qrth-phyl

[b]The issue I take with [i]qrth-phyl[/i] is that the description written on the store page is misleading.[/b] Secondarily, I also think the core gameplay is a bit subpar considering the plethora of awesome arcade scorechasers out there. The game is self-described as a [i]'Arcade documentary of maze/dot/snake mechanic...'[/i]. I specifically interpret the use of the word 'documentary' in this context to sort of walk me through a vague history of [i]Snake[/i]-like games or the evolution of [i]Snake[/i]-like games (through playing using various versions and mechanics). I assumed levels would range from the most basic 2D pixels-as-big-as-cinderblocks to the whole 3D scene. I think this would have been super cool to experience. This is definitely not what I got. What I got was two specific [i]Snake[/i] variants. We have the hybrid 2D with multiple planes, and the purely 3D [i]Snake[/i]. To be fair, I don't find either one all that compelling on it's own, or when paired. It feels a bit dated to me (I am aware this is not a new release). Is it worth the small asking price? I guess. To my twin-stick-ish scorechasing friends - I wouldn't recommend running out and grabbing this. [b]Pros:[/b] +Nice enough little scorechaser [b]Cons:[/b] -Very small in scope -I'm not a huge fan of 3D [i]Snake[/i], I don't think it translates all that well and there are better versions of it out there (check out [i]MRS SNAKE[/i] here on Steam, it has much more to offer at a fraction of the cost) -No volume control which is annoying -I just don't find it all that fun, really [b]What can I say? I'd pass.[/b] I see a bit of nostalgia from folks that had this on console, but I just think you can do better even considering the small asking price.

qrth-phyl is the rerelease of an Xbox Live Indie Arcade title originally released in 2012. qrth-phyl includes a variety of low fidelity, abstract effects including glitchy / chiptune-y music, pixelated particle effects in droves, lasers that cut across the entirety of the level and various other brightly-colored obstacles you have to quickly evade in order to continue chowing down on the PacMan esque pellets. If you've played any variant of the "Snake" games at some point you will know what qrth-phyl's general gameplay mechanic is: eating pellets, growing longer (oh myyyy), and dodging walls. qrth-phyl's perplexing (and frankly a bit asinine) claim of being an "arcade documentary" in is description is a bit overstated. While qrth-phyl is heavily influenced by games of yesteryear (the most obvious among these being the "Snake" games found on various handheld devices) its claim of being a documentary seems a bit generous as it includes no video footage nor much exposition on anything factual beyond occassional abstract messages onscreen alluding to previous old school games' creation or release dates. While a straight-up Snake clone would get old, qrth-phyl keeps things interesting by introducing new obstacles frequently with their own patterns to adapt to as you progress from one randomly-generated level to the next. To complete a level you need to collect X amount of pellets before an exit to the next stage appears for you to glide through. During that time you may encounter large, loud blinking red cubes that suddenly scatter throughout the level before dissolving to reveal a slowly-creeping line of green blocks trying to obstruct your pathway, while certain pellets you can pick up will generate laser barriers that shoot out from where you collected them, adding more variety to the obstacles you are required to dodge. These all have their own unique indicators of their arrival via flashing lights and distinct patterns with fitting, threatening sound effects. qrth-phyl will not be everyone's cup of tea and may be enjoyed more by those with nostalgia for the earlier days of arcade gaming (the game's 'pinball' esque sound effects when you complete a level, as well as the graphics / sound design / music, etc seem to be a nod toward the game's predecessors) qrth-phyl is definitely a see how far you can make it high score oriented game and if you aren't immediately pulled in by its overall design/effects or the feel of its navigation not much will change in its gameplay to draw you in. qrth-phyl is broken down into two separate areas that alternate as you progress. You may start the game on a 2D plane, turning right and left as your snake glides ahead, however upon eating enough of the scattered collectibles and progressing to the next area a panel will open up that you then have to glide through, whereupon the game's perspective shifts to a more open 3D style navigation. These 3D movement levels can be a bit jarring at first, with the game's somewhat glidey mechanic (and the inverted flight controls) taking some getting used to, with abrupt turns needed to avoid obstacles being the order of the day. Thankfully the game includes somewhat of a small grace window with which you can still turn to narrowly escape running into a wall during these sections. That being said, I have died several times due to a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ camera angle (i.e. if I'm going for a pellet at the bottom of the screen and it hasn't shifted low enough to show me what I'm heading toward...) although this has been more of an issue on the 2D plane levels. At the end of the day there isn't much to elaborate on regarding qrth-phyl. It's an abstract game with chunky, pixelated vibes and loud electronic music. If you enjoyed dinking around playing Snake on your old ass Nokia phone you will probably enjoy what this game offers. While not a complex game, I really dig qrth-phyl's overall design and effects and I'm glad to see it getting larger distribution via Steam as I was a fan during its initial release.

One of the gems of the old Xbox Live Indie Games program that has been resurrected on a modern platform. We already know it's good. Now it's just better. Thumbs up!

Unique atmosphere and gameplay, Highly recommended.

I absolutely love this game. The aesthetics are working great for the retro-arcade style. The controls are responsive and the game is challenging. Also the hidden sequence adds yet another dimension to the game (pun not intended). I got this game years ago on IndieGameStand. That store doesn't operate anymore and I had the only .exe file I managed to download before they went out of business. And here we are, qrth-phyl finally safely in my steam library. I'm looking forward for future updates. Maybe VR support could be nice?

Snake meets Pac-Man.... in [i]3D!![/i] Controls are tight, especially for a game with full 3D movement. Just going where you want to go feels natural and responsive. Collision detection seems pretty lenient, both for collecting items and crashing into things, so it's not too frustrating. Nice little arcade-style game.

I'm usually not much of a fan of these proc-gen score chasing games, but qrth-phyl is something special. At its heart it's "just" a snake game with some neat 3D elements. What makes it stand out is the aesthetic. The music has an IDM-ish chip tune appeal, and the graphics do a great job of feeling like what we imagined games to be in our heads back in the vector graphics days. If you're a child of the 80s it should all make perfect sense. Looks aside, it's a fine game too. Dying doesn't come across as cheap, and it doesn't feel as frustrating. Definitely a fun game to fill some spare minutes here and there.

A celebration of the classic snake game with a fun Tron fever-dream aesthetic. Please buy it so Verran can afford more vowels for the next title.

Fantastic action arcade game. To say it's 3d snake is to undersell. Sometimes something so simple is bigger than the sum of its parts.