Delicious FruitLatest Reviews
Xplayerlol
For: XIFT
For: XIFT
Rating based on the Holocene Juveniliax version, but with commentary that applies to both versions.
Yes, I know, rating a game based on an old version is definitely not fair, specially when the new version is public and available for everyone. Normally, I would clear the entire game in the new version all over again, but I'm getting too old. Not as in actually old, like I can barely lift my fingers to press "jump", but too old to put this much effort into a game I've already cleared. I'd rather be playing a new fangame. So I did more or less the same thing I did with "I wanna let oneself relax" and played a good chunk of the new version, just enough to make sure my review still applies. When I say "rating based on", I'm talking about the numbers only. Alright? Now let's talk about the game.
This is an amazing needle game. The aesthetics are perfect, and gameplay-wise the needle is pretty good too. Plenty of creative jumps and unique layouts all around. Stages 3 and 4, in particular, were amazing in both regards. However, it does have some issues. The two main issues I found were the nature of some jumps themselves, and the level design overall. Most jumps feel intuitive, and even though they are precise, you just know the inputs you need to get past them. But notice how I said "most". Some jumps only allow a certain sequence of inputs, even though others look just as alright. It feels like I'm playing a L-game (Or Yuki Spike on Frantic). Which isn't actually bad by itself, but makes the second point even worse. The atrocious idea that no one ever called for, but some makers still have for some reason, of placing the hardest jumps at the end of long saves. From the original version to the new version, I feel like both problems were toned down quite a bit, but they still exist. And whenever they are present, you can be certain that the needle related to them is going to be cancer. Last save, for example, seems to remain an unchanged abomination.
Other minor issues exist as well. Namely, floating vines are definitely not the most intuitive fangame mechanic around, and the game doesn't quite give you a chance to get used to them. It just throws them at you and good luck. Besides, invisible touch saves have some drawbacks. Because they're invisible, you don't ever know when can you relax. And if you don't know that, you'll need to stay focused from the beginning to the end, which does not work well with this game's length and trippy visual style. And because they're touch saves, there's the risk of backtracking every now and then. Enhanced by the fact that you don't see the areas you need to avoid should you fall. It's just not a good idea.
[NEW SECTION] I thought I should add a portion about the atmosphere as well. The author says that the game's lack of saves was intended to give off a feeling of anxiety, and many people report that he succeeded. Personally, the only feeling that the lack of saves gave me was that of annoyance. Maybe that's why my experience was worse than many others'. Maybe my brain just missed the point. I just wanted to leave extra feedback noting that the feeling of anxiety this game is renowed for giving off is not ubiquitous. You might not feel it at all and, if you don't, your experience might not be the greatest. I've scrolled down the reviews, I know I'm not the only one either.
I spoke a lot of the negatives, but they only affect a small portion of an otherwise amazing game. However, the small portions they affect do require a higher amount of attempts, so you might spend longer than you'd like to in them. Which is why, I can't give this game as much of a high rating as I wanted to. Still, it's a game I would certainly recommend.
Yes, I know, rating a game based on an old version is definitely not fair, specially when the new version is public and available for everyone. Normally, I would clear the entire game in the new version all over again, but I'm getting too old. Not as in actually old, like I can barely lift my fingers to press "jump", but too old to put this much effort into a game I've already cleared. I'd rather be playing a new fangame. So I did more or less the same thing I did with "I wanna let oneself relax" and played a good chunk of the new version, just enough to make sure my review still applies. When I say "rating based on", I'm talking about the numbers only. Alright? Now let's talk about the game.
This is an amazing needle game. The aesthetics are perfect, and gameplay-wise the needle is pretty good too. Plenty of creative jumps and unique layouts all around. Stages 3 and 4, in particular, were amazing in both regards. However, it does have some issues. The two main issues I found were the nature of some jumps themselves, and the level design overall. Most jumps feel intuitive, and even though they are precise, you just know the inputs you need to get past them. But notice how I said "most". Some jumps only allow a certain sequence of inputs, even though others look just as alright. It feels like I'm playing a L-game (Or Yuki Spike on Frantic). Which isn't actually bad by itself, but makes the second point even worse. The atrocious idea that no one ever called for, but some makers still have for some reason, of placing the hardest jumps at the end of long saves. From the original version to the new version, I feel like both problems were toned down quite a bit, but they still exist. And whenever they are present, you can be certain that the needle related to them is going to be cancer. Last save, for example, seems to remain an unchanged abomination.
Other minor issues exist as well. Namely, floating vines are definitely not the most intuitive fangame mechanic around, and the game doesn't quite give you a chance to get used to them. It just throws them at you and good luck. Besides, invisible touch saves have some drawbacks. Because they're invisible, you don't ever know when can you relax. And if you don't know that, you'll need to stay focused from the beginning to the end, which does not work well with this game's length and trippy visual style. And because they're touch saves, there's the risk of backtracking every now and then. Enhanced by the fact that you don't see the areas you need to avoid should you fall. It's just not a good idea.
[NEW SECTION] I thought I should add a portion about the atmosphere as well. The author says that the game's lack of saves was intended to give off a feeling of anxiety, and many people report that he succeeded. Personally, the only feeling that the lack of saves gave me was that of annoyance. Maybe that's why my experience was worse than many others'. Maybe my brain just missed the point. I just wanted to leave extra feedback noting that the feeling of anxiety this game is renowed for giving off is not ubiquitous. You might not feel it at all and, if you don't, your experience might not be the greatest. I've scrolled down the reviews, I know I'm not the only one either.
I spoke a lot of the negatives, but they only affect a small portion of an otherwise amazing game. However, the small portions they affect do require a higher amount of attempts, so you might spend longer than you'd like to in them. Which is why, I can't give this game as much of a high rating as I wanted to. Still, it's a game I would certainly recommend.
Tagged as: Needle
[2] Likes
Rating: 8.0 80
Difficulty: 65 65
Jul 21, 2019
P2shka
For: I wanna be the Artemis
For: I wanna be the Artemis
Tagged as: Needle
[1] Like
Rating: 7.0 70
Difficulty: 70 70
Jul 21, 2019
GaspacoZanis
For: I wanna be the Party
For: I wanna be the Party
Pretty old game, which is pretty infamous at this point, even though, it was used back then in I wanna kill the Kamilia . It is relatively short trap game, which also introduces 3 bosses, which all are very short. Platforming has prettyunique and unusual traps and was quite funny. I guess using restarting Guy Rock was made for entertainment reasons as an irony of other fangames of that time. I cannot say that it was very funny, but I had fun time at most point, even though some traps may seem quite confusing. Bosses are pretty meme ones, and their diffculty is a joke. The last one may require higher skill, but I don't know, it didn't felt to be too hard, at least for me. More or less, it was OK experience, but I cannot say that it was too special or something like that. Wouldn't really recommend to everyone, since it is quite specific, but if you like older trap games with its humour, then you may give it a chance, even though I personally have mixed feelings about it.
[0] Likes
Rating: 5.6 56
Difficulty: 31 31
Jul 21, 2019
GaspacoZanis
For: I wanna be the Scum
For: I wanna be the Scum
Very easy 4 minute avoidance, which looks like was made by the same guy, who made I wanna buy the Crayon and I wanna be the Explorer, according to some sources. Avoidance itself has a few interesting visual effects, like the counting cinematic numbers (which can be seen on one of my screenshots), and it kind of is interesting that it is in both in the beginning and the end of the avoidance. There are some other effects too, but nothing too special. Attacks repeats several times and after some time avoidance may seem quite boring. Even soundtrack may seem quite uninteresting after some time. I cleared it in 3 tries, but it is easily chokable in these 4 minutes. Personally, I think avoidance could be more original and not so repetitive. Personally, I wouldn't really recommend this, unless you want something easy in your clear list. Also, this is one of the more private games of this guy, so I doubt you will find it so easy, unless you know where it can be found.
Tagged as: Avoidance
[0] Likes
Rating: 5.1 51
Difficulty: 12 12
Jul 21, 2019
GaspacoZanis
For: I wanna love the YU-NO
For: I wanna love the YU-NO
Very short avoidance and my first cleared game by this creator. Should admit that this game I wanted to try for quite a long time, but didn't have a time to play it. Usually, I tried to avoid his games, probably because of some bad fame, which he got after I wanna hope the 2018-G, but I think I was just too prejudiced. Anyway, avoidance has cool soundtrack and avoidance is designed quite well to the actual attacks. I liked how it didn't get boring and everything looked quitly well done. I enjoyed the clock part, intro and visuals for the avoidance. The final part may seem quite under-average in quality, but I don't think it is that bad. The platforming part was quite unexpected and it worked quite weird (the reason for difficulty to be above 20), but I didn't find it too bad. Attacks itself are super easy and should be easily done even by very beginner players. Good avoidance to give it a shot for a few spare minutes! Would recommend.
[1] Like
Rating: 6.4 64
Difficulty: 21 21
Jul 21, 2019