4 One of the classics
I remember playing a lot of Destruction Carnival when it was first released. In my eyes, it placed Virtually Real among the biggest names of the Klik indie scene back then.
This game has so many merits in all its simplicity. The presentation is great. The introduction has movie like qualities to it. It defines the (simple) goal of the game while at the same time grabbing your interest and being entertaining. The graphics are simple, but consistent and oozing of charm. But the best part is the gameplay.
DC is quite difficult. I remember I had to play it many many times before I could finally beat Amadeus, but the fact that I kept playing says something about the game. Today my analytical mind tells me why I kept playing. The action is fast and fun. While one can call it repetitive, the different power-ups and the limited missile and bomb stock keeps it interesting. The power-ups aren’t just thrown in to be there, either. All the weapons have different advantages, and need slightly different thinking to be utilized fully. The waves are quickly beaten (or lost), and almost every wave introduces new foes that need to be approached in new ways. The game certainly has the momentary fun factor, and the “what is behind the next corner?” feeling. And then we have the pure fun of when you time a bomb perfectly and the tastefully stylish explosions and blood cover large areas of the screen. All this is accompanied by (MIDI versions of) classic NES and SNES tunes from games like Ninja Gaiden and Axelay, which makes me hum along while blasting the baddies to oblivion. It also gives the game the feeling of being a tribute to the great games of the old.
The bosses are also worth a paragraph of their own. While they are few, they are very well designed and challenging. They have a few attacks each, and you need both skill and thinking ahead in order to beat them. The only bad thing about them is the voice acting.
Before I wrote this review, I had to download the game and try it once again. While it has some technical Klik & play-related issues, I can safely say that the game has barely aged at all. However, it made me remember the only true flaw of the game: It lacks a highscore system. A game like this needs a highscore system with extra points for bomb combos and what not. In any case, playing it again after all this time gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling. This game is solid fun.
Where does the carnival come in, again?
