Happy Thanksgiving! [Editor Application]

Review by vpopsiclev on Friday, November 25th 2016

Happy Thanksgiving!

Game: Back to 2012

Maker: Sto4

Type: Puzzle Platform

Introduction

And another one rolls in. What's good my dudes, Mark here with another review.

"bleep Mark, another review??? A back-to-back on Thanksgiving day just for us???"

That's right lad, another one. The reviews in the past have gotten stale and are becoming more and more uncommon. So your hero, Marknut, is here to step up to the challenge, and produce for you young minds out there. And I totally did not mess up on my editor application last time and am redoing it. No sir, this one is for you, the people.

So what is lil ol' me up to today? Well I'll be ripping apart reviewing Sto4's game, "Back to 2012." bleep it Mayans.

Well, I don't know about you guys, but I am a huge fan when it comes to puzzle platformers. No, not the straightforward, boring, overused, unimaginative ones (mine :(), but I'm talking about the impeccably created, fantastically designed, creative puzzle platformers. And my guy Sto4 here has been known to deliver. A couple of his great works include: box dude hero, box dude hero 2, and Yo Mama.

So without further ado, let's begin :)

Gameplay

Right off the bat, the theme of the game becomes apparent. Sto4 is showcasing puzzles games back in 2012 (or my games back in 2016 :'() and how 1-dimensional they were at the time. He uses many of the recycled puzzles back then (i.e grenade puzzles utilizing the Power Gluv to activate switches) that were extremely popular. In addition, he includes a myriad of platform challenges where one simple misstep will end the game. If the 2012 puzzle platform genre could be summarized, then Back to 2012 does the trick perfectly.

Sto4's humorous twist to the game adds to the flavor and enjoyment that it brings. His entertaining use of commentary throughout the game sets off Back to 2012 from most generic puzzle platformers out there. For every new concept added to the game, a witty statement is used to hint at what is to come; I can't help but nervously laugh at each joke, slowly slipping into my chair and realizing my games are all like the stuff Sto4 is mocking... :( The comedic aspect of the game is the best part of Back to 2012 in my opinion. The flavor text added to the game is essential to making it an extremely addicting play. Games should be fun and addicting, and Back to 2012 is just that.

Puzzles

An important part of puzzle platformers, UNFORGIVING TRAPS :D. No, puzzles are the most important part, and make up the entirety of such genre. These games are designed to test your problem-solving ability through creatively designed obstacles. Although Back to 2012 doesn't introduce anything necessarily ground-breaking, Sto4 reinvents the puzzles from the past to create a unique feel to the game. Puzzles in Back to 2012 are more for the comedic aspect and less for the difficulty. However, because the game is tinkered to those who have experienced and survived the era of the nonstop barrage of generic puzzle platformers, those newer to the genre might experience difficulty. Many of the puzzles Sto4 utilizes revolve around glitches and obstacles where it takes background knowledge to solve. If you're not a decorated puzzle platform gamer like me (I watched the entire walkthrough because I was stuck on the first part), then Back to 2012 might come of as a pain and frustrating, and less entertaining. This is the Achilles' Heel (like tight jeans at Thanksgiving dinner; looks really nice for a family picture, but you can only fit a turkey leg in before they start to rip) of almost all puzzle games, where they fall under the same label: Not for beginners. Although some concepts are easier than others, because Back to 2012 contains a myriad of glitches and unique interactions, it is hard to understand how everything works at first glance. Nevertheless, the puzzles are well-designed, well-thought out, and professionally placed so that each stage of the game feels unique and interesting.

Scenery

Many generic, 1-dimensional puzzle platform games only focus on creating difficult and never-before-seen puzzles. Thus, many miss the mark when it comes to designing a detailed and well-crafted scenic experience. I believe that, for any game and genre, a good scenery can transform a good game, to an astounding one. Scenery is like gravy to a turkey. Without it, it's stale and dry, and nobody's letting you host next year. Back to 2012 is an amazingly beautiful (no homo) game. Sto4, like with many of his other games in the past, are designed so that not only are puzzles creative, but an extra step is taken to make the experience truly magical (like pumpkin pie after gaining 10lbs from eating too much stuffing). Overall, the obvious meticulous effort is noticeable, and the game is extremely appealing to the eye; even if he makes fun of lion statues which are flooded in every puzzle platform game (you might as well change the title of the game to: The Roast of Marknut :/).

Story & Mood

As great as Back to 2012 has been (obvious in my review), here's the part where I actually get to destroy his feelings and crush his dreams >:) unbiasedly critique his work. Back to 2012 offers great commentary that creates a unique, and entertaining feel to the game. However, the song choice is melancholy and almost depressing. Furthermore, the story feels rushed where it originally starts off playful between you and your friends, but a random change in mood transitions to a deeper, more serious objective where you must "erase all of the awful decisions you made." The connection between the story and the actual game is confusing, as the game is a tease to puzzle platform games in 2012. In conclusion, the two conflicting moods transforms an enjoyable puzzler, to an awkward drama (like when your mom and aunt bicker over who should host the next Thanksgiving while that one uncle drinks his Bud Light and watches the Cowboys game, yelling at the TV).

Verdict

The council has reached a decision. I truly believe that Back to 2012 IS feature-worthy. Although the story and song choice is confusing, the actual gameplay itself carries the weight of it. As it stands, the game is creative, funny, entertaining, with a confusing storyline. I recommend muting the game, and listen to the relaxing song of Darude - Sandstorm.

Scoring Ladder

- Flawless Game - EGL Worthy -

- Amazing Game -

- Great Game (Feature Worthy) - ✓

- Good Game -

- Average Game -

- Below Average Game -

- Okay Game -

- Bad Game -

- Horrible Game -

If you have any questions regarding my review, feel free to leave a comment below and I'll be happy to discuss your concern. Have an awesome Thanksgiving guys! Mark out --/