[RRR] Phazes Of Creativity

Review by windchimera734 on Monday, March 9th 2015

A review of Home Turf, by nphaze03.

Introductory

Good afternoon readers! Shiftry here, and I�d like to welcome you all to my Royal Review Rumble entry! I had no idea such an event exists, and I�m unsure if I can compete with the more professional reviewers, but I couldn�t resist an opportunity to test my writing skills. I searched long and hard for a perfect PPG to review, and where else to look than the featured game pages?! I know it�s an obvious place to look, and I did indeed find a great one that I missed while I was absent. Surprisingly enough, I found a different game to review today -- non-featured, and from a member who I�ve never heard of before. Superb choice!

Initial Expectations

So I originally found a featured game for my review, but was drawn to another member�s descriptive comments. Quite precise and well thought out feedback was included within his/her message, so I checked the individual�s game page. Nphaze03 has only one published game; this one. Home Turf has a charming thumbnail, and with the maker having no background at all, I was intrigued to play. Could this be one of what I like to call �hidden gems�? Let�s find out, with this mysterious Physics Puzzle Game...

Analysis and Evaluation

Home Turf has only two levels -- one of which is a well-built cutscene, which is introduced in many modern PPG projects. I�m not always a big fan when it comes to these kinds of levels, since it seems to produce the feeling that the owner is actually more important than the game. (Still, I�m only talking about intros that advertise the maker; a well executed one could please anybody nonetheless, including me.) This game does indeed have such a cutscene. It�s length is short, it�s appearance is sweet, and it�s conjunction with the game�s meaning is sharp but simple.

Home Turf contains a very loose plot, and it�s as bizarre as another PPG that I reviewed before (*cough* *cough* Dark *cough*). However, this maker did not try too hard to make the plot an important attribute to the game�s quality. It simply states how whacky and casual the game is going to be -- instead of making, let�s say, a bubbly tone introduction with a �serious as� story and atmosphere; that sort of thing.

The second/main level of this game is where Home Turf truly shines through. After the cutscene leaves our player in his starting position (pretty clever by the way), then we can begin. The objective in Home Turf is to protect these 3 remaining trees (used to be four, until the cutscene sacrificed it as an example) from what seems to be falling fruits�? Oh, sorry bombs, yeah I meant bombs; they�re beautifully coloured may I add. Trees have four blocks of health, plus a shield that replenishes after a short time period. I call this complex mechanics for a rookie. Even the way the indicating cursors hover just below where the bombs are falling is incredible for a PPG. Obviously a lot of work went into this game�s concept, and graphics. Nphaze03 is talented, but it�s a shame that his profile and background is so vague.

Anyhow, Home Turf was originally meant to play forever until all of the trees were destroyed, however by sleuthing around the maker�s messages, it seems as though Nphaze03 designed the 120 score limit so that players could actually win, and appear on the scoreboard. Very thoughtful acts were generated into this game, it�s truly a sore thumb in an orchestra of gloved hands (don�t ask why I made such an appalling analogy). Even the way the player generates speech over time is impressive.

But woah, hold it! It�s that time where I label the faults in the game. Although Home Turf is extraordinary for such a small project, it�s gameplay isn�t sound enough for me. Sure, it�s fun at the beginning, flailing about to protect the trees; but it�s practically impossible to win protecting all three of them (two trees even). The only way to beat it, is by camping, which I felt was a big let down, considering this one level is practically the full mass of the game. Also, I�m not personally keen on the level layout, especially since one tree has already met it�s match -- it�s practically a crisp. A symmetrical layout would have suited an arcade-esque game better.

Pros and Cons

- Innovating mechanics

- Smooth but efficient graphics

- Original concept

- Some faulty gameplay

- Unfinished feel

Scores

Final Comment

I feel that Home Turf needs re-booting with more levels, in which case I would suggest for the project to be featured, considering it already contains so much potential. What�s happening with the maker I don�t know. Nonetheless, I think this game deserved a review, highlighting the possibility of more skilled game developers on sploder.com.

Thanks for reading. ~ windchimera734/Shiftry

7/10