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YaBoiMarcAntony
For: I Wanna be the Vandal
For: I Wanna be the Vandal
I Wanna be the Vandal is one of those fangames that leaves me almost speechless. Despite this being one of the greatest video game experiences I've ever had the pleasure of having, fangame or otherwise, I really am not certain how to quite express myself concerning the matter of I Wanna be the Vandal - not in any typical way, that is.
One of the most common experiences within fangames is to get angry when you die at the end of a save. It's irritating to get so close to success and then fall short of the goal line. Here, though that happened a fair bit, I was never angry. Instead, I was just happy to have more time with each save. Every single jump felt excellent to pull off - more than that, it felt like my fingers were made to do nothing else but pull off these jumps. They're so smooth and intrinsic that I find it difficult to believe my life hadn't been leading up to this moment, this moment where I play Vandal. The level of brilliance on display throughout these 50+ rooms cannot be found in almost any other fangame. The gimmicks are ingenious, the level design flawless, the music choice perfect, the visuals jaw-dropping; there is not a single thing wrong with Vandal, and that is an astonishing fact to me.
Throughout the entirety of my time with Vandal, not once did I find any gripe, any issue, any small thing that irked me in any way. For the duration of Vandal, I was fully satisfied with everything I was seeing, hearing, and playing. The amount of fangames that can boast perfection I could count on one crippled hand, if that. I had been apart of this community since way back, but at the end of 2016, I left for various reasons (none of which had anything to do with any person or events, I merely just stopped playing - although my leaving did coincide with an especially bad experience with a boss in another fangame). Then, around two weeks ago, I decided to return and see what I had missed. Frankly, I thought the community would be dead or dying. Instead, and I am glad to say this, the fangame community has blossomed into something greater than it ever had been, and Vandal is one shining example of that growth. This game would not have been possible in 2016. Imagine thinking I Wanna be the Guy was a cool game and then seeing that there were fangames made for it, and then 12 years later getting your hands on this. What you thought possible 12 years before would have been absolutely blown out of the water. Vandal is the culmination of every fangame developer's genius.
Truly, Vandal has changed the game for the better, and every game I play from here on out will be measured up to Vandal, unfortunately, and I suspect that it will be a long time before Vandal finds its equal.
[3] Likes
One of the most common experiences within fangames is to get angry when you die at the end of a save. It's irritating to get so close to success and then fall short of the goal line. Here, though that happened a fair bit, I was never angry. Instead, I was just happy to have more time with each save. Every single jump felt excellent to pull off - more than that, it felt like my fingers were made to do nothing else but pull off these jumps. They're so smooth and intrinsic that I find it difficult to believe my life hadn't been leading up to this moment, this moment where I play Vandal. The level of brilliance on display throughout these 50+ rooms cannot be found in almost any other fangame. The gimmicks are ingenious, the level design flawless, the music choice perfect, the visuals jaw-dropping; there is not a single thing wrong with Vandal, and that is an astonishing fact to me.
Throughout the entirety of my time with Vandal, not once did I find any gripe, any issue, any small thing that irked me in any way. For the duration of Vandal, I was fully satisfied with everything I was seeing, hearing, and playing. The amount of fangames that can boast perfection I could count on one crippled hand, if that. I had been apart of this community since way back, but at the end of 2016, I left for various reasons (none of which had anything to do with any person or events, I merely just stopped playing - although my leaving did coincide with an especially bad experience with a boss in another fangame). Then, around two weeks ago, I decided to return and see what I had missed. Frankly, I thought the community would be dead or dying. Instead, and I am glad to say this, the fangame community has blossomed into something greater than it ever had been, and Vandal is one shining example of that growth. This game would not have been possible in 2016. Imagine thinking I Wanna be the Guy was a cool game and then seeing that there were fangames made for it, and then 12 years later getting your hands on this. What you thought possible 12 years before would have been absolutely blown out of the water. Vandal is the culmination of every fangame developer's genius.
Truly, Vandal has changed the game for the better, and every game I play from here on out will be measured up to Vandal, unfortunately, and I suspect that it will be a long time before Vandal finds its equal.
Rating: 9.5 95
Difficulty: 75 75
May 6, 2020
CanusAntonius
For: I Wanna Jump 2: Legend of the 60 Gates
For: I Wanna Jump 2: Legend of the 60 Gates
Quite literally just a bunch of gate jumps with the most atrocious jump noise conceived to man. This would only be ideal in a situation where fangames are used as criminal punishment, or as a legal hazing method in college frats.
[4] Likes
Rating: 0.0 0
Difficulty: 70 70
May 6, 2020
theTics
For: I Wanna Kill The Happil II Remake
For: I Wanna Kill The Happil II Remake
Tagged as: Special
[0] Likes
Rating: 1.0 10
Difficulty: 18 18
May 6, 2020
theTics
For: I wanna be the Apollo
For: I wanna be the Apollo
Tagged as: Hades-like
[0] Likes
Rating: 7.0 70
Difficulty: 65 65
May 6, 2020
YaBoiMarcAntony
For: I wanna escape from the Needle Land
For: I wanna escape from the Needle Land
This isn't really a good game at all, but for some reason I found it relatively fun to play. Nonetheless, this is not recommendable to anyone except those who'd like practice with various common needle jumps as those sorts of jumps make up the majority of the level design. The visuals are pretty good despite the lackluster design.
Surprisingly enough, the boss is actually kind of cool, though still nothing outrageously cool; the boss is the highlight in terms of gameplay, but is not worth the effort to get there even while being an especially short game.
Surprisingly enough, the boss is actually kind of cool, though still nothing outrageously cool; the boss is the highlight in terms of gameplay, but is not worth the effort to get there even while being an especially short game.
Tagged as: Needle
[0] Likes
Rating: 4.5 45
Difficulty: 40 40
May 6, 2020
Pigjunyung
For: I Wanna Find a Cure
For: I Wanna Find a Cure
This is vary good game
[0] Likes
Rating: 10.0 100
Difficulty: 50 50
May 6, 2020
ElCochran90
For: I wanna be The Cat
For: I wanna be The Cat
Rating based on completing Medium Mode, Hard Mode, Magic Tower and Impossible Mode. Difficulty rating based on completing Hard Mode (which is required for unlocking Magic Tower), and Magic Tower.
Consider a Difficulty Rating of 35 for Medium Mode, 50 for Hard Mode, 65 for Magic Tower and 60 for Impossible Mode (which is an improper name for the challenge it actually offers).
An event. A big one. Nemega spends time, effort and invests resources to build a fantastic fangame with a splendorous production value that is matched by its entertainment capabilities and audiovisual universe. Not afraid of being a direct inspiration from the original I Wanna Be The Guy like other fangames are afraid of admitting it, featuring an original soundtrack and also countless references to other popular fangames such as Boshy, Timemachine and Kamilia, this adventure fangame has enough content to keep one satisfied whether for single players or online communities.
This was an obvious blind buy, and there is nothing to regret: the price is right and Nemega deserves retribution for his work. Platforming is mostly fantastic and replayability is high. Although some boss fights are quite unfair and feature guaranteed hits, all of them are much more than cat puns: they are creative to play through, learn and beat. Escalating the difficulty modes is highly recommended for acquiring experience and familiarity with the stages and fights, and for finally playing the difficulty mode I assume was intended for the game: Hard Mode. This unlocks the Magic Tower Mode which wasn't released originally with the game, but was in the plans, and it shows.
The Magic Tower mode has another notorious source of inspiration: Tower of the Sorcerer, which also inspired Not Another Magic Tower game. The game here acts more like a regular fangame and functions more as an adventure RPG, featuring screens to conquer, where each screen represents a floor. Constant exploration and backtracking is required to obtain all items, keys, and powerups for attack and defense. It's a boss rush, where you fight the main bosses once and then The Cat. It is important to repeat that the bosses are fun and quite original despite being obvious pun inspirations, but it is a misunderstanding that this game allows you to fight their Impossible Mode forms: you actually fight HARDER versions of them, and the final form of Nyanko got me cheering up to a degree I was FORCED to upload a screenshot. I was surprised and laughed at the same time. Her variety of attacks are quite the challenge!
When a game manages to be challenging and fun, you can be proud of actually achieving something significant, and this game does so. Add to that a soundtrack I will never forget and a feeling of reward few games will grant you after conquering it, without including a big smile.
And so, everything seems positive up to this point, and I yet give it this rating, and that is why I get trolled by the community including Stonk in his streams with a dab. "It's an amazing fangame: 7.5/10".
Well, here's the issue. A monumental issue. An issue that I haven't still been able to understand from this community. I first became somewhat popular in this site because of my Qoqoqo 2 review after going through an event that substracted probably around 1.5 points from the overall rating, scarring me for life, and it happens here once again.
SOFTLOCK
Why must the "Magic Tower" concept in this community must necessarily equal to the possibility of softlocking yourself?
WHY???
Softlock is a concept that should never exist in any rational game. It is a conscious decision from the maker to actually punish you and erase your entire effort for a single bad decision, and the payment is starting all over again. This cancels out entirely the feeling of freely exploring the game. Metroid and The Legend of Zelda, both released in 1986, got the exploration concept right: you get stuck in an area for not making an intended order, and the challenge there is to push yourself to find secrets or a correct route to keep progressing in the adventure. However, you never get softlocked. You are advised that something is missing, and part of an adventure game is freedom in your exploration. Conditioning it is killing the concept of the game. The Metroid (1986) complaints are valid, though: it is too cryptic. It is. For me, it worked splendidly as an Alien/Aliens (1979/1986) tribute of being stuck in a strange planet with lethal lifeforms and no map system, because the planet is unexplored. Environment construction there is gorgeous, but I digress. My point is that I would infinitely prefer a cryptic game than a softlockable game, because the latter pushes you away. It kills your mood to do everything again because I think no one in their sane judgment would accept the nullification of hours of effort as an acceptable punishment.
I got softlocked four times. The third time was particularly painful because, having one-hit HP against Alucat, I used a blessing for getting past him. Too bad you don't know you're supposed to use all blessings for a better shot at the final boss or you're screwed.
I really don't consider using a guide for this type of games as a cheat, because the game is screaming for it. The fourth floor would be an ok design for all floors, since there are mirrors and multiple keyholes: one can figure out an optimal route, but not when you're meant to backtrack constantly. You cannot have clear calculations because you have no idea what lies ahead.
It is true that you can back your game, but you can only do one backup. Why not many, like a memory card? Why just one? And again, you're not even sure if you're backing at a secure point because you might have progressed through an "obvious" route until it turns out you don't. So you might backup an already softlocked state.
I cannot tell you precisely how many points I substracted for that mode being ruined because I never had a free-exploring experience. You can estimate, however, between 8 and 15 points probably, which would place it above my current favorite fangame.
Anyway, it is a very special game. It united the community more. It reminded us of the original GOOD game. It was a throwback to other community classics. It is a brave project that reflects self-confidence in its production value because there is a solid platforming behind it, an adorable protagonist, amazing bosses, good levels, a high replay value due to every experience being unique, and races in yearly marathons. I applaud projects like this.
Spread the word, buy it and play my recommended order (well, not that YOU HAVE TO, but this is how I loved it the most):
-Medium Mode
-Hard Mode
-Magic Tower with a guide (this mode has the most complete experience in the Bosses department)
-Impossible Mode, which you will already be prepared for given your experience with Magic Tower
Let the catventure begin!
[4] Likes
Consider a Difficulty Rating of 35 for Medium Mode, 50 for Hard Mode, 65 for Magic Tower and 60 for Impossible Mode (which is an improper name for the challenge it actually offers).
An event. A big one. Nemega spends time, effort and invests resources to build a fantastic fangame with a splendorous production value that is matched by its entertainment capabilities and audiovisual universe. Not afraid of being a direct inspiration from the original I Wanna Be The Guy like other fangames are afraid of admitting it, featuring an original soundtrack and also countless references to other popular fangames such as Boshy, Timemachine and Kamilia, this adventure fangame has enough content to keep one satisfied whether for single players or online communities.
This was an obvious blind buy, and there is nothing to regret: the price is right and Nemega deserves retribution for his work. Platforming is mostly fantastic and replayability is high. Although some boss fights are quite unfair and feature guaranteed hits, all of them are much more than cat puns: they are creative to play through, learn and beat. Escalating the difficulty modes is highly recommended for acquiring experience and familiarity with the stages and fights, and for finally playing the difficulty mode I assume was intended for the game: Hard Mode. This unlocks the Magic Tower Mode which wasn't released originally with the game, but was in the plans, and it shows.
The Magic Tower mode has another notorious source of inspiration: Tower of the Sorcerer, which also inspired Not Another Magic Tower game. The game here acts more like a regular fangame and functions more as an adventure RPG, featuring screens to conquer, where each screen represents a floor. Constant exploration and backtracking is required to obtain all items, keys, and powerups for attack and defense. It's a boss rush, where you fight the main bosses once and then The Cat. It is important to repeat that the bosses are fun and quite original despite being obvious pun inspirations, but it is a misunderstanding that this game allows you to fight their Impossible Mode forms: you actually fight HARDER versions of them, and the final form of Nyanko got me cheering up to a degree I was FORCED to upload a screenshot. I was surprised and laughed at the same time. Her variety of attacks are quite the challenge!
When a game manages to be challenging and fun, you can be proud of actually achieving something significant, and this game does so. Add to that a soundtrack I will never forget and a feeling of reward few games will grant you after conquering it, without including a big smile.
And so, everything seems positive up to this point, and I yet give it this rating, and that is why I get trolled by the community including Stonk in his streams with a dab. "It's an amazing fangame: 7.5/10".
Well, here's the issue. A monumental issue. An issue that I haven't still been able to understand from this community. I first became somewhat popular in this site because of my Qoqoqo 2 review after going through an event that substracted probably around 1.5 points from the overall rating, scarring me for life, and it happens here once again.
SOFTLOCK
Why must the "Magic Tower" concept in this community must necessarily equal to the possibility of softlocking yourself?
WHY???
Softlock is a concept that should never exist in any rational game. It is a conscious decision from the maker to actually punish you and erase your entire effort for a single bad decision, and the payment is starting all over again. This cancels out entirely the feeling of freely exploring the game. Metroid and The Legend of Zelda, both released in 1986, got the exploration concept right: you get stuck in an area for not making an intended order, and the challenge there is to push yourself to find secrets or a correct route to keep progressing in the adventure. However, you never get softlocked. You are advised that something is missing, and part of an adventure game is freedom in your exploration. Conditioning it is killing the concept of the game. The Metroid (1986) complaints are valid, though: it is too cryptic. It is. For me, it worked splendidly as an Alien/Aliens (1979/1986) tribute of being stuck in a strange planet with lethal lifeforms and no map system, because the planet is unexplored. Environment construction there is gorgeous, but I digress. My point is that I would infinitely prefer a cryptic game than a softlockable game, because the latter pushes you away. It kills your mood to do everything again because I think no one in their sane judgment would accept the nullification of hours of effort as an acceptable punishment.
I got softlocked four times. The third time was particularly painful because, having one-hit HP against Alucat, I used a blessing for getting past him. Too bad you don't know you're supposed to use all blessings for a better shot at the final boss or you're screwed.
I really don't consider using a guide for this type of games as a cheat, because the game is screaming for it. The fourth floor would be an ok design for all floors, since there are mirrors and multiple keyholes: one can figure out an optimal route, but not when you're meant to backtrack constantly. You cannot have clear calculations because you have no idea what lies ahead.
It is true that you can back your game, but you can only do one backup. Why not many, like a memory card? Why just one? And again, you're not even sure if you're backing at a secure point because you might have progressed through an "obvious" route until it turns out you don't. So you might backup an already softlocked state.
I cannot tell you precisely how many points I substracted for that mode being ruined because I never had a free-exploring experience. You can estimate, however, between 8 and 15 points probably, which would place it above my current favorite fangame.
Anyway, it is a very special game. It united the community more. It reminded us of the original GOOD game. It was a throwback to other community classics. It is a brave project that reflects self-confidence in its production value because there is a solid platforming behind it, an adorable protagonist, amazing bosses, good levels, a high replay value due to every experience being unique, and races in yearly marathons. I applaud projects like this.
Spread the word, buy it and play my recommended order (well, not that YOU HAVE TO, but this is how I loved it the most):
-Medium Mode
-Hard Mode
-Magic Tower with a guide (this mode has the most complete experience in the Bosses department)
-Impossible Mode, which you will already be prepared for given your experience with Magic Tower
Let the catventure begin!
Rating: 7.5 75
Difficulty: 65 65
May 6, 2020