VVVVVV
Review
Happy Face
by Chris Priestman
reviewed on PC
Spikes! It’s Always Spikes!
To avoid making the game sound simple and easy, it is far from, and you will find this out from the very start. The game is relenting in its difficulty, but what separates it from some of the hardest platformers of years gone by is that the difficulty is contained in very small sections. Most of the time, each panel will have a checkpoint that you can constantly respawn from, which allows you the means to practice a particularly hard section over and over again until mastered. By doing this, the game feels rewarding when you complete each section rather than punishing you with limited lives or having to restart your whole journey. Accompanying this is a save feature so if you get completely stuck, you can save and come back to that point when you are ready to try again.
The majority of the game will have you floor bouncing to avoid spike traps, vertically moving enemies and traversing moving platforms. With each area you enter in which there is a crew member to save at the end, you will be introduced to a new type of hazard. I should also point out that you are given freedom to choose where to go and what order to save the crew members in. With the spaceship acting as a hub, you travel into the more expanse areas of the game world, meaning that finding each area branching off from here is half the challenge. By introducing these elements in each section the game manages to stay fresh at all times and never becomes boring or too easy. The surprisingly minimal changes add a huge variation in the gameplay. These are things like bounce lines which invert your gravity, moving walkways that vary your speed and having to guide a crew member as well as yourself through some very difficult passages. The game fully explores the potential with all of these different physics-based objects and at times the imagination gone into the game will both surprise you and keep you playing on and on.
One thing I have always liked about platformers are the moments when you realize how or what you have to do to navigate a certain section. On this realization you stare at the screen with your mouth open and your first thought is that it is impossible. But give it some practice and you somehow nail it. This is what VVVVVV is all about and it is done in such a terrifically addictive and diverse way that the whole experience is nothing but continuous light-hearted, challenging fun.
Very, Very, Very, Very, Very, Very…
One flaw some people may be quick to jump on in VVVVVV, is that it is a fairly short game with a first run through lasting about 2-3 hours and consequent playthroughs coming in at about 1-2 hours (depending on your level of skill). I personally would not cite this a problem, as the game is extremely replayable and is not looking to be a long ‘campaign’ type of game. Instead, VVVVVV is a game that you can play for a few minutes here and there or for longer stints over and over again. And because of how the game is made, replaying it is very satisfying. You are given stats of how many deaths you have experienced and how long it has taken you to complete the game. Beating your own previous record becomes an addiction. There are also 20 trinkets to find within the game. The hardest part is not finding them though, but getting through the hazards on the way and reaching them intact. Aiming to get all of these will provide many countless hours of playtime.
Outside of the main game there are a number of things unlocked after your first completion. If you thought the standard way of playing the game was difficult, just wait until you try the other challenges the game offers to you! There are a number of time trials to complete, with each one you unlock when you have discovered enough trinkets in the main game. Beating some of these trials with a good rank is certainly not easy. However, if you do manage to beat all the time trials then you are presented with the game’s ultimate challenge. This is called No Death Mode, and it is exactly what you think it is. You have to go through the whole game without dying even once to complete this mode. I would imagine only a couple of people have ever managed to do this. Additionally, you also unlock the ability to replay the intermission levels, which are amongst the hardest the game. The last mode is called Flip Mode and this inverts the whole game resulting in quite a confusing playthrough but one that is equally as enjoyable despite essentially being no different to the main game.
Happy Face
If you are anything like me, then you will know the instant you lay your eyes on this game that you are going to love it. I went with my instincts (and trust in the retro platformer) and was so glad that I did. VVVVVV has become one of those games that I love to play over and over again, mainly down to how casual and addictive it is whilst at the same time still offering a challenge. Overall it is a perfectly made game as you would expect due to its simplicity. Perhaps its biggest achievement is to keep the game varied despite never changing its style, format or core gameplay. If you are looking for something to keep you occupied in your spare time, I would advise giving VVVVVV a go, but only if it appeals to your taste in games.
8.0
fun score
Pros
Addictive, challenging, simple, clever, humourous, fresh and a whole lot of fun.
Cons
Not for everyone and requires a degree of patience to play.
