Delicious FruitLatest Reviews
melonbat
For: I wanna Grow Up
For: I wanna Grow Up
Fangame Clear #41
A lot of good ideas at work here. The fire stage was quite nice and a lot of the gimmicks were fairly well explored. The bosses weren't exactly bad either! However, a lot of it was unenjoyable and quite frankly boring due to enemies being the sole focus of difficulty, and when the enemies became more plentiful and when you start combining these with gimmicks, things become a lot more tedious and frankly annoying. Overall it's quite good with plenty of flaws, and it's maybe worth a shot.
[0] Likes
A lot of good ideas at work here. The fire stage was quite nice and a lot of the gimmicks were fairly well explored. The bosses weren't exactly bad either! However, a lot of it was unenjoyable and quite frankly boring due to enemies being the sole focus of difficulty, and when the enemies became more plentiful and when you start combining these with gimmicks, things become a lot more tedious and frankly annoying. Overall it's quite good with plenty of flaws, and it's maybe worth a shot.
Rating: 7.1 71
Difficulty: 29 29
Sep 7, 2023
Kilgour22
For: Darkness Needle
For: Darkness Needle
An absolute travesty. Four screens of hyper-generic needle, with completely butchered "production value." You'll be flash-banged every time you restart, there's a title card that sometimes obscures where you're moving, and the game likes to crash on room transitions (it happened four times for me).
[2] Likes
Rating: 1.5 15
Difficulty: 50 50
Sep 7, 2023
orcishgreenland
For: I wanna explore the seven wonders
For: I wanna explore the seven wonders
"Needle game" (not really, there's like two screens of traditional needle in the entire game) with stages loosely themed around the seven wonders of the world. Each stage uses water2 in very, VERY different ways, a number of which I've never seen before, and the stages being very short leads to rapid-fire variety which is always cool. It can be irritating at times, but at least it's usually not irritating in the exact same way for long, and the variety really keeps you interested to see what the game's gonna throw at you next.
[0] Likes
Rating: 7.6 76
Difficulty: 45 45
Sep 7, 2023
LastTISisLife
For: Nebulous Thoughts
For: Nebulous Thoughts
It was hard, but interesting experience. I didn't heard that many things about this game before getting into, and it ended up way better than i expected. Consistently great needle with addition of mostly soft to understand gimmicks, which is always pleasant, it was also difficult overall, but in a great way mostly. Favourites stage in this game also can be related as my favourites needle stages in general, because general evaluation of this game is above 9,5, but about this aspect i will go talk later
Also what really stands out in this game is atmosphere. Usually, atmosphere in the game creates by visuals and music, and it mostly pronounced pretty obviously, but in this game however i believe maker did layouts of atmosphere somewhat more deeply. Feeling of big world that you are in will haunt you during playthrough, ephemeral and melancholic vibe of everything is magical and it really gots me. I can't really explain how this was done, it's just combination of everything - stages are never that long and it feels like you are guest everywhere, additions of unobvious screen transictions (tag "Trap" comes from here), looping paths and so on, so on. Very beautiful work in that sense
Stage 1 is very strong start for the game and one of my favourites stages of the game. Disappearing water gimmick opens up some new breath in many ways, from interesting paths to breackneck maneuvers. I can't think that i get annoyed at some point, it was smooth, fun and cool, some saves were kinda harsh to understand tho, but it was never across the border of exhausting, which is awesome
Stage 2 was complicated, but fun i'd say. Yeah, it uses some unorthodox methods to give you challenge here, specifically on last save, but i can't say i got confused by them. Overall, very driving platforming with big focus on moving objects and getting through them
Stage 3 was first really hard challenge in the game. Consistent ascend with main gimmick of bounce blocks and abusing movements with them. I liked it overall, even tho visuals didn't really hit me there, platforming itself was never boring. Most of the saves requires some thinking about what you gonna to do, but never too much, and the execution is satisfying
Stage 4 is also very lovely stage. I really like idea about this stage - you granted by very low gravity and you make you path kinda blindly with big usage of refreshers jump. Design of screens is very spacious, the whole vibe is very aerial, and overall this was fantastic. I don't know if i the only one who find staying in this stage really entertaining, but yeah, it was one-of-kind experience - calming stuff, where atmosphere getting really strong, with platforming remaining superb. My favourite stage of the game
Stage 5 is nice pure needle thing with very good and smooth jumps overall. The idea of multi-screen pathing with callbacks to previous ones is main theme here, it was done very properly and i had massive fun overall with this stage
Stage 6 focuces on hard water maneuvers and it was mostly fine. The pathing of each screen is strong - i hardly can tell from first glance how i gonna do it, because screens are fulled with paths and you might be even scared, because all screens are one-saves, but surpisingly everything was very very smooth. Final save has interesting twist, i find it enjoyable, even tho it was kinda out of blue and i don't sure if it fits correctly
Stage 7 is triple jump platform stage. Gimmick is very easy to understand, and it mostly feels like you just playing regular platform needle, but with few details. Main thing is that you can't land on platform - and i think that what hits me in best way; with this addition platforming becomes way more driving and safety in terms of you can't just get on ledge, which saves you from accidents. Nice touch, and with this thing it was nice ride from start to finish, absolutely fun, one of my favourites as well
Stage 8 is water 1 based stuff. It might be foreshadowing that everything where water 1 appears will automatically sucks, but you know. Anyways, yeah this stage starts strongly, but falls in pit with last save. I didn't know why maker decided to do it like this, this save feels absolutely randomly designed and it's so contradicts with flow and philosophy of previous stages, that it's really upsetting me. This save alone dragging game rating by few points. The main problem with this save is how it filled with awkward, straightforward too precise jumps (squished diagonal (!), awkward corner (!!), full vstring drop gate (!!!). And the save is not easy at all, it's 3 screens long thing. Experience was dreadful not only because of annoying jumps, but as i say it's just feels so wrong to being here, so i'm like just asking myself - am i playing on old version? or this was some cameo from different maker? or maybe maker just... fucked up? Tragedy
Stage 9 is what i originally expected to hate most - sideways gravity is red color for me, i hate this gimmick with passion in 90 % of time. Fortunately, here there was that 10 % of something enjoyment. Maker did great job with this gimmick, it's not about precise stuff, but more about having fun with short saves, and the last save is just pure abuse of technical aspect of switches, which i really liked. So yeah i did find this pretty decent, it was nice chill after atrocious ending of previous stage
Stage 10 is where i'm struggled the most, way more than with even save that almost everyone considers to be hardest (last save of the game). Every save in this stage is very hard, they are all based on same maneuvers as in stage 6 - heavy inclusion of water, but more raw, screens has not that many jumps, but they are all way harder in average. I had solid amount of enjoyment, it's probably the only stage in the game where difficulty prevails over atmosphere, but in great way, since every save is challenging on it's own in unique way and they are filled with stuff you didn't regulary meet in needle
Last stage is final step in the game. Visuals are pretty straightforward, leaving you will pure needle, pushing you to logical conclusion to game. I kinda hate one save here, but not that much as last save of stage 8 - pre-last save, it ends with hard section that includes corner, which is eeeh. Most of the saves are easy tho, but don't fall in this trap - last save will be menacing 4-screens journey. Last save structured pretty interestingly, it didn't contain any really hard jumps, mostly easy and medium range, but complete this in one go is tougher than it seems. It was actually nice paced and i never get bored, even tho i got lucky overall and first tried last screen
After last save there will be short section of... i don't know even know, but you can't die here, it was just final present of the game, to being here slightly more than you should, enjoying last bits of experience, that you can get only here (from what i remember from my experience, Crying Myself to Sleep and Abducted did the same things). And the last jump of this section is cool, you just staying before pit and you are in confusion, but you are still jumping in eventually, because what's the another option - this really got me for some reason, probably one of the best endings to fangame i've ever seen
All in all, this was astonishing. Most of the stages provides unique and interesting challenge. I really hate the fact that last save of stage 8 exists, without this thing, my rating will be way higher and it will probably my favourite needle game overall. Would highly recommend to every experienced needle player
[2] Likes
Also what really stands out in this game is atmosphere. Usually, atmosphere in the game creates by visuals and music, and it mostly pronounced pretty obviously, but in this game however i believe maker did layouts of atmosphere somewhat more deeply. Feeling of big world that you are in will haunt you during playthrough, ephemeral and melancholic vibe of everything is magical and it really gots me. I can't really explain how this was done, it's just combination of everything - stages are never that long and it feels like you are guest everywhere, additions of unobvious screen transictions (tag "Trap" comes from here), looping paths and so on, so on. Very beautiful work in that sense
Stage 1 is very strong start for the game and one of my favourites stages of the game. Disappearing water gimmick opens up some new breath in many ways, from interesting paths to breackneck maneuvers. I can't think that i get annoyed at some point, it was smooth, fun and cool, some saves were kinda harsh to understand tho, but it was never across the border of exhausting, which is awesome
Stage 2 was complicated, but fun i'd say. Yeah, it uses some unorthodox methods to give you challenge here, specifically on last save, but i can't say i got confused by them. Overall, very driving platforming with big focus on moving objects and getting through them
Stage 3 was first really hard challenge in the game. Consistent ascend with main gimmick of bounce blocks and abusing movements with them. I liked it overall, even tho visuals didn't really hit me there, platforming itself was never boring. Most of the saves requires some thinking about what you gonna to do, but never too much, and the execution is satisfying
Stage 4 is also very lovely stage. I really like idea about this stage - you granted by very low gravity and you make you path kinda blindly with big usage of refreshers jump. Design of screens is very spacious, the whole vibe is very aerial, and overall this was fantastic. I don't know if i the only one who find staying in this stage really entertaining, but yeah, it was one-of-kind experience - calming stuff, where atmosphere getting really strong, with platforming remaining superb. My favourite stage of the game
Stage 5 is nice pure needle thing with very good and smooth jumps overall. The idea of multi-screen pathing with callbacks to previous ones is main theme here, it was done very properly and i had massive fun overall with this stage
Stage 6 focuces on hard water maneuvers and it was mostly fine. The pathing of each screen is strong - i hardly can tell from first glance how i gonna do it, because screens are fulled with paths and you might be even scared, because all screens are one-saves, but surpisingly everything was very very smooth. Final save has interesting twist, i find it enjoyable, even tho it was kinda out of blue and i don't sure if it fits correctly
Stage 7 is triple jump platform stage. Gimmick is very easy to understand, and it mostly feels like you just playing regular platform needle, but with few details. Main thing is that you can't land on platform - and i think that what hits me in best way; with this addition platforming becomes way more driving and safety in terms of you can't just get on ledge, which saves you from accidents. Nice touch, and with this thing it was nice ride from start to finish, absolutely fun, one of my favourites as well
Stage 8 is water 1 based stuff. It might be foreshadowing that everything where water 1 appears will automatically sucks, but you know. Anyways, yeah this stage starts strongly, but falls in pit with last save. I didn't know why maker decided to do it like this, this save feels absolutely randomly designed and it's so contradicts with flow and philosophy of previous stages, that it's really upsetting me. This save alone dragging game rating by few points. The main problem with this save is how it filled with awkward, straightforward too precise jumps (squished diagonal (!), awkward corner (!!), full vstring drop gate (!!!). And the save is not easy at all, it's 3 screens long thing. Experience was dreadful not only because of annoying jumps, but as i say it's just feels so wrong to being here, so i'm like just asking myself - am i playing on old version? or this was some cameo from different maker? or maybe maker just... fucked up? Tragedy
Stage 9 is what i originally expected to hate most - sideways gravity is red color for me, i hate this gimmick with passion in 90 % of time. Fortunately, here there was that 10 % of something enjoyment. Maker did great job with this gimmick, it's not about precise stuff, but more about having fun with short saves, and the last save is just pure abuse of technical aspect of switches, which i really liked. So yeah i did find this pretty decent, it was nice chill after atrocious ending of previous stage
Stage 10 is where i'm struggled the most, way more than with even save that almost everyone considers to be hardest (last save of the game). Every save in this stage is very hard, they are all based on same maneuvers as in stage 6 - heavy inclusion of water, but more raw, screens has not that many jumps, but they are all way harder in average. I had solid amount of enjoyment, it's probably the only stage in the game where difficulty prevails over atmosphere, but in great way, since every save is challenging on it's own in unique way and they are filled with stuff you didn't regulary meet in needle
Last stage is final step in the game. Visuals are pretty straightforward, leaving you will pure needle, pushing you to logical conclusion to game. I kinda hate one save here, but not that much as last save of stage 8 - pre-last save, it ends with hard section that includes corner, which is eeeh. Most of the saves are easy tho, but don't fall in this trap - last save will be menacing 4-screens journey. Last save structured pretty interestingly, it didn't contain any really hard jumps, mostly easy and medium range, but complete this in one go is tougher than it seems. It was actually nice paced and i never get bored, even tho i got lucky overall and first tried last screen
After last save there will be short section of... i don't know even know, but you can't die here, it was just final present of the game, to being here slightly more than you should, enjoying last bits of experience, that you can get only here (from what i remember from my experience, Crying Myself to Sleep and Abducted did the same things). And the last jump of this section is cool, you just staying before pit and you are in confusion, but you are still jumping in eventually, because what's the another option - this really got me for some reason, probably one of the best endings to fangame i've ever seen
All in all, this was astonishing. Most of the stages provides unique and interesting challenge. I really hate the fact that last save of stage 8 exists, without this thing, my rating will be way higher and it will probably my favourite needle game overall. Would highly recommend to every experienced needle player
Rating: 9.4 94
Difficulty: 82 82
Sep 7, 2023
Kilgour22
For: Abigail
For: Abigail
Good-to-great short needle game with pretty creative jumps.
[1] Like
Rating: 7.0 70
Difficulty: 38 38
Sep 7, 2023
Stitchball
For: I wanna stop feeling insecure by climbing a 5 screens long mountain
[0] Likes
For: I wanna stop feeling insecure by climbing a 5 screens long mountain
[0] Likes
Rating: 5.5 55
Difficulty: 71 71
Sep 7, 2023
Jopagu
For: Jason's Journey
For: Jason's Journey
A cute little gimmick needle game, but not really anything more. The gimmicks are fairly simple, although there's a single complicated one. With one exception, the gimmicks stay fairly basic the whole way through, but I felt like they were used better in the second half. The first half is a forgettable but decent needle game, but the second half has some fun cycle platforming that makes the game worth playing.
The bosses are creative, using the gimmicks from all the preceding stages to create an atypically involved boss fight. However, they are quite lacking in attacks and end up feeling a bit lacking. The second boss is cool at first, but quickly loses its luster as it's all just more of the same.
As Kurath has said, this game feels like quite the failure in terms of "adventure", the areas are super disjointed, and the story might as well not exist. The bosses are just plopped in, without even warranting a mention from the protagonist. While the game is a serviceable needle game, I feel like it doesn't really feel like the adventure game it claims to be.
Overall, certainly worth playing for fans of gimmick needle, particularly cycles. There's some really cool stuff with the lasers and the flipping spikes. The momentum kid is the one novel gimmick, and while maybe controversial, I thought it was awesome. The game is a bit of a let down if you're expecting an adventure, but otherwise it's a recommendation, though not one without caveats.
[1] Like
The bosses are creative, using the gimmicks from all the preceding stages to create an atypically involved boss fight. However, they are quite lacking in attacks and end up feeling a bit lacking. The second boss is cool at first, but quickly loses its luster as it's all just more of the same.
As Kurath has said, this game feels like quite the failure in terms of "adventure", the areas are super disjointed, and the story might as well not exist. The bosses are just plopped in, without even warranting a mention from the protagonist. While the game is a serviceable needle game, I feel like it doesn't really feel like the adventure game it claims to be.
Overall, certainly worth playing for fans of gimmick needle, particularly cycles. There's some really cool stuff with the lasers and the flipping spikes. The momentum kid is the one novel gimmick, and while maybe controversial, I thought it was awesome. The game is a bit of a let down if you're expecting an adventure, but otherwise it's a recommendation, though not one without caveats.
Rating: 7.6 76
Difficulty: 50 50
Sep 7, 2023