Here's a few reviews I did for fun on the OGP forums. Just going to make some copypasta.
Cave Story
Gameplay: 9
Story: 7
Graphics/Audio: 8
Replayablity: 7
My Rating: 8.5/10
My Summary: Fun, addicting, and challenging, Cave Story is an amazing freeware platformer that looks and feels like a superior S/NES game. If I had to use one word to describe it, it would be original. Many different enemies, bosses, interesting characters, great level design, perfect difficulty curve, and unrepetitive puzzles have hooked me into this game. Made by Japanese game developer Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya in 2004, this game is simply amazing. For anybody who doesn't mind NES-styled graphics, this game is a must-try.
Game Website: http://www.cavestory.org/ [http://www.cavestory.org/]
Direct Download: http://homepage2.nifty.com/rochet/binaries/dou_1006.zip [http://homepage2.nifty.com/rochet/binaries/dou_1006.zip] (Japanese version)
http://agtp.romhack.net/download.php?id=cavestory [http://agtp.romhack.net/download.php?id=cavestory] (English patch)
N
Gameplay: 8
Story: 5
Graphics/Audio: 5
Replayablity: 10
My Rating: 8/10
My Summary: Action packed, difficult game that you've (probably) never played. The goal of the game is to get to and unlock the exit door by hitting various switches and dodging enemies and obstacles. You play a ninja who has the ability to jump high, run fast, and scale walls. You must complete the mission in a certain amount of time without hitting any enemies or obstacles. Very addicting game with hundreds of levels, plus the ability to play maps other uses create and track scores online is fun. Definitley try playing the game, there's a good chance you'll get hooked.
Game Website: http://www.thewayoftheninja.org/n.html [http://www.thewayoftheninja.org/n.html]
Direct Download: http://www.thewayoftheninja.org/n_downloads.html [http://www.thewayoftheninja.org/n_downloads.html]
Flash Version (3/10 levels, no online play): http://www.mofunzone.com/online_games/n.shtml [http://www.mofunzone.com/online_games/n.shtml]
Knytt Stories
Gameplay: 9
Story: 8
Graphics/Audio: 10
Replayablity: 8
My Rating: 9/10
My Summary: Probably the only freeware game I rate higher than Cave Story. This game is just amazing. The player downloads different worlds that have different mini-storylines and features. You play a Knytt in all of these worlds, and your goal is to collect the various powerups that give you abilities such as a double jump or cloning powers, then use these new powers to acquire more and eventually beat the task at hand, be it "get to the end of the level" or "destroy Dr. Cliche's underwater lair by getting rid of the electrical power and destroying the bomb". The storyline is pretty much dependant on what the creator made it. The music in Nifflas' (the lead developer) worlds is simply amazing, with an ambient feel that always matches the scene you're in. The game also comes with a world editor, allowing you to make your own and share it with other people.
Game Website: http://nifflas.ni2.se/index.php?main=02Knytt_Stories [http://nifflas.ni2.se/index.php?main=02Knytt_Stories]
Direct Download: http://www.ni2.se/files/games/Install_KnyttStories_110r2.exe [http://www.ni2.se/files/games/Install_KnyttStories_110r2.exe]
Additional Worlds: http://nifflas.ni2.se/index.php?main=02Knytt_Stories&sub=04Get_More_Levels [http://nifflas.ni2.se/index.php?main=02Knytt_Stories&sub=04Get_More_Levels]
Facade
Gameplay: 6
Story: 7
Graphics/Audio: 8
Replayablity: 10
My Rating: 6.5/10
My Summary: The originality and time spent to develop this game really, honestly are the only reasons this game doesn't have a "0" rating. It's amazing what three people can do. In this game, you play yourself (if you're lucky enough to have your name in the large list available). You are a close friend to Trip and Grace, a couple who were recently married. One night Trip invites you over, but when you arrive there you notice the two arguing. As the conversations go on and you and your friends begin to talk more, it becomes very apparent their marriage is failing and they have a lot of problems. It is your job to respond to different questions and statements they make and influence the way they act toward eachother. This game offers you more freedom than any game I have ever played, ever. The insane amount of voice acting and the huge control the player is given over the couple's relationship is amazing. It requires a few playthroughs to get the hang of, and might get a little frustrating hearing some of the same dialogue over and over and not knowing what to say to try to help them. It's interesting how little things can totally change the night though...of three playthroughs, for example, the couple got a phone call from Trip's dad, Grace's parents, and one time there was no phone call at all. My only problem I had with this game is I think I'd have to play it many times to truly influence the game - I failed to save the couple's relationship three out of three times. A fun game for you to try and maybe waste an evening, but nothing more. The game is also only downloadable as a torrent, which is somewhat of a nuisance.
Game Website: http://www.interactivestory.net/ [http://www.interactivestory.net/]
Direct Download: http://games.softpedia.com/progDownload/Facade-Download-7707.html [http://games.softpedia.com/progDownload/Facade-Download-7707.html] (torrent file only)
Frets On Fire
Gameplay: 4
Story: 0
Graphics/Audio: 7
Replayablity: 7
My Rating: 4/10
My Summary: You can play Frets On Fire, but why would you want to? This Guitar Hero-esque game is a great idea, because most people love Guitar Hero and a free, easily acessible, customizable copy sounds sweet. The game has a few major flaws, though - One, the controls seem a tad bit off, so you don't really feel like you're hitting it right most of the time, and you can also miss. Two, the game loses much of the fun when you take away the guitar part of the guitar hero; pressing keys just doesn't give you that "I'm a huge rock star" thrill. Three, there are only three songs available from the actual download, the rest you must get from other players who have made tracks - this means you have to suffer from the large possibility that they may not have made a good chart. All in all, the game is a great idea that fails to deliver.
Game Website: http://fretsonfire.sourceforge.net/ [http://fretsonfire.sourceforge.net/]
Direct Download: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/fretsonfire/FretsOnFire-1.3.110-win32.exe?use_mirror=osdn [http://downloads.sourceforge.net/fretsonfire/FretsOnFire-1.3.110-win32.exe?use_mirror=osdn]
Trilby: The Art Of Theft
Gameplay: 7
Story: 5-8
Graphics/Audio: 6
Replayablity: 6
My Rating: 7/10
My Summary: Seeing as how it was created by Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw from The Escapist and Zero Punctuation, it should be obvious that such a tight critic would know what he wants in a game to make it perfect. While it may or may not be a legendary work of art to Yahtzee, the game is definitley good, nothing more, nothing less. You play Trilby, a robber who uses stealth and other skills to invade a building and get what he's after. The game does have a story, and from what I've heard, it's entertaining, but whether or not this is true is debatable. I found myself skipping the dialogues and going straight to the gameplay. It takes place in a 2D setting, and Trilby uses the cover of darkness and the ability of sneaking to disarm security features and knock out guards. There are many different upgrades you can purchase after a few levels that will give you better abilities as a thief. The game is not Knytt Stories or Cave Story, but I can bet it's able to take an hour or two away from anybody, and maybe even hook a few players into it's cult. It's free, so why not give it a try?
Game Website: http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/ [http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/]
Direct Download: http://downloads.escapistmagazine.com/games/yahtzee/artoftheft.zip [http://downloads.escapistmagazine.com/games/yahtzee/artoftheft.zip]
Side Note: Yes, I am a Yahtzee loving whore. Deal with it. haha
Cave Story
Gameplay: 9
Story: 7
Graphics/Audio: 8
Replayablity: 7
My Rating: 8.5/10
My Summary: Fun, addicting, and challenging, Cave Story is an amazing freeware platformer that looks and feels like a superior S/NES game. If I had to use one word to describe it, it would be original. Many different enemies, bosses, interesting characters, great level design, perfect difficulty curve, and unrepetitive puzzles have hooked me into this game. Made by Japanese game developer Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya in 2004, this game is simply amazing. For anybody who doesn't mind NES-styled graphics, this game is a must-try.
Game Website: http://www.cavestory.org/ [http://www.cavestory.org/]
Direct Download: http://homepage2.nifty.com/rochet/binaries/dou_1006.zip [http://homepage2.nifty.com/rochet/binaries/dou_1006.zip] (Japanese version)
http://agtp.romhack.net/download.php?id=cavestory [http://agtp.romhack.net/download.php?id=cavestory] (English patch)
N
Gameplay: 8
Story: 5
Graphics/Audio: 5
Replayablity: 10
My Rating: 8/10
My Summary: Action packed, difficult game that you've (probably) never played. The goal of the game is to get to and unlock the exit door by hitting various switches and dodging enemies and obstacles. You play a ninja who has the ability to jump high, run fast, and scale walls. You must complete the mission in a certain amount of time without hitting any enemies or obstacles. Very addicting game with hundreds of levels, plus the ability to play maps other uses create and track scores online is fun. Definitley try playing the game, there's a good chance you'll get hooked.
Game Website: http://www.thewayoftheninja.org/n.html [http://www.thewayoftheninja.org/n.html]
Direct Download: http://www.thewayoftheninja.org/n_downloads.html [http://www.thewayoftheninja.org/n_downloads.html]
Flash Version (3/10 levels, no online play): http://www.mofunzone.com/online_games/n.shtml [http://www.mofunzone.com/online_games/n.shtml]
Knytt Stories
Gameplay: 9
Story: 8
Graphics/Audio: 10
Replayablity: 8
My Rating: 9/10
My Summary: Probably the only freeware game I rate higher than Cave Story. This game is just amazing. The player downloads different worlds that have different mini-storylines and features. You play a Knytt in all of these worlds, and your goal is to collect the various powerups that give you abilities such as a double jump or cloning powers, then use these new powers to acquire more and eventually beat the task at hand, be it "get to the end of the level" or "destroy Dr. Cliche's underwater lair by getting rid of the electrical power and destroying the bomb". The storyline is pretty much dependant on what the creator made it. The music in Nifflas' (the lead developer) worlds is simply amazing, with an ambient feel that always matches the scene you're in. The game also comes with a world editor, allowing you to make your own and share it with other people.
Game Website: http://nifflas.ni2.se/index.php?main=02Knytt_Stories [http://nifflas.ni2.se/index.php?main=02Knytt_Stories]
Direct Download: http://www.ni2.se/files/games/Install_KnyttStories_110r2.exe [http://www.ni2.se/files/games/Install_KnyttStories_110r2.exe]
Additional Worlds: http://nifflas.ni2.se/index.php?main=02Knytt_Stories&sub=04Get_More_Levels [http://nifflas.ni2.se/index.php?main=02Knytt_Stories&sub=04Get_More_Levels]
Facade
Gameplay: 6
Story: 7
Graphics/Audio: 8
Replayablity: 10
My Rating: 6.5/10
My Summary: The originality and time spent to develop this game really, honestly are the only reasons this game doesn't have a "0" rating. It's amazing what three people can do. In this game, you play yourself (if you're lucky enough to have your name in the large list available). You are a close friend to Trip and Grace, a couple who were recently married. One night Trip invites you over, but when you arrive there you notice the two arguing. As the conversations go on and you and your friends begin to talk more, it becomes very apparent their marriage is failing and they have a lot of problems. It is your job to respond to different questions and statements they make and influence the way they act toward eachother. This game offers you more freedom than any game I have ever played, ever. The insane amount of voice acting and the huge control the player is given over the couple's relationship is amazing. It requires a few playthroughs to get the hang of, and might get a little frustrating hearing some of the same dialogue over and over and not knowing what to say to try to help them. It's interesting how little things can totally change the night though...of three playthroughs, for example, the couple got a phone call from Trip's dad, Grace's parents, and one time there was no phone call at all. My only problem I had with this game is I think I'd have to play it many times to truly influence the game - I failed to save the couple's relationship three out of three times. A fun game for you to try and maybe waste an evening, but nothing more. The game is also only downloadable as a torrent, which is somewhat of a nuisance.
Game Website: http://www.interactivestory.net/ [http://www.interactivestory.net/]
Direct Download: http://games.softpedia.com/progDownload/Facade-Download-7707.html [http://games.softpedia.com/progDownload/Facade-Download-7707.html] (torrent file only)
Frets On Fire
Gameplay: 4
Story: 0
Graphics/Audio: 7
Replayablity: 7
My Rating: 4/10
My Summary: You can play Frets On Fire, but why would you want to? This Guitar Hero-esque game is a great idea, because most people love Guitar Hero and a free, easily acessible, customizable copy sounds sweet. The game has a few major flaws, though - One, the controls seem a tad bit off, so you don't really feel like you're hitting it right most of the time, and you can also miss. Two, the game loses much of the fun when you take away the guitar part of the guitar hero; pressing keys just doesn't give you that "I'm a huge rock star" thrill. Three, there are only three songs available from the actual download, the rest you must get from other players who have made tracks - this means you have to suffer from the large possibility that they may not have made a good chart. All in all, the game is a great idea that fails to deliver.
Game Website: http://fretsonfire.sourceforge.net/ [http://fretsonfire.sourceforge.net/]
Direct Download: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/fretsonfire/FretsOnFire-1.3.110-win32.exe?use_mirror=osdn [http://downloads.sourceforge.net/fretsonfire/FretsOnFire-1.3.110-win32.exe?use_mirror=osdn]
Trilby: The Art Of Theft
Gameplay: 7
Story: 5-8
Graphics/Audio: 6
Replayablity: 6
My Rating: 7/10
My Summary: Seeing as how it was created by Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw from The Escapist and Zero Punctuation, it should be obvious that such a tight critic would know what he wants in a game to make it perfect. While it may or may not be a legendary work of art to Yahtzee, the game is definitley good, nothing more, nothing less. You play Trilby, a robber who uses stealth and other skills to invade a building and get what he's after. The game does have a story, and from what I've heard, it's entertaining, but whether or not this is true is debatable. I found myself skipping the dialogues and going straight to the gameplay. It takes place in a 2D setting, and Trilby uses the cover of darkness and the ability of sneaking to disarm security features and knock out guards. There are many different upgrades you can purchase after a few levels that will give you better abilities as a thief. The game is not Knytt Stories or Cave Story, but I can bet it's able to take an hour or two away from anybody, and maybe even hook a few players into it's cult. It's free, so why not give it a try?
Game Website: http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/ [http://www.fullyramblomatic.com/]
Direct Download: http://downloads.escapistmagazine.com/games/yahtzee/artoftheft.zip [http://downloads.escapistmagazine.com/games/yahtzee/artoftheft.zip]
Side Note: Yes, I am a Yahtzee loving whore. Deal with it. haha
