Skotos

[code]Curator page here-->[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/37670120/] DaRevieweD #133 [/url]<-- [i]New review every Weekend[/i][/code] [h1]"An Idea That Sounded Good on Paper…"[/h1] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2604181639 [u] Here's The Thing:[/u] You’re a nobody. And you’re stuck in a nightmare with nothing but a lantern! Conquer your phobias, see a few feet around you and find your way to the structure lit like a Christmas tree~ [h1][+] PROS;[/h1] [b]:) GAMEPLAY~[/b] Simplicity at its finest, all you have to do is jump from platform to platform, steer and pace yourself! The objective is always highlighted far, far away so you have a general sense of where to go amidst all the darkness… But you still need to be wary at all times because a single misstep, wrongly-timed jump or cocky speedrunning mindset will punish you! I had the feeling that it wasn’t meant to be a serious game, horror or otherwise. And I did enjoy immensely the no-fall damage and weightlessness of falling through heights that in reality would shatter everything. However, the physics-abiding lantern actually is genius, serving a vital purpose in one of the later levels, so don’t think it’s just to help you see! Can be completed within 1 hour or so but it depends on the difficulty, of which there are three; easy, normal and a threat I can’t seem to remember now. What gets changed are the speed of alternating surfaces and availability of checkpoint orbs! [b]TIPS:[/b] 1) Enemies can be rendered powerless with one simple hack. 2) Just play on “easy”; save yourself some heartburn. [b]:) HORROR[/b] The enemies are goofy and love to wave at you, which is creepy I suppose. But the most terrifying thing was not being able to see much of anything unless you’re really close to a landmark such as the airport runway with lines that refract light. There is also that freefalling sensation where you think you’re about to drop dead but then you land on a gravel surface, and your knees are still shaky. It honest to god, was like a nightmare I once had or will have again in near future. The pursuing, looming blackness and “not making a lick of logic” certainly tick the boxes of your stereotypical yet effective bad dreams… [h1][-] CONS;[/h1] [b]:( GAMEPLAY[/b] Simple controls and mission? No doubt. But those shouldn’t be equivalent to mind-numbing, tedious platforming! It wouldn’t do this game justice to call it a walking sim although it does have the narrow, underbaked mechanics to qualify it. Nope, it’s more of a jumping simulator because you’ll do exactly that all night long baby for the, as of now five stages. The movements aren’t very comfortable either, especially with angular planes and the lantern seems to be sinking into the floor and not where it should count- in front of you. It becomes a hindrance more than anything~ [b]:( DESIGN[/b] I was sick of seeing nothing and not because it was dark. But more of that the levels are utterly samey in their appearances, not to mention the obstacles present and you only really need to experience one to get the gist of what it has to show you. In fact, I’m starting to think the endless night is just one big fat excuse to mask the uninspired, not fooling anyone, padded map! The enemy types are decent but you can tell they’re only cosmetically altered, what with identical idle animations. And I loathe their voices, with their echoing and distorted noises when you’re facing them from an angle~ https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2604181204 [b]:( REPLAY VALUE…[/b] The difficulty was added in to change up the flow but what that amounts to is insanely ridiculous speeds. Instead of actually fair balancing, for instance maybe your character becomes faster as well or maybe enemy placements are jumbled up, multiplied… You know, stuff that actually matter. As such, people will probably just play it once and not bother~ [b]:( UNFINISHED!?[/b] Which, speaking of- I reached the apparent “ending” and it was just nothingness in a quite frankly, nice and spacious modern residential area. But I am beyond appalled because one, it dangles a carrot in front of me reminding me I cannot afford housing and two, what am I supposed to do here! It wouldn’t be such a stretch to say the whole game has that aura of unfinished to it and I’m not sure if it’s even in “early access” or something else similar as an increasing majority of developers seem to be misusing that feature on Steam… With there being no context whatsoever as to why you have to discount Mario jump across platforms but with no sound effects, let alone iconic & nostalgic ones. I found myself muttering several times out of pained annoyance, how I was wasting my time playing it- which I had never done at all with any other game. If I were to describe it more clearly- it was as if I was stuck in a kennel, blocked from any light whatsoever but in actuality I was blinded- more accurately my eyes were gouged out to begin with~ [b]:( “HORROR”[/b] The concept could’ve been leaps and bounds scarier than what we got. It loses momentum and poise in prioritizing itself as being more of a platformer than the other “horr” word- what was it, yes “horrible”! No wait, because then that would it mean it did an exemplary job in that regard… My point is, enemies are stripped of their menacing once you hop to another platform or just anywhere slightly higher than them. Ultimately, the game is rid almost immediately of its unpredictability after the first stage and dare I say, even before then~ [h1]BUGS:[/h1] x Can enter the empty, suspended buildings but for no purpose seeing as the top of the stairs are sealed off. x Phased through walls! x Enemies don’t have “natural” behavior. Instead, they’ll move to where you are horizontally so as to meet your gaze… [h1]NITPICKS:[/h1] ~ Can’t get over the design of the maps. Just platforms being grouped together randomly and repeatedly. ~ Movement of lantern swaying too much and distracting. [h1]”-But Said Paper’s in A Dark Room… Just Blindly Agreeing~"[/h1] https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2604181137 [u]Last Words?[/u] A horror platformer too niche, barren in its design and execution. Gets old quickly as well as lacking in many areas; variety, atmosphere, plot to name a few… Until then, its future will remain dark~ If you like to see the same few enemies and obstacles get reused over five stages. And if you don’t mind your platforming on the very light side but in the dark to minor gratification. Keeping at the back of your head that you’ll emerge from the experience apathetic, unfulfilled and wanting more. Then this might just be a below average fit. One that you should stay far away and give a shot only when you miraculously have no other games in your backlog~ [h1]1 / 5[/h1] [code]I’m sorry it had to be this way, but still I thank [b]Ryan & KomodoBit Games[/b] for the key![/code] [code]Don't forget to follow my curator [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/37670120/] DaRevieweD[/url] for more games!![/code]