascript.
I also had another idea: bullets that turn into power-up items, such as an attack bonus, a healing item, or a screen-clearing bomb.

[NEO:YORK:KNIGHTS]

I don't get the main gameplay loop. When you have a sword, do you just... walk up to an enemy and mash a button? I strongly recommend you play some good beatemups like Devil May Cry, Batman Arkham City or God of War so you can learn how to design interesting melee combat. Interesting melee combat requires ability for the player to not get hit. Currently, surviving the first phase with Head Cutter is entirely random chance.

I also felt that damage and range of my Head Cutter attack was random or inconsistent, and sometimes I couldn't pick up weapons off the ground, which makes trying to throw them pointless.

In addition, once you actually get a steady loop of upgrading new guns, you are basically invincible, and the only thing that can kill you is running out of ammo - due to finding the +40HP upgrade. Ironically, that's the only thing that can kill you after first upgrade gives you your first gun. The only gun that requires any skill to use is Head Shooter, as it requires waiting for multiple enemies to line up, to use the ammo as efficiently as possible.

Big issue is lack of a difficulty curve. The game just doesn't get harder as it goes on - and if it does, it's too slow to notice. I say that every minute, the game should start dropping tougher enemies. Maybe they could get more health? Maybe they can have spears that are longer range than your Head Cutter? Maybe they're very fast? Maybe give player ability to jump, and give some enemies guns with projectiles player can jump over?

Or at the very least, make enemies spawn faster over time. Something to keep player interested.

Another problem is that enemies come only from one direction. Why? The game would be more exciting if pressing A turned the player around instead of backing away, and enemies came from both directions. Suddenly, the game would be kinda exciting!

Alternatively, if you really want enemies to come only from one direction, make it so that enemies don't actually attack you - instead, at the left edge of the screen there is something you need to protect (last human baby? Virus that can destroy robot hegemony? Resistance base?) and robots don't attack you, but run right past you to attack the base. So the goal would be to make sure that no robots make it past you.

Then there's the third solution - time limit. At first I was kind of excited because I thought that if the time limit in the center of the screen runs out, the game is over. But soon I realized it's just a combo multiplier. You could say that robots lacks power, and needs to kill other robots to steal their energy or something to survive - so if the countdown runs out, the game is over.

Any of these three solutions - adding enemies in both directions, making it a defense game, or adding a mandatory timer - would make it much more exciting.

I will give credit where it's due - all of the three stars you earned due to excellent graphics and atmosphere.

MoeAnguish responds:

Thanks for your input! I'll keep it in mind for next time.

[Haunted Lands]

Great game! Brilliantly captures feel of playing old shooters (despite being a sidescroller it kind of feels like old FPS games like Doom and Wolfenstein, but it also reminds me of games like Bio Menace), but also of old zombie movies. Exquisite. Run'n'gun with hitscan weapons is a brilliant idea that I only ever saw one other person do (game Receiver, also here on Newgrounds).

However, this is kind of marred by the level design. It really is a bit cheap, and often doesn't seem to take into account the fact that player needs to reload, so levels turn into endless running away - until you die. Perhaps a solution would

Dodge roll is kind of useless, it's very short, and because enemies use projectiles, you have about 50/50 chance of rolling AWAY from projectiles, which is a certain doom - as you will lose invincibility frames at around the same time the projectile catches up to you. I think a better idea instead of a dodge roll would be a crouch giving you invincibility, but player can't move, shoot or reload during crouch - but they can crouch for as long as they hold the button.

Also hidden faces in level 3 are just nonsense. If one jumps at you when your gun is empty, you pretty much HAVE to take a hit. Again - this is a game where player needs to reload, and you need to stand still to reload (and also stand still to shoot). Asking player to constantly run away from enemies is cheap nonsense with these mechanics. Especially later on leves turn into a bit of an enemy spam, and ridiculous amount of monster closets that just clog the screen with enemies. Come on.

Another criticism is that there should be an easily audible sound cue for completing a reload. I can't count how many times I accidentally cancelled a reload mid-animation.

However, the actual game feel is extremely great, and I would definitely pay money for a more polished version of this. Preferably with a smoother difficulty curve, and more carefully crafted levels. Level 1 is amazing, I just wish other levels were like that.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

EDIT: Wait, I get the issue! It's a glitch! The Dude can reload one bullet at the time, but if the Chick cancels reload animation, she loses all reloaded ammo and goes back to square one. That makes her basically unplayable, even with her shorter reload. I didn't notice that since I immediately picked the Chick and played only as her.
I guess you guys should really playtest with all available characters, huh.

alevgor responds:

Hi.
Can you please explain, what is this "glitch" that you wrote about more specifically? Canceling reload animation does not loose any already loaded ammo on my end. Also there is definitely sound indicating when reloading is finished.
Game is beatable with both characters on both difficulties, I can guarantee that.

[Downgrade]

Central concept is pretty good, but if I could have some suggestions: projectile graphics are all wrong. Enemy shots are small and of dull green color that blends into the background - they should be some vibrant color like white, yellow, magenta or red - and perhaps glowing. Shots of your ship are much more visible, even though you have little reason to look at them.
It isn't exactly fun to get hit by an enemy projectile that you couldn't see coming.

But other than that, a really good game! It was both innovative AND fun to play, which is not something you can always say about jam games!

VascoF responds:

Yeah, the enemy projectiles aren't as easily visible as they should be. Thanks for the feedback.

[Jimmy's Wild Rocket Ride]

Nice! Only major suggestion I would have would be to make numbers in the HUD much more transparent, currently they really obstruct the view. But it's a really solid shooter!

F0R3ST12 responds:

Thank you for the review and suggestion! I definitely agree with this.

[Copy Click Paste]

Music is irritating, you can find much longer and better loops on Newgrounds Audio Portal, on Freemusicarchive.org, Incompetech.com or Freepd.com; In addition, there are no sound effects - a sound effect for jumping and dying could probably improve the game.

The playing field is WAY too big, on screens with smaller resolution it's impossible to see at once - remember that standards for web developers (who you technically are if you're making web games) is 1024x768! So overall, that made it completely unplayable for me.

Controls are responsive, but they just feel bad. Your character feels floaty because he falls a bit too fast, and he moves left and right to fast to feel like you're completely in his control. Also it appears there is no 'coyote time' and your character falls the instant you walk off a ledge - in platformers that feel well, generally there is 1-4 frames after walking off a ledge where you can still jump.

The core concept is solid - it's the execution that falters.

Citybuilder14 responds:

Thank you for the feedback. I will take your opinions into account for any future updates I decide to make if any (as this is a Jam Game). However, according to my own private playtests the coyote time is much greater than it should be; furthermore though I will look into the issues you highlighted.

[Crypt Shyfter: Warp Hounds]

This was... straight up annoying to read. At first, you dump ridiculous amounts of backstory on the player, full of weird concepts and names they have to remember... and then you introduce the alien rules, who speaks in a manner that was SO ANNOYING that I genuinely just shut off the game on the spot. Did you think it was funny? Because it was not. I genuinely had to play it again to finish it.

Also, all of that backstory? Pointless and not relevant to the story, since the actual story is about fighting pirates. Why wasn't I simply hired? I genuinely don't really care about the Crypt Shyfter metaplot, and I doubt many people will. I don't care about continuity, I care about THIS story being fun. Continuity is a bonus and should never take precedence.

Tips: don't smack player/reader in the face with a ton of backstory and new names, introduce them gradually.
And don't make characters speak in weird manner, including phonetic accents or other quirks - it's always annoying to read.

Also, it's a bad form to introduce a character that has a previous relationship with the player character, and e.g. have the PC *love* that character. Like, why? *I* don't love that dude, and I am my character. I should be able to decide what I feel, obviously! Don't tell players what they feel, or what their characters feel if you're not 100% sure that player will agree.
If you want me to love that character, make it so I would believe that! Make him funny, helpful, make him sacrifice himself for me. Write a romance arc. You can't just make me buy that my character loves him already. (Compare to how Bioware or CD Projekt Red games write romanceable NPC characters, much better than this)

Also, while there IS said romance sidekick character, they don't... do anything. They appear at the beginning, and they're there at the end, but they don't do anything in the story itself. What? They could at the very least provide some quips or advice about situations you find yourself in.

Also... this game could seriously use some music. In addition to Newgrounds Audio Portal, you can find free music on Freemusicarchive.org (remember to check the license), Incompetech.com and Freepd.com

I should give props for small improvements over Storm Shadow - rolls make slightly more sense since you can customize your character with traits and equipemnt, more like in a role-playing game - and you can restore HP. Which overall makes combat somewhat fun, and less of a chore. So good on you for that.

More generally, I think I would recommend that you stop trying to make epic RPG stories by cramming them into interactive fiction - instead, it's a better idea to try to write stories that usually work best in adventure game format - spy fiction, mystery/detective, romance, comedy, personal drama, horror, exploring mysterious empty worlds and piecing together what happened - that kinda stuff. Epic sci-fi fantasy battles are always going to look lacklustre in this genre. Similarly, it might pay off to have some actual puzzles.

CaptainJackTHAC0 responds:

glad to hear i was able to evoke such a strong reaction! great review :)

[The spy who shot me™ - Demo]

Honestly, this isn't very good.

Yeah, it's good by Newgrounds standards (which aren't very high), but if you want to put it on Steam as a commercial game, you gotta try harder.
I will start that I like the retro low-poly graphical style. However, that is pretty much the only thing to commend here.

Music is... alright. I didn't really notice it, but it's not OFFENSIVE. Similarly, while voice acting is bad, it fits the style and atmosphere of the game.

Humour isn't good, and for a matter of fact - it's almost nonexistent. If you want to see how to make a funny spy movie parody as a game, I recommend playing NOLF games, or Jazzpunk - they did the same concept ten thousand times better. Hell, even Austin Powers stuff was funnier than this. None of the jokes (if we can call them that?) stick the landing, there is very little comedic timing. One actual joke - the parachute not opening - I actually missed because I pressed left-click several times trying to see what happens, and dialogue has overriden itself, ruining the joke.

Speaking of which, writing seems... unfinished. "We're still repairing your last escapade"? What happened to that poor escapade? :P

Gunplay feels very bad. The whole thing with bullets being physical projectile that come out of right side of the screen is ridiculous - it feels extremely bad, why not make it more like modern shooter? While there is some auto-aim, it's often glitchy, and e.g. it made it impossible to hit dudes on the beach level if they were too far away. I understand that you want to imitate N64 Goldeneye, but that game was releasing in mid-90s on a console with one analog stick, there is NO REASON to try to imitate its controls now. We're playing this on a PC, there's no need for auto-aim. Everyone knows how to aim at any point at a screen, pretty much everyone in the audience played an FPS once.
I mean, you could also make the game more complex! If enemies didn't die in one hit, maybe it'd be worth to add headshots, or something like that! There's a ton of ways to make shooting fun, and not a chore!

Guns feels extremely weak - they have no punch, they are inaccurate, sounds and visual effects are lame. Similarly, enemy death sounds are pathetic. As a result, mowing down enemies isn't even fun. Maybe look up some articles or videos on 'game feel' to spice it up a bit.
I've seen two weapons - the SMG and pistol - and SMG is only SLIGHTLY better than the pistol, considering that pistol shoots as fast as you can press mouse. Why not take a page from Doom's book and add a cool shotgun, or something like that?
Here's some people smarter than me talking about what I mean:
https://youtu.be/216_5nu4aVQ
https://youtu.be/x9e4fUqKmjY
https://youtu.be/pmSAG51BybY

In addition, enemies aren't very challenging. There is NO REASON for melee enemies to die in one hit - it makes it almost impossible to die from them, especially since your default pistol has unlimited ammo and no need for reloading. For an experienced FPS player, combat will be pathetically easy - I recommend adding different difficulty levels, with current difficulty being "easy".
The only time I died from this game is from running out of time. Speaking of...

Level design were alright, if mediocre most of the time... except for when it's not clear which door was unlocked by the "7 ring" (speaking of which, what is the point of it outside of taking me out of the game? Couldn't you have just made a switch like in Doom?). At one point at a beach I just ran out of time because I had no idea where I was supposed to go next (door behind me was closed). I could've retried, except... game isn't fun. It's pretty boring, and I have no desire to keep playing it. If this was on Steam, this would be the point where I'd refund the game, and boot up Doom or Duke3D again.

Pacing is all over the place, too. The first thing you want to do is for player to do something interesting and exciting, NOT walk around in a lame base with no clear sense of objectives, what to do next, and possibility of accidentally exiting to main menu. Speaking of which - why is there no objectives? You're clearly riffing on N64 Goldeneye, but it and Perfect Dark DID have unique objectives in every level, and weren't just corridors filled with enemies.

In addition to that, level designs lack anything interesting or memorable about them. There's no gimmick, no setpieces, no interesting mechanics - nothing interesting or original. It's just pointless corridors filled with enemies. Nothing to remember the levels I played by.
Why should I play this game over any OTHER fps on the market? Because if you can't answer that question, maybe you should seriously rework how your game works.

Riding on nostalgia alone won't take you far.

BlueStarGeneral responds:

"you want to put it on Steam as a commercial game, you gotta try harder."

(93% rated of 828 reviews)
http://store.steampowered.com/app/311870/Super_Trench_Attack/

(92% rated of 155 reviews)
http://store.steampowered.com/app/521920/Deaths_Hangover/

This title is still in development, still you made some good points! I'll take them under consideration,

Thanks for your feedback,

PSD