![]() As plenty of games have shown, the jump from mobile to console isn’t an easy one for a whole bunch of reasons, but it’s something Badland pulls off without even breaking a sweat. It more than makes up for that by standing out gameplay-wise, however. Similarly, the graphics are pretty unremarkable while Badland looks nice enough, it also exists very much in the post-Limbo space of “artsy platformers”, and while it’s undeniably cool that that’s been successful enough to distinguish itself as a unique genre, it also means that Badland doesn’t stand out visually as it did even a few years ago. You’re just a round little monster with the ability to do some crazy things, and that’s about all the context you’re going to get. There’s zero attempt at a story or plot, for one thing. What’s impressive is that Badland shines so brightly despite the fact it’s so unremarkable in other ways. This, too, speaks to the game’s strong level design most of the time it’s easy enough to figure out what you’re supposed to do, but the challenge comes in actually doing it. The controls strike the right balance between being totally intuitive to pick up, yet incredibly difficult to pull off. Whatever its origins, though, I’m glad to play Badland in its current form. The fact it could’ve shined on a touchscreen when it seems so well suited to the Vita (or any other console with buttons) astounds me. Not only that, as the game progresses it requires more and more precision - and as great as touchscreen gaming can be in a lot of ways, precision isn’t exactly its strong suit. While the vast majority of Badland can be played with one button, there’s still a small-but-essential part of it that demands you use a thumbstick to maneuver. ![]() My disbelief comes from the actual execution. There’s a little more nuance to the gameplay when you factor in the power-ups - some make you spin, some make you multiply in number, and so on - but basically, the gist of the game is so simple, it’s hard to imagine Badland getting it’s starting anywhere but mobile. You use one button to flap your little arm-wings, and you increase or decrease your height based on the obstacles in your way. ![]() This is simultaneously incredibly easy and incredibly difficult to believe.Įasy because, at its core, the game is essentially an artsier version of Jetpack Joyride or Flappy Bird. The “Game of the Year” part of Badland’s title comes from the fact the game was named Apple’s GOTY for the iPad in 2013.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |