Up or Lava! Review (Steam)

by Jim Smale · September 5, 2023

For this Up or Lava! Review, where our goal is to Step into a challenge where your primary goal is to jump high and climb fast to escape the rising lava beneath your feet. Give no chances to either the lava or your competitors – always move up! Fight, push, knockdown, and set cunning traps to be the last player on the path to the top. Every competitor is ready to play dirty for victory. Always stay one step ahead!

Up or Lava! Review Pros:

Nice graphics.
645.16MB Download size.
Graphics settings – resolution, v-sync, windowed, and graphics quality preset.
Sensitivity slider for the mouse.
Battle Royale racing gameplay.
Basic tutorial pop-ups of controls.
Choose from 16 different characters.
You can set and change your in-game nickname at any point.
Four types of parkour events – parkour race, destiny path, urban islands, and run and fun.
Four types of DFIL game types – Bottom Valley, Fell City, Dungeon Life, and King of the Hill.
Each event has a difficulty rating and lobby max size.
Creating a game lets you choose the game type, room name, and if it has a password.
Server browser for created games.
The idea of the game is to keep going up the assault course whilst dealing with other players, over time the lava rises, and hitting it is instant death.
Simple easy-to-learn controls. You can press buttons to activate traps.
Obstacles may require crouching, running, or timed jumps to conquer.
Does use a ledge-grabbing mechanic which is a godsend.
3rd person view.
When playing you get a timer for the lava, your current position, and the highest height achieved.
End of race breakdown.
You can actually create a custom game and play it on your own to practice.
If no one joins then you can play an open online game alone.
The opening warm-up section is good as it allows you to have a quick practice.
Excellent level design.
Some cool locations.

Up or Lava! Review Cons:

Basic graphics options.
No Steam achievements.
Cannot rebind controls.
No real tutorial.
Doesn’t offer character customisation options.
Had the debug menu pop up and leave any error messages on the screen until I clicked the very small box to clear it.
No controller support.
You don’t get anything for winning.
Just cannot get the players in to make it fun.

Up or Lava!:

Official website.

Developer: Garden of Dreams

Publisher: Garden of Dreams

Store Links –

Steam

7/10
Graphics - 7/10
6/10
Sound - 6/10
6/10
Accessibility - 6/10
7/10
Length - 7/10
7/10
Fun Factor - 7/10

6.6/10

Summary

“Up or Lava” is a Battle Royale racing game with a download size of 645.16MB. It has basic graphics options, including resolution, v-sync, windowed mode, and graphics quality preset. The game offers four types of parkour events and four types of DFIL game types, each with a difficulty rating and lobby max size. Players can choose from 16 different characters and set their in-game nicknames at any point.

The gameplay involves going up an assault course while dealing with other players and avoiding rising lava. The controls are simple and easy to learn, with buttons to activate traps and a ledge-grabbing mechanic. The game has a 3rd person view and displays a timer for the lava, the player’s current position, and the highest height achieved.

The game has some drawbacks, including no Steam achievements, no ability to rebind controls, no real tutorial, no character customization options, and no controller support. Additionally, there is no reward for winning and it can be difficult to find enough players to make the game fun.

Overall, “Up or Lava” has excellent level design and cool locations, but could benefit from some improvements in terms of features and player engagement. Hell, just more players will do.