Wednesday 24 March 2010

More Testaments for Cinematic Flash Games

2 very impressive flash games today, both very prominent in the sound department, among others. So get your speakers or headphones ready, and let's head to Newgrounds.

Hippolyta
Flash, includes achievements (Newgrounds.com)

A wonder of cinematic flash creations, Hippolyta (pronounced, Hih-POL-it-ah) is an action puzzle game working on a very simple reflex-based key input. You play as Hippolyta, a captured fierce Amazon warrior whom we see escaping her capturers. No Stockholm Syndrome here, as she rides and slaughters her way to freedom on a stolen horse. Duck, jump, block and murder through each level in the story mode unlocking "Amazon Points" and new story information as you go.


Simple gameplay, your character on the left of the screen, riding towards obstacles which you must spot and react accordingly. Using WASD & Space Bar, you can duck branches, block arrows, jump obstacles etc. Each level passed will introduce new obstacles to master, each increasing with difficulty. Simple! Right? Well, kind of. First thing I must warn you about this game is the difficulty level. Equipped with a warning at the loading screen of the game, creator Evil-Dog is. not. lying. This game is a real ball-buster. Quick reflexes and full concentration is required to get past even the first few levels in this game, without either you will be condemned to a pike in the chest, arrow through the heart or tree branch in the mush. It is a massive shame this game is so tough, I believe, as the art, animation, music and intensity of the experience is at such a high level, each time you are forced back to the start of the level it loses a little something. And this will happen a lot. This kind of conundrum reminds me of this clip from Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe episode, an interview with comedian Dara O'Briein on difficulty in games.


Despite this, as I've repeatedly mentioned, this game is a cinematic goldmine for flash, the opening animation and narration reeks of "300" and "Heavenly Sword" (unashamedly it seems, the game including achievements with names like "Fight in the Shade"). It's a tough game, but it's a damn, DAMN good one. This is definitely in my list of top 10 flash games.

Multiple game modes, save game functionality, impressive art and animation and a music score even better, Hippolyta is a must play, even if you have to put up with the few Game Over narrator lines. Who, by the way, reminded me of the Aladdin narrator. I recommend playing on Newgrounds, as the game comes with achievements that work with the site (if you haven't registered, do that before playing).

Programmer's Newgrounds: http://evil-dog.newgrounds.com/flash/
Programmer's Site: http://www.evil-dog.com/


REDDER
Flash, some achievements (Newgrounds.com)

A simple game, solid, well made and surprisingly big, REDDER is the best palindromic named flash game of the year! ...that I can think of.

2001: A Space Odyssey meets classic Metroid, REDDER sees you as a lost little spaceman who runs out of fuel and lands on an uncharted red planet. Platform your way through the long, maze-like interior as you collect fuel "gems". Science! Although I have mentioned the length of the game, it does a good job of keeping you on-track and helping out in times of need. the extensive map can be brought up at any time, and you can warp to any checkpoint you've activated at any time, making those puzzles that little bit easier.

redder

My favourite part of this game is the sound. The sound effects sound like they were man-made, the blips of lasers merely recordings of someone going "...blip..blip...blip". I personally have a huge love for man-made sound effects, particularly in hilarious Python-a-thon "Edible Castle" (also on Newgrounds, check it out!). Charming sound and character design, as well as an extensive map and Metroid-ian atmosphere, REDDER is another great flash game just released to us lucky, lucky people.

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