[h3]Roll at dizzying speeds trying to dodge frustrating obstacles and compensate for unpredictable physics in Marble Parkour, another thinly-veiled asset flip from Tero Lunkka. On the plus side, it's incredibly cheap, the graphics are crisp, and it contains simple, functional achievements for collectors. It's too bad that it misses the most important element, namely: Fun.[/h3]
Nineteen levels await you in this physics platformer, built around slopes, tubes, loops, cannons, bumpers, mines, and surfaces of varying friction. There's also a handful of powerups, like a speed burst, high jump, gravity inverter, and a size modifier. Sounds like a simple recipe for success, right? Sadly, that's not the case.
For starters, the level design is random. Platforms aren't lined up with one another, with visible gaps and crevices that are possible to get stuck in--or fall through. Your default jump is quite limited, and relies on a recharging boost to reach any substantial vertical height. In situations where gravity rotates with a twisting surface, it rarely ever straightens out when you reach the other end - creating a constant opposing force pulling you towards a ledge and robbing you of speed. Thematically, the game is abstract, but throws in a bizzare Mario-esque clouds, forest, castle, and snow stages towards the end, for no apparent reason. One of these even has collectible coins, but these serve no purpose. And then there's the aforementioned powerups. Tutorial stage aside, they're introduced without explanation, and in some cases, better off ignored (like the trampoline, which can bounce you right off the edge).
But by far, the biggest issue with this game is that it relies on luck more than skill. Stage 7 appears to have no other solution than to ride a mine blast to the exit, because it's impossible to make it through the terrible spinning tubes that take away all player control. Your speed and direction will vary wildly depending on your distance and starting momentum from the mine explosion, making this stage an exercise in patience utilizing a mechanism that's very imprecise. In the cannon stage, you have to experiment with angles to land that final platform, which was lovingly made out of the icy surface that lacks any stopping force. In the castle stage, the center portion has you traversing perfectly round pipes, which as you can guess, provide no surface on which to steer forward.
True, physics platformers are often about overcoming unfair situations, but there's a difference in thoughtful versus thoughtless design. A game can be forgiven for using preset assets... if they're used well. This one feels like a school project cobbled together with haste just to get it over with. It wasn't crafted for the player experience. It was made to push a product. And it shows.
If you're an achievement masochist, then this is your cup of tea. For everyone else, try a real game like [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/742460/Marble_Skies/]Marble Skies[/url], also on Steam.
[u]Achievement Hunters[/u]: ~2hrs to 100%. Free stage select achievements + collect each star in each stage, always near the exit. The only difficult one to figure out is 7, mentioned earlier. Use the corner mine farthest from the checkpoint, a couple squares forward. You might have to slightly jump or use a boost at the end.
If you're still stuck, you can find at least [url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxP6cHylIH_PWtWZkw4Gkhw/search?query=marble%20]one full video playthrough on Youtube[/url] here.
[i]Thank you bron99 for the donation.[/i]
