Another Warfare

[i] My Experience [/i] I loved SUPERHOT's "time moves when you do" mechanic. You can obviously play levels as quickly as you'd like, but it could benefit you to play them methodically and carefully plan your attack. This mechanic allows the player to face down overwhelming odds, yet emerge victorious. It represented a merger between shooters and puzzle games that was almost seamless. While I certainly didn't think this one dollar indie game would reach the heights of SUPERHOT, I did expect a bit more from it than this. If it didn't feel monotonous enough travelling to the white flag (the goal of each level) across these near-identical grassy forests, the game maintains a drab sepia palette that makes the entire experience feel lifeless. Additionally, the shooting itself was rather rote and unremarkable. On the other hand, it could be that the game is a substantial piece of social commentary. The repetitiveness of the level design and the title, [b]Another Warfare[/b], referring to how mundane and commonplace war has become. The fact that you'll only see enemy bullets by moving forwards yourself encouraging the player (or country) to comprehend their role in perpetuating conflict. The goal of each level being a white flag, symbolizing surrender and finally, peace. However, I can't help but feel like I'm reaching here. I'm not sure that [b]Another Warfare[/b] is going to be the 2D translation of SUPERHOT's mechanics that energizes me. It's a difficult mechanic to do correctly - I recently played [b]UltraGoodness 2[/b], another game that (in my view) misses the mark. The best translation of SUPERHOT's mechanics, for my money, can be found in [b]Iron Danger[/b]. Although in a different genre, the mechanic's implementation is well-done and allows for excellent decision-making opportunities on the part of the player.