What A Tomb!

Tomb of Solace is a game created by jcaldwell

Ohai! This is mat7772. Oh duh? Who else would be…? Oh right, one of the other hundred of reviewers. Sometimes I wonder how dumb I can be. Anyway, onto the main attraction (Excluding the review) the game! And the game I am reviewing for my eighth review is Tomb of Solace by my friend, jcaldwell! Now that I’ve discussed about this and that, and that and this, I shall move on. So move on with me! Shall you or shall you not?

Pre-thoughts:

Jcaldwell is a very talented member at the Shooter creator, although he has no features. However, I have only played one plat by jcaldwell, and I didn’t really enjoy it. So I don’t know what to expect, action, puzzles and traps? I don’t know. So this is really his make or break time, to prove me he’s excellent at Plats, or perhaps not. Let’s find out, shall we or shall we not?

Thumbnail:

The thumbnail looks quite intriguing. The scenery looks nice and simple, and really does look like you’re in a temple… A very dangerous one actually, because there’s vampire bats! :O Bats have to be the most dangerous enemy, by taking down the most your health! Rocky would get his butt kicked! Anyway, it looks like there’s going to be action, even if I can only see the deadliest enemy in the thumbnail. Puzzles are a tick, by the barrels blocking a flamethrower. So that’s all I can see now, let’s move on!

Gameplay/ Review:

The game was extremely challenging, and of course, I didn’t complete it. Despite its extreme challenge, I did manage to get quite far into the game, (:D ) until I fell in the first pit of lava, (:’( ) which included a trap that was quite clever (And annoying. I died there two times! Ugh, but I guess that’s a pro not a con). This game was split up into six levels with shmancy music, including the first level, which was an intro. Each of levels providing great fun, and challenge. I especially liked the way jcaldwell used levels, otherwise, it would lag like hell. So far, I’m impressed jcaldwell. (Yes jcaldwell, I know you want to skip down to the ratings, but just hold your horses.)

This game had puzzles and traps, mainly more traps, and all of them were frustrating and annoying. The first one you encounter was probably the best, along with another one in level four. The first trap I encountered was difficult to get passed. It had perm blocks as a bridge, and perm switches on there, which added pressure onto you. And there were spikes above you, which fell down when you were passing by. So it was fairly frustrating. (Example of me trying to complete the trap: *Passing over bridge* *Hit switch and lose for the fiftieth time.* *Bangs head on keyboard* Five minutes later sirens come screaming down the highway.) Yes, so moving on. The trap on the fourth level was amazing, original, and never seen before. Actually, talking about originality, nearly all of the traps were original. Anyway, you’d be swinging across a pit of lava using your grappling hook and you’d see a torch. And so I collected the torch but the grappling hook changed to the torch, causing me to fall into the pit of lava, causing me to lose, causing the ambulance to come screaming down the highway once again. Anyway, all the other puzzles and traps were kept simple, some difficult, some easier than the other. So puzzles and traps were good, simple and original.

The enemies and hazards were placed excellently. Sometimes, I’d get so frustrated of how well the turrets were placed on level two, adding extra pressure on you when you were trying to get over that dangerous perm blocked bridge. The variety of the enemies was very limited. Jcaldwell seemed to stick to ancient enemies, like the Mongol, Archie and the big, tough, kikuchiyo, and he’d throw in bats… What would you think would be in a temple? And he did throw in the turret, which seemed a bit unusual, because the theme of the game seemed to be ancient, and turrets are like SO ancient. But despite that, the enemies were placed well, and the variety was good as well, considering it was supposed to be an ancient game. (Well, that’s what I think he’s going for, an ancient game.)

Health and power – up placement was limited to the point that you’d receive health when you needed it the most. I’d find myself, for the very first time, talking to myself, saying; “Hurry up I need health I need health I need health! Oh health! BOOYA! Oh dammit, I died by lava. :(“ And power – up placement was just essential items that you needed to continue the game, like mace’s, flame-throwers, and things like that. But, all in all, the health and power up placement were well done. Puts thumbs up to Jcaldwell

The scenery matched the games name “Tomb of Solace”. It was like you were in some kind of dangerous tomb, trying to escape. So it really matched the title, just like the enemies (Excluding turrets, unless he wanted a high – tech tomb, although I really doubt that at this point…) The scenery was basic, with statues and walls. I will finish this paragraph of here, by saying the scenery matched the title, and was quite basic, but I wouldn’t have added anymore scenery, so it’s all fine. (Or is it? *Puts on suspicious face*)

The creativity in this game was good. Tomb of Solace did have a few new puzzles and traps. (Example of the perm block bridge.) But, there is a negative sign. (Finally, I just wanted to criticize he game, eh.) The game was laid out like every other game I’ve seen, (Well, almost. In some levels though, he laid it out different to other plats.) He laid it out like a normal straight line going to a puzzle, trap, or enemies. See, perhaps jcaldwell could’ve added something in-between, like an obstacle, for example a barrel or something so that an enemy, like an archy could shoot it and it could blow up. But overall, the creativity was good, perhaps leaning towards an “alright”, but I think jcaldwell did better than alright. Now, let’s go onto the pros and cons.

Pros:

Puzzles and traps: The puzzles and traps were difficult, creative and were impressive. I haven’t seen a lot of this great puzzles and traps in the past, which is why I was quite glad when I saw some great ones here.

Enemies and hazards: The enemies were placed very well, and so were the hazards. I guess that the hazards really did play an important part, adding extra pressure on you. The enemy variety was also a very good component of this game. Jcaldwell limited the enemy’s variety a lot, by naming this “Tomb of Solace”. But he did a good job, making sure the enemies matched the title. Wewt! Let’s give him a gold star!

Health and power-ups: These two items were placed extremely well. I needed health urgently, I got health… Urgently. The power-ups were things like maces and flame-throwers, which were needed to continue the game, not for random use of killing enemies.

Scenery: The scenery was kept basic, making sure that the game matched the title. And I think that it did. Even though the scenery was kept basic, it still made some sense, unlike some games. (Ex. Zomg lets add a statue floating in air!!!11!!11)

Creativity: The creativity was good. New puzzles and traps for us all to enjoy, bang our head on the keyboard, ex.

Cons:

This game made my head bleed: >:O

Lay out: The game was laid out a bit like all other platformers, staright line, enemy, puzzle, trap and then you go back and do the same thing. However, some levels were laid out differently to previous games I’ve played.

Ratings:

Action: 4.5/5. The action was rich, high quality, and something that the best of the best gamers would be quite impressed at.

Difficulty: 5/5. Oh my god this game is difficult. But I did manage to almost reach the last level multiple times, which means it set at a reasonably good difficulty.

Creativity: 4.5/5. Lots of things in this game were new and creative. The puzzle and traps were creative, the game was creative, (Now I’m thinking of things to add…) even the start was creative! However, some levels weren’t laid out creatively, that’s why I lowered the score just a tiny bit…

Puzzles and traps: 4.75/5. The puzzles and traps were creative, new, impressively impressive, and new. I have nothing else to say.

Placement: 4.75/5. The placement was well done. When I needed health, I got health. The enemies were placed very well, not bunched, yet not spread apart every one – hundred metres.

Overall: 4.75/5

Conclusion:

Overall, I give Tomb of Solace a 4.75/5. I loved the game to pieces, and really loved to see some new, creative things. This game was a real challenge to me to review, but I took it on, and won the battle. Now, I’d like to thank you for reading this long, over 1500 words this has, wewt, new world record!

Feature worthy? Yes. This game deserved to be featured because of its original puzzles and traps, placement, challenge, creative- For a lot of things. I am glad that I played I played Tomb of Solace, it’s magnificent from top to bottom, and spick to speck.