Review - 3D Islands By Lavalinn

3D Islands is a game created by lavalinn

INTRODUCTION

Hello, everyone! I'm Plam3n. Welcome to my second review! It is also my first review to write after my application. What I reviewed the last time was the game Cooperators and I personally think the review turned out to be pretty good. Of course, it had a lot of flaws but I am looking forward to fixing them! And this is one of my pretty much endless opportunities to do this. Anyway, back to the point - today, I am going to review a game called 3D Islands, made by lavalinn.

FIRST LOOK

I am going to start with the thumbnail. It doesn't show any part of the gameplay, it is actually the game's intro and I like the decision. I normally like intros in the games but I really hate it when people waste two levels of the game with both an intro and a level that is supposed to be a thumbnail. Think about it, two potentially good and creative levels of the game are wasted with stuff like these. Intros and thumbnails are not necessary, of course, but I still like games where people put ones. But there's a tiny catch - in ONE level. Luckily, that's what lavalinn has done. He saved one level of the game, and most importantly, this level is filled with insightfulness and creativity. I am satisfied with both the thumbnail and the intro.

Let's talk about the next level that I would rather call a tutorial, instead of an intro. Even if some people consider it the intro (along with the level before it), I'd rather call it a tutorial. It teaches the player how this game works, it teaches them how to control the two players, what they need to do, and explains what the true challenge of this game is - the time limits. I have noticed that people hate the time limits in games but I guess I am an exception. I love them, as well as every other thing that makes the game challenging. I am a big fan of hard levels and I often spend hours trying to beat one.

Overall, I am pleasantly surprised by the introduction of the game. Let's move to the real game now.

THE REVIEW

I want to start with how angry I am when I saw how the potential of the game being more multiplayer has been wasted. You can control two balls - a red one and a blue one. They are controlled with the arrow keys and the WASD keys. Sounds nice. It also sounds like a really nice multiplayer game. You can play it alone but at the same time, you can call a friend and just play it together with one keyboard. That's exactly what I did with a friend when I saw the game in school during the break time. And it works really well. What bothered me, though, is that there is literally only one level where both of the players matter, in order to win. What I wanted to see is more activity for both of the players - you need to play as both the players, in order to beat the level. For example, the red ball takes a key that removes a wall which is blocking the another player's way. I know this isn't supposed to be a multiplayer game but this whole idea isn't even supposed to be for multiplayer games only. It can be implemented perfectly for singleplayer games. All I did in the whole game was pretty much collecting coins. It's not like it isn't fun, it just could have been more.

Another thing I want to criticize is the story or just the game's plot. I wouldn't be able to think something that interesting for some random red ball and blue ball but just like I said earlier about the activity of the game, it could have been more. Also, I can't really understand what's going on - at the eighth level, it is mentioned that something has merged. What exactly? I didn't really understand what's going on? All I knew is that I have to dodge some beams for a few seconds. The idea for the level itself is good, it was fun and enjoyable, but I didn't really understand what happened. I suppose that the two balls have merged into one, as there is only one controllable player in that certain level. But I'm still not sure what exactly happened.

Enough with the criticism, it's time to show the good side of the game. The graphics. They were stunning, and the best part of them was the fact that not a single graphic drawn by a member has been used. It was all made with the built-in graphics in the Physics Puzzle Creator. I have seen people attempting to achieve the same 3D effect but it's just not the same as it has been done in this game. They either don't look nice or are just extremely buggy. Lavalinn has done an excellent job making these 3D terrains and areas. The players' graphics are also from the Physics Puzzle Creator itself. And they look really nice! I personally love the graphics the Physics Puzzle Creator offers.

I have even more positive things to say - as I said earlier, most of the 3D games I have seen on Sploder are really buggy and unrealistic. Luckily, Lavalinn has thought twice and made his game's physics nice and realistic, for example, it would be super illogical to get damage from the cactuses in level 4 if you just touch these green boxes, it wouldn't be accurate to the perspective the level is using, i.e not accurate hitboxes. Or, for example, losing your life from the holes with lava in level 6 without even touching them accurately. I have seen people not doing anything about it in their 3D games and I was getting sick of it. I have played lavalinn's games before and I knew he's a good game maker but I was still expecting the hitboxes to be inaccurate. I am glad that lavalinn shattered my bad expectations into pieces. I like the physics of the game, even though the players don't have the best movements. According to lavalinn, it's because he wanted the game to be harder. So I am going to make an exception here - I am not going to judge the players' movements, even though that's not an excuse, after all, a good review should judge everything in the game, including the member's decisions. If you haven't played this game - keep in mind that you are probably going to get irritated by the characters' movements.

I love the ideas of the levels' design. Each level has its own theme and a motif - whether it will be a volcano or a desert. It helps the game remain fresh throughout the whole gameplay, so I was always expecting a stunning area and a background each time I finish a level. It actually made me excited. My personal favorite is level 7, the Moon.

Kind of unusual, but I decided it would be nice to write my review on the music choice - think about it, it would be strange to use Mias Song on a dark and creepy level of a game. Anyway, the music choice is good and I have nothing bad to say about it. Just a nice little touch to the review.

And the game ends with a nice picture of lavalinn's avatar sleeping, made in the game's art style. It was just a nice touch. Can't say anything about it. But I like it for some reason. It just felt like a nice award for completing the game.

RATINGS

THE GRAPHICS

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As I said earlier, the graphics were stunning. The 3D effect was simply amazing. And the best part of it, not a single graphic made by a member was used, yet it looks so great.

THE STORY

⭐⭐⭐

I'm really sorry for giving just three stars here. I just didn't understand what happened. I'd have given two, but I am not going to lie, I can't think anything about a red and a blue ball as well. I am removing two stars of the score because I didn't understand what has merged in level 8.

THE GAMEPLAY

⭐⭐⭐

The game was fun. Really fun. And it has a lot of potential for full multiplayer. It could have also had more activity, just like I said above, instead of just collecting coins.

THE MUSIC

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I don't have anything bad to say about it. It fits the levels perfectly.

OVERALL

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is not a bad game at all. And four stars is a great score and a well-deserved one. I had a lot of fun playing it and I am looking forward to seeing more amazing games like these on Sploder again.

THANK YOU!