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The Daily Click ::. Downloads ::. Review Review: Super Bubble Blob
.:: Presentation ::. [Functional and fluid] A nice, simple introduction and title screen will greet you warmly as you start this game. It has a save and load function and the abilty to have multiple save files. What more can I say? An easy 9/10 on this note, as it's unassuming and functional. .:: Gameplay ::. [Brilliant engine spoilt by level design] This is where the fun begins. You're thrown into the training mode where you will discover that you have the ability to run, jump, stick to walls, jump off walls, bounce yourself off the floor and even stick to things which you can spin off, if you've gathered enough momentum. The last bit really has to be seen to be believed; the realism is GREAT and the controls are simple, yet fluid. It's certainly the best feature of the game. However, you'll soon find even the training mode rather frustrating, as instructions, although present, are a little unhelpful when it comes to tricky manouvers such as the floor bounce, where the helpful advice is given: "this takes practise". But I digress! Having passed the training level, you'll find yourself thrown into a series of levels in which you must complete puzzles of ever-increasing difficulty. In actual fact, you won't find anything harder than the training level until about level 7, but I'll let that one rest. The engine is clearly the best feature of the game, but due to BubbleBlob's tendancy to POP! whenever he encounters danger, spike balls or mildly abbrasive surfaces, the levels are short, and you'll only be left wishing they were sweeter. One of the game's major drop-outs for me was the level design. Levels are indeed short, and fairly unimaginitive. You'll find the puzzles revolve almost entirely around a) not falling off the bottom of the screen and b)not touching the spikey balls; other enemies or dangers are scarce to say the least. I believe it was Circy (but don't quote me on that one) who commented on the dissappearing platforms, and whatever he said in critisizm of them I can only agree with. This game gets 9/10 for the engine, but that's dragged down by the -2/10 it gets for imagination and creativity in level design. Which is rather sad, really, because the engine is so good! But gameplay is still quite fun, despite my incessant complaints. .:: Graphics ::. [Photoshop reliant, but effective] It's time for "how to prejudiced and judgemental with Proteus". The "good graphics" of the game rely HEAVILY on ye olde photoshoppe. I'm a klikker of the old school, so I believe in the way of the pixel, and although I don't mind photoshopped opening sequences or title screens etc, I cannot really complement the graphics of this game with a straight face. In a nutshell, the whole thing looks FAIRLY good, with nice little features involving water pouring and leaves russling. But otherwise it still leaves a lot to be desired in the imagination department. You are thrown into a bunch of simple levels involving brick platforms, lines you can slide along, and it's all done in order for you to complete your quest: reach the yellow square. I joketh not! I would critisize the game for being cliched if you had to reach some kind of door or teleporter. But no; it's just a yellow box. Confused? That makes two of us. Here's where the real negative points come in,reducing the graphics score to 7/10: the simplicity of some of the basic objects, which i can only imagine is the result of rushed release or basic honest-to-goodness laziness. Actually, this is pretty unfair on my part; KNPMASTER may have just been unable to think of anything better, and the animations when BlubbleBlob spins on the bizzare little dripping green squares make up for it. Not easy to give the graphics a number. But they do the job, fantastically in some parts, surprisingly poorly in others. They still work. .:: Sound and Music ::. [POP!] Okay, this just gets an easy 8/10 not because of a thrilling soundtrack or something, but for 3 simply reasons. 1) The splashing of the water when BubbleBlob wanders/squidges beneath waterfalls. 2) The rustling of leaves when BubbleBlob plummets through trees to his doom. 3) This is the real clintcher: the tremendous, healthy POP! sound, when Blob meets his untimely demise upon something sharp. It's just sooo COOL! .:: Lastability ::. [See gameplay] Hmm... I'm not sure about this one. I keep feeling compelled to replay that level i just can't beat, but then being dissapointed when I finish it and discover that the next level is as small as it is simple and heavily reflects the ones prior to it. .:: Overall ::. [Worth the download] Congrats to KNPMaster for making a decent, complete click game. And I've been increadibly harsh in my text, but I hope my stars reflect otherwise. The game is certainly worth every bit of the download; let me say that. I've said mean things because I was expecting a work of art comparable to the Mona Lisa or that one of the dogs playing pool, but REALLY the game is fun, though frustrating, the animations are good, although levels are simple, and, well, stop reading and get downloading. Congratulations to KNPMaster for making a good game, and to anyone who has actually read this entire review. I for one would have skimmed it shamelessly. This game could have been so much better if a little more time and creativity was put into the levels and enemies. But the game is worth downloading for the engine alone if nothing else. So hurry up and hit that blue button!
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