Amereep's game Reviews on Newgrounds

[Pixel Detective]

I've dabbled in writing a couple of detective stories before over at FIMFiction, and I like to play with the readers expectations in some of my other stories while showing a solid reasoning behind it, so I like to think that I know what I mean when I say that making an airtight detective story is both difficult and easy.

It starts with a goal in mind that stays strong as it leads itself backwards to the beginning of the case with branching possibilities along the way that are weaker in comparison. Let's take the first chapter for example, so...

!SPOILERS!

Three suspects: a wife, a son, and a mistress. The mistress usually have the weakest reason to kill their lover, and it plays no different here. The son has some bad ties with his father (it shows with the torn photo, stating that it was in the son's room in the evidences) and the idea of killing is there, but his father is trying to mend it (based off of the text messages). The wife... well what woman wouldn't want to kill her cheating husband? But she seems to show concern in the text messages as well (asking if he's home).

With poison at play, unfinished food present, and the lack of foresight on disposing the evidence, we can call this case closed. The son had unclear reasons at possibly wanting his father dead, but the wife holds the 'weapon' that was used in the soup. Yet there's an issue at present here...

There are 2 bowls that I'm seeing on the table.

This leads many into assuming that someone was with him, possibly eating from the 2nd bowl, and that's when the path to the culprit begins to crumble.

The wife placed poison in the pot of soup. She wasn't present based off of the text, so the victim must be eating with his son or mistress. It would be understandable that the wife wanted the mistress dead, but she's alive, so she couldn't have been eating the second soup. The son is alive too, but unlike the mistress, he hates his father. He said that he had to walk home, but that could've been a lie to cover his tracks. The son now seems to be the most likely suspect, because why would his mom try to poison him too?

1 pot, 2 bowls. The only two ways for the son to have escaped death was if he knew the soup was poisoned, or that he poisoned his father's soup. If the latter, how did the poison get in his mother's bag? He could've planted it, but he didn't really show any signs of him hating his mother. However, there is no other explanation.

Thinking up the murder is easy, but because of overlooking one small thing, the intended path of logic begins to collapse for another hypothesis to fill its place.

It's difficult to disguise the truth while still leaving solid clues to it.

---

In other issues, there's a typo in chapter 0 when we examine the body.

"Victim has bruises all over 'her' face. 'He' had to be badly beaten."

I assume you mean "all over 'his' face."

---

I'm giving this a three because it made me think for a while on the answer (even if that extra bowl misguided me) and that it feels complete. But because it feels complete, I'm feeling kinda bummed that there's really only one chapter. I know that this is considered a test for feedback and I hope you take my word and everyone else's words to heart, but after finally getting into the swing of things and then it's momentarily done, I'm left feeling... 'blueheaded'? 'Blueminded'? Whatever the term used for 'blueballed', but for the brain.

But in any case, I'm likely to change the stars the further progress you guys make.

[Drop Cannon]

A reflex game, huh?

I tend to lose my cool and mix buttons up the longer these games go, so the little periods where we have to deal with intruders is welcoming. Though, I seem to have some problems when I get to Denver during these moments.

Basically, there are a few of those buzzards that park themselves just outside the game boundaries. Twice it has happened to me during the last invasion, and they parked off the right end of the screen. Not sure if this is a bug, an oversight, or that I'm just too slow for something that may have been intended.

Outside of that, I don't really have any issues with it. Good drawings, smooth animation, distinct presentation, and a simple concept with a bit of a twist.

P.S. The issue people seem to point out that the last medal has zero points. I've noticed that sometimes medals that haven't been obtained by anyone will usually have 0 points until someone obtains it. At least, that's how it went for me when I got the last medal in 'Island Destroyer'.

TomFulp responds:

The bugs parking outside is a bug I need to solve.

I'm hoping the last medal will show points once someone unlocks it and we should probably change how the site handles that in the page.

[Enter into Darkness 2]

Oh boy, this game is a mess.

- The password system doesn't work.
- The 'Enter' key doesn't work upon death (meaning no returning to a bookmark).
- Enemies and obstacles can get past by without the necessary class or item.
- When the mummy appears, it drains hearts if I stall (it makes sense, but since this is the only enemy that I've encountered that does this, I'm assuming that this is a bug).
- I don't think any of the items in the beginning have a point as I never got a moment to use any.
- I can still recover hearts by pressing space without a Heart Crystal.
- On the 7th floor (Warthog Power Circle) when I take the ladder to go up, it says that I've traveled up two floors; but instead of the text telling me I'm on the 9th floor, it says I'm on the 8th floor.
- On the 11th floor (Terroritory Camp Site), if I choose to ignore the view and head on to the exit, I'm being told that I'm checking the craft bar.
- On floor 15 (Natural Crossing Way), if I choose on heading to the right tunnel, I find myself on floor 3 after gaining a heart.
- 20th floor (Gallow Sinn Empire Crossing), chose C, and the 'Enter' key is replaced with the 'Space Bar'. This issue stays with floor 21 after choosing B.
- And Vamprica. Once I go past floor 22, no matter which path I take, all the paths lead up to her. This wouldn't be a big deal, but the issue here is that none of the keys are assigned to anything. I can't use the keyboard to pick 'A', I can't click with the mouse to choose 'B', nothing works and my only option is to end the game.

This game has potential, but it was never tested from start to finish as it seems to get worse the further I get into it.

And while I got your attention, I tried playing the first game to this one... and it doesn't work. While this game allows me to play it using the Newgrounds Player, the other just says 'Adobe Flash Player is no longer supported'. I don't know why this one works over the other, but the point stands that these games are broken.

Newshield responds:

The game is not broken, none of them are. This game was suppose to be updated but, other things have come up since the Covid situation. Nothing has been updated. None of the games, not this one or others.

All are currently being switched over so that they can be played here and that's going to take some time because the codes have to be rewritten and tested. So, the reason you've had such problems with this game and the others is because you're playing a very outdated, never update version.

[RAPTUS]

Hm hm hmm. After all these years, I've become the 7th person to display their 'Free Will'. It was thanks to the subtle clue you made in one of your responses. Appropriate, given by the many subtle choices you made to make this game feel more 'in tune' with itself and the player.

The way you presented the commands and how it slowly starts to become unstable. The little warning that he was lying and losing himself. And your choice in music, how it synced up with the game, it was very enlighting.

[ZS Dead Detective - Pumpkin Head]

A headless guy is part of the hunting association... he's a head(less)hunter... cute.

I'm going to miss these guys. Truth be told, I kinda took inspiration from this for a series of stories I've written called, 'The Shroomlock Holmes of Mushroom Mares'. Basically it's 'My Little Pony' X 'Monster Girls' and a mushroom pony is solving cases in a monster society with a fairy following her for support. I often reflect upon how Margh and Ghvnn work off each other and try to use that as one of the references on how the mushroom and fairy should interact between themselves (throw in a bit of a big/little sister vibe to the mix).

Anyways, I enjoyed the game, congratulations on the marriage, and good luck on your next project.

P.S.: There's also a typo with one of the evidence on the top left. 'Yeow knex exactly how to activate the gas bomb'.

Muja responds:

Thank you a lot for your very nice review, and I'm extremely glad my games have been an inspiration for another writer! Good luck with your projects, and thanks again!

[Christmas ADVENTure 2019]

AH HA!!! I was prepared for an Advent Calendar this year!

In any case, I don't know what I can say that'll be any different from last year. In fact, many of the elements from last year are still in it (like it was re-skinned). The scenery is different, but the character is the same (probably will change in the same order as last year too). Music is different, but there's still that awkward snow walking effect (even the SFX of crunching snow). The little interaction with the TV is new, but things will probably proceed the same (like the tree looking more lively over the course of the month).

But the main purpose of this isn't really the presentation rather than it really being about artists promoting their work together. Some will be cute, others will be awesome, few will be funny, and a couple will be weird. You can't really judge this as a whole because the artists will be approaching this much like last year.

Bottom line is that it's a lot like last year with a few things different but with the same purpose of helping artist to show off their work. Which is why I think it's only appropriate that I should give this the same score I gave last year's.

EDIT: In reply to GeoKureli's comment, I try to not let others push me into doing things, but I know what it's like when you put a lot of effort into something and people look over it towards one certain issue.... it was on a story called, 'CYOA: Bronytale'. I don't want to be like that guy and I won't deny that more and more things have been added over the past 6 days. So how's this, I'll give 4 stars for now and wait until everything is revealed until I consider on giving it that last star.

EDIT X-MAS DAY: Okay okay. You fixed a lot of the issues, made a little murder mystery, let us do the Timewarp. This has been a lot more interactive than last year's or even any Advent Calendar I'm familiar with. You deserve that last star.

GeoKureli responds:

no it's way different, we have a ton of plans, vote 5

Edit: told ya!

[infect. evolve. repeat. 2]

This game is more frustrating than fun.

Once the game is beaten, the additional levels hold nothing back at the player. At times, about 80% of the screen is filled with antibiotics, making it mandatory to get your immunity up. However, the white blood cells are many, big, and can move about, meaning you need the strength and manpower (viruspower?) to take them down. This is where the issue begins, the antibiotics can make the field impossible at times to even see any white or red bloodcells. Because of the number, white cells can wipe your entire viruses team out the moment they form.

I can take out one with about two or three viruses. But if six viruses form the moment the White cell is over them, they're all gone.

Don't get me wrong, I like the concept of the game, but it can be relentlessly uncaring at times.

[Kristov Colin]

This game was pretty dark. Unique, but a little unsettling. It's just something I keep getting from you guys at the style you present these.

It's short and not much replay-ability to it other than getting the medals. Though I did notice that each stooge that you guys removed were in descending order (very generous to keep things simple and less confusing when selecting numbers).

I also noticed that the 'tap a stooge' medal seems to be broken. I tried numerous times and it activates in game, but I don't get it on the site. Only about a week's worth of people have gotten it, which is odd for such an easy medal.

But besides those points, the game was nice.

[Christmas ADVENTure 2018]

Crap, now I have to keep this game in mind for at least 355 days before I can get the medals that I missed. Which one will win? Stubbornness or forgetfulness?

*Sigh* Anyways, the idea of an advent calendar with medals and contents isn't the first time that has appeared on this site and I doubt it'll be the last. The game is very laggy and slow, the character takes forever to get anywhere (and even though you did state that the snow is deep in one of the other comments, it sounded like an excuse to be honest).

Other than the medals and the stiffness of the character's pacing, I can't harp on this game any further. It is what it is, a collaboration of artists showing off their work in a fancy outlook. While I may not be a fan of these kind of games, it would be insensitive to not consider the effort of each artist that put in some effort into this. Collabs have that wavy feeling for viewers where it follows a pattern, but the full project feels wobbly. They're nice at getting noticed, but they lack a solid structure that really hooks the viewer in (like a mixed bag of candies; you taste a sweet strawberry, but a sour lemon breaks that feeling).

ninjamuffin99 responds:

The general pacing of the character was intentional, but I do need to optimize it more to make it now slow as shit on lower end hardware.

[Chickaboom]

The game shows inspiration toward Turtle Toss, but it could do better.

It could use more obstacles, especially ones that you can break through. I'm at level 18 and I still haven't gotten the buster medal. Am I suppose to have the chicken turn into ice to do so (by breaking rocks) or am I just missing on how to do it?

The spells add to a more complex nature that add a verity of ways to play the game that could easily beat it by breaking it. Which leads me to the major issue I have with the game...

I keep phasing through the floor. I counted at least 20 times where I had to restart the game because of this issue. Sometimes it was expected with the ridiculous amount of speed I was going, but I've even fallen into an abyss by going less than 10 meters per second. If it wasn't for that bug, than I would've beaten this game by now.

I'm no expert at flash, but maybe adding a second floor that's invisible could solve this issue in case the player falls through the first.