Review: Platformines

Platformines is a unique 2D platformer packed with exploration, RPG and shooter elements, set in a vast 16-bit underground world! Customise your character, master all difficulty levels and literally jump to the top of the leaderboards to prove your skills!

Pros:

• Gorgeous 16 Bit graphics with next level detail of characters.
• Partial 360 pad support, Parts of the menu only supports mouse. Apart from that you are good to go with just the pad.
• Full character customisation which can be further expanded with in game pick ups.
• Tutorial at the beginning showing you everything you need, Further tips are given when needed but can be turned off.
• Three difficulty levels which change the gameplay dramatically. Apart from your tougher enemies and less ammo scenarios, Upping the difficulty also includes death options like die and lose a percentage of cash and have the chance to pick up your items, to permanent death where you have just the one life to see how far you can get.
• Gameplay is fast frantic and fun, Taking from a host of genres, you can expect to:
  • have fast paced SHMUP style fights.
  • nails platform action.
  • Spelunking style exploration where you must uncover the map as you travel around.
  • loot em up, from chests, drops and pick ups.
• You have a central “home” hub where you can save, buy new items from the in game store, store items in a vault and regain health.
• You can travel quickly all over the map by finding portals, From your home hub, you can select previously used portals so you can jump all over the place.
• You have energy which is your health, Its all contained within a belt, The belt also acts as a field of view as well. By this I mean the more health you have, The more of the level you can see around you. low health means low visibility for example. You can increase your health and in doing so your field of view by upgrading your belt.
• Treasure chests are littered throughout the level and show on your map as question marks. The contents will vary from items to new weapons to straight up cash.
• Collect items such as precious stones which can be sold at the shop to upgrade/buy items. Some stones will also let you use them to replenish your energy/health.
• Loads of weapons to be picked up or bought, Each one is unique and different in appearance, Equipping a new gun will change the look of your character. Think Boderlands level of guns available.
• Hair styles can be picked up and bought, They act as buffs and do things like increase gun power, add extra jumps etc. Again equipping a new hairstyle will change your appearance.
• You can assign different weapons to your d pad for easy swapping. Each direction holds a different gun so up is pistol, down is shotgun, right is machine gun and left is missile launchers. Yyou can swap as much as you want.
• Guns will auto reload.
• You can shoot in any direction and you as standard, have 5 jumps that can be performed consecutively.
• Levels are HUGE and are broken into different areas, each area varying in difficulty and enemies encountered.
• Enemies drop cash/items and power ups.

Cons:

• Hit detection is a bit off especially with jump shooting.
• Walking through enemies makes the game a lot harder than it needs to be.
• Fall damage is constant and harsh, even a small drop can do serious damage to new players.
• When dropping down screens, the screen doesn’t move fast enough.

In Summary, The game is a lot of fun, It will turn any casual session into a marathon. With an element of grinding, seeking out new weapons and upgrading parts will keep you entertained. The sheer size of the levels are incredible, Find the missing guns needed to shoot blocks for use in a puzzle room to help your escape. The game moves at such a lightening speed and is so responsive and addictive that you cannot help but fall to its charms. The first couple of sessions will feel slow as you start unlocking new upgrades and weapons. The game is open world in the sense that you can go anywhere, But be warned some areas are best done after a bit of upgrading but you wont get penalised for trying. (well except for dying) After playing it you think about if it would work as a co op game? Truth is it might in a way but then you would lose a lot of the risk/reward. As it is, You get a lot of game for your money and the music and retro graphics will draw you in, But you will stay for the gameplay.