VIVIDLOPE Review (Nintendo Switch OLED)

Rating: 8
Author: Jim Smale

by Jim Smale · Published August 8, 2024 · Updated August 7, 2024

VIVIDLOPE Review, Join Cerise on her journey through the strange realm of VIVIDSCAPE. Here, the gravity is totally off the wall. Turn the world upside down as you run on ceilings, collect powerful items, fend off waves of enemies, and paint tiles. Plan ahead, but stay alert and react, as the foes keep coming from all directions – north, south, east, west, even top and bottom

VIVIDLOPE Review Pros:

Decent graphics.
999MB download size.
Own in-game achievements.
Eight save slots.
Puzzle gameplay.
Arcade presentation.
It feels, plays, and looks like it came straight from the Dreamcast.
Can remap the controls.
Game settings – tile coloring (standard/high contrast/constant), tile reticule (on/off), max fps (30/60), and stage reflection (glossy/off/subtle).
The goal of the game is to color in all the blocks avoiding enemies and obstacles in the fastest time.
A stage will have a set amount of coverage percentage you need to hit, once you hit that amount you then get to carry on until you get to 100 percent but you cannot go over an already filled-in square.
OK so to be clear as you fill in tiles you build up a power bar and when the timer runs out and you hit a filled-in square the power bar goes down, when it hits zero it finishes the level.
Opening tutorial levels then you get some pop-up info as you play.
The bestiary fills in with enemies encountered except it goes further, you can spawn the enemies into a grid, change difficulty, etc, and then practice against them.
Background viewer.
You can rewatch cutscenes.
Two game modes – Story, and endless.
Fast loading times.
Buy and equip new hats for your character.
So much fun to play.
The world in the story mode is one that builds out as you finish blocks of stages.
Two game difficulties – normal and hard.
You can replay levels.
End of level breakdown showing a final rank.
Tons of replay value.
Levels are short enough that it’s a great game for on-the-go.
Find and use power-ups to either do large areas of filling in squares or hitting enemies.

VIVIDLOPE Review Cons:

The music could be better.
No online leaderboards or scoring.
If you hate fun then this is not the game for you.
The jumping can be a bit frustrating at times.
Could do with a mode like a speed run or time trial.

VIVIDLOPE:

Official website.

Developer: Jaklub

Publisher: Jaklub

Store Links –

Nintendo

8/10

Graphics - 8/10
7/10

Sound - 7/10
8/10

Accessibility - 8/10
8/10

Length - 8/10
9/10

Fun Factor - 9/10

8/10

Summary

VIVIDLOPE offers a nostalgic experience with its arcade presentation and puzzle gameplay, reminiscent of the Dreamcast era. The game features decent graphics and a manageable download size of 999MB. Players can enjoy in-game achievements and utilize eight save slots, adding to the game’s replay value. The ability to remap controls and customize game settings, such as tile coloring, tile reticule, maximum FPS, and stage reflection, enhances the user experience. The primary objective is to color all the blocks while avoiding enemies and obstacles, aiming to complete stages as quickly as possible. As players fill in tiles, they build up a power bar, which depletes when the timer runs out, and a filled-in square is hit, ultimately finishing the level when the bar hits zero.

The game starts with tutorial levels and provides pop-up information as you progress. The bestiary not only records encountered enemies but also allows players to spawn them into a grid, adjust the difficulty, and practice against them. Additional features include a background viewer and the ability to rewatch cutscenes. VIVIDLOPE offers two game modes: Story and Endless. While the music could be improved and the game lacks online leaderboards or scoring, it compensates with fast loading times and the option to buy and equip new hats for your character.

Despite some frustrating jumping mechanics and the absence of modes like speed run or time trial, the game is incredibly fun to play. The story mode world expands as you complete blocks of stages, and players can choose between normal and hard difficulties. Levels are short, making it an excellent game for on-the-go play. The end-of-level breakdown provides a final rank, and the game offers tons of replay value. Players can find and use power-ups to fill in large areas of squares or hit enemies, adding an extra layer of strategy.

Overall, VIVIDLOPE is a delightful blend of nostalgic arcade gameplay and modern features. While it has its flaws, such as the music and jumping mechanics, the game’s customization options, replay value, and overall fun factor make it a worthwhile experience for puzzle and arcade game enthusiasts.