Mutated Employees..RUN

Virus Part 1 The Lab is a game created by swallowthesun

Hello there! Jack here, Review number 15, and I bring to you all my Editor Application. Today the game that I'll be Reviewing is Virus Part 1 The Lab, by swallowthesun. Swallowthesun, a well respected member with an obvious ability for game making, hence his 3 already featured games, all Platformers that consist of enjoyable, exploration, action type games. I'm looking forward to another game by swallowthesun, hopefully one that I'll enjoy just as much, if not more then the others. The thumbnail of the game seems dull, but not so much to the point to be ignored, of course. It looks like a dark themed game, obviously some twists I'd be about to encounter. I'm most curious as to seeing fake touch floors being used as platforms, I manage to force out some expectations, I'd be thinking that Virus Part 1 The Lab would be an exploration/adventure styled game, with a dark theme and a mystic tale, most importantly, some challenge!

Moving on, as I clicked the game I figured the mystic tale may actually eventuate! The story of the game was basic yet intriguing for me, I've entered a top secret area and my mission is to locate the lab, destroy it as well as the virus that it contains. However, there is a tight security branch tagged along, with mutated or dead employees all after you... I was now excited for the game, very much so. The storyline adds another sense to the game, something I was quite amazed with. Surely by now you'd be wanting to view my points of interest and opinion on the game, lets get onto that review.

Review

Let's start of with the overall gameplay. I thought that the gameplay produced a mixture of addictiveness, fun and an unlikely desire to win. Elaborate Please? I hear you. The unlikely desire to win, addictiveness and fun all came together to form an overall gameplay that you'd regret giving up on. Once you died, you'd be itching to give the game another go, and another, and another, and-.. I think you get the point. What contributed to this rare factor was the ability to explore areas that you didn't explore last time, you'd also go into the next attempt with some knowledge behind what was coming, although I admit, the fast paced gameplay with waves of enemies and a large amount of enemies still required the use of the radar.

The sceneric additions to the game were seemingly dull, yet accurate on the same occasion. It seemed as if the same walls and the same tiles were used for each level, however, think about it, the front cages and elevators added the sense of an accurate, detailed, formation of a Laboratory. There were things that were introduced which made the scenery all the more accurate to some sort of Lab, with near lights, automatic doors and such. With all of these, the sceneric designs were in my opinion pretty accurate, however I'd say a few extra things could've been added in just to give an extra feel of the Lab which was just noticeable from the conditions designed with the scenery.

Here's a section that you'll find is where it's really the crackdown, the final anticipating moments of the game. The enemy placement was importantly selected, you'd often find ledges with mutated employees and workers jumping around and watching you rise and fall as you please. You may overrun a sequence of tiles and fall into a pit of robotic machines, placed so you couldn't really sword climb your way out of the area. I liked the way these were placed I liked the way robots were placed as giving the illusion they were piling of the ledges as you approached. Now one of the largest areas of the final moments of placement. The final waves of action included many mutated employees and larger ones too, you could say some boss type ones. You'd be continuously fighting off the enemies when a new wave approached, keeping you forever on your toes, no relaxation, my friend.

There were few puzzles that evolved visible in Virus Part 1 The Lab, few that really stood out, however I would have to complement the acting of such things that gave the sense of a puzzle. Some small tricks were commonly used for some extra challenge and curiosity, such areas included quickly swapping weapons before continuing on to the next stage, as certain enemies wouldn't able to be killed with one and a slow rate in changing there and then would already result in heatlh damage. It's not a puzzle, but something that puzzled me was the extreme amount of health used, many extras live, and probably too much which was a downfall for sure. Yes, you'd lose a few lives from a few good traps and large waves of enemies, BUT, they're were too many. If they were placed in a separate and further area, it'd be better as if they really were needed, the play would have to go out of his way to get it.

The challenge that swallowthesun designed in the game was quite immense in a way, with the waves of enemies, however you'd more often lose a single life then lose the whole game together. The capacity of difficulty was toned down due to a lot of health placed too prematurely and too easy to get. I thought there was a fair amount of creativity in use, where looking for invisible switches became exploring more closely and intently then usual, and the use of fake doors near the beginning of the game was quite cool.

PROS

Action & Placement

Enjoyment

Sceneric Design

Overall Gameplay

NEUTRAL

Creativity

Difficulty

CONS

Prematurely And Overuse Of Health

SCORES

Gameplay - 4.5/5

Amix of fun, addictiveness and the desire to win helped guide this section to a score of 4.5 with a good mix of those three becoming one, large, tick.

Scenery - 4/5

Don't say I'm rewarding mediocracy because different opinions eventuate intodifferent emotions for everyone, I found it seemingly dull at first glance, but with the realisation that it closely resembled the aim of a lab was very good.

Placement - 5/5

I thought there were waves of enemies placed very well, while running of ledges (Robots) and fast approaching mutated workers became selected adn placed VERY well.

Puzzles - 1.5/5

One of the lowpoints, downfalls of the game, something that wasn't used. I think the game was based all on action and exploration but seeing a few nice puzzles would be a good touch.

Difficulty & Creativity - 4/5

A few things to talk about, the creativity was there, as is the challenging aspect. I lost many lives during the game and that's where the challenge came in without actually losing the game, losing lives would be at your peril.

Total: 4/5

Feature Worthy?

I liked numerous things about Virus Part 1 The Lab. These include a well thought scenery resembling the gameplay a lot, the continuous waves of action keeping me at the game and on the edge of my seat, and mostly, the amount of exploration and the fun that comes with it. With a mission in order to locate a lab you'd expect some wicked adventure and exploring opportunities, that's exactly what I got. A win, win situation and a definite yes. All of these things add up to be being convinced that the worthiness of this game being featured is in positive zone.