Coop's game Reviews on Newgrounds

[ColorClash]

Not bad, but could be better

Right, you've come up with a decent enough game that has some pretty good looking moves and special moves. What I would suggest to make it a better game is to give us some AI to fight against. Most people these days sit behind one computer screen, rather than all crowding around one screen to play multi-player on a single machine.

Yes, you've identified the need for the return to menu button (There are buttons tutorials on NG, if you're stuck). Why not make that into a menu mouse over tab, where it expands if you bring the mouse over the top, so you can minimise what is taken from the gameplay area? More options are usually better in games such as this and while you'll be working on things like additional backgrounds and possibly even a plot for these games, you're going to need to change some of the basics, to increase the game's appeal.

In the game itself, perhaps have the numbers reduced to background (i.e. don't show them to the paying punters) and just have graphics there, instead. With the weapons, perhaps have them take off more than just half a hit point per hit, otherwise it will be a long and boring fight. The critical hits will do more, as will the special weapon, so factor these in proportionally. With the advent of the AI, you can make it best of three, so it becomes a proper challenge.

There is a basic frame here, that probably does require more programming assistance. With that help from the Flash Forum, you'll be able to get a more appealing finished product and from there, you can produce a better finished piece. I look forward to seeing when it's done.

[Review Request Club]

Twisted4000 responds:

Thanks for all of the tips. The thing is that the "back to menu" button would work, but when you played again, the frames would occasionally screw up (example: a character would make an angry face when attacking for no reason).

I'm making a second one and it is going very well, and I'll take all these useful tips from you with it. Thanks!

[Blop-a-gotchi V5]

What was the point of this?

I really don't see what the point of this is - I've tried clicking everything and going through the motions to try and make sense of this game for you, but to little avail. What I would suggest is that you give us an end goal of the game - the original Tam-o-gotchi has the goal to make the creature grow up big and strong, so they could either leave home, or keep them dependant, so they eventually die in your care.

I think that the design looks decent and that's the reason behind the stars, but you need to put a lot more effort in to make it a good flash project - without that, it's just another game and a pretty poor one at that.

With the way that you can change the colour of your "blop", that's a little extreme after they are already there. Yes, the hairstyle, I can see, but the colour should be fixed from when it's born, or appears, or however you see it as working.

I've never advocated gaining "smarts" from either watching TV or listening to the radio. Work, by using a pneumatic drill to smash apart some block of wood or stone is a decent way to earn money, but making it a "click as fast as you can" mini game makes it get very old, very quick. Perhaps stimulation could be gained from mini games, such as chess, checkers and so forth?

This piece needs a lot of work, just to ascend to "average", I'm afraid.

[Review Request Club]

up-a-notch responds:

ok thanks

[Skate Forever]

Hipolyta, but for skaters

Not a bad game at all - a decent concept, which was a little tricky to master, even on easy mode, since you had just a little too fine a gap for controls there, until I realised that you could just hold down "jump" to stay airborne for longer.

I liked the simplicity of the layout for the piece - the tetris blocks gave it the look of Tetris'd, plus the music was nicely selected and not annoying, which I thought it might become over time, which was a relief to see.

Perhaps the next step is to incorporate this into some sort of story mode, so that the tutorial is completed as part of that and from there, you can have the character progress, with more rapid fire obstacles, a plot unveiling itself, the further you get and even some other bits and pieces, which I can't think of right now.

Very encouraging, I look forward to seeing more of your work :)

[Review Request Club]

The-One-Banana responds:

Thanks for a very encouraging review! I'll try to make my next game much more engaging with your suggestions.

[Space Bound]

Decent effort

I think that you're getting the hang of Games Factory workings nicely here, though the game could still use some work, to make it pan out properly.

The stages seem a little long and having to spam press S to fire is a bit of a problem. Consider having some sort of programming that allows it to "auto fire", just by holding the button down. How exactly are you supposed to shoot laser fire out of the sky? I don't know the physics of it myself, but I was doing it with pretty good accuracy.

Some of the powerups, while useful seemed pointless, when there was just the one type. There is no score, so there feels to be no end goal and motivation to progress with the game, so adding a score tracker would encourage people to continue and maybe even to take more risks within the game, so they can get greater score? Higher points for the grey asteroids, as opposed to the brown ones, perhaps?

Keep working at it, you've got a decent concept, so just developing it a bit will be very rewarding for this game.

[Review Request Club]

ninty96zie responds:

I wasn't going to add a score.. as this is an adventure game, and the first part only lasts for about 1 minute and a half, i might however include a score based free play space battle mode, rather than add score to the actual game, thank you for the review though :D

[BubbleLand]

Nice little game

I've seen this format of game before and it's a nice way to kill a few minutes, but the game comes across as aimed at a different demographic than mine. Still, I gave it a shot and there's a surprising amount of skill involved for a game that initially presents itself as simple.

I think that the balance was needed between the music (or lack thereof) within the game was a factor in the lack of an overall experience with it - perhaps consider a soundtrack, which can be muted at the player's discretion. Granted, it makes the files slightly larger, but when you're talking this small, you'd only push it up to about 500kb.

The graphics are of a good standard and I think that with the large variety of teddy bears available on the market, perhaps you could have a small range of collectables that you can pick up during levels (would these give powerups?) and even a small range of different bears available to play as.

[Review Request Club]

gameonade responds:

Wow, it is great review. Thank you for excellent ideas. I'm not sure that I will be able to do this in this version of the game (as it wasn't prepare for this) - but in the some sort of sequel I will definately do different teddy bears and some upgrades to select between the levels.

[Mage Arena]

A unique challenge

Hmm, a very interesting little game that you've produced, complete with a range of various enemies to offer a challenge to the discerning gamer.

While I would have appreciated an indication of how these opponents would come at me, before they actually did and what they could do to me, the simplicity is applaudable. I like the graphics and the challenge of enemies entering through all three doors at once really keeps you on your toes.

I think that a Doom style game where you enter rooms (though keep the top-down aspect) and the enemies swarm you from there might have been a better option, you've still created a very good game.

[Review Request Club]

kcnh responds:

Thank you for your review.

[Waterboy]

Has roots in SMB

A nice little game that, much like the aforementioned Super Mario Brothers, I lack the skill to complete. Still, I shan't let that hold me back.

The main difference between this and the interface for Super Mario Brothers is that you can go backwards - in the Nintendo series, you can only move forwards and once something falls off the left of the screen, you can't go back and see it again. Personally, I like this and wouldn't ask you to change this, though some purists might.

How are you supposed to get up to the additional life points that seem out of reach? I cannot find a way to get these, nor the coins surrounding them, which is annoying. Perhaps it is my lack of experience with these side scrolling platformers that causes me this issue, but I shouldn't complain, unless it is a programming issue.

I liked the quirky graphics and would have appreciated some plot to start the story and perhaps act as a bridge between worlds, just to flesh it out a little. The game is good, but something to bring it all together would have been a really nice addition.

[Review Request Club]

kcnh responds:

The additional life points are reachable if you jump on a shelled turtle, a turtle will retreat in its shell if you shoot a waterball at it. Thank you very much for your review.