Neon Maze
http://www.kongregate.com/games/iLegendary/neon-maze
25th January 2010
In summary, this game is a visual treat for those seeking refuge from the usual flash-based graphics that are rampant everywhere. However, a lack of interesting game design makes this game more to be desired.
The first thing that attracted me to this game (and also to load it) was its graphics. Aesthetically pleasant, this game reminded me of the XBOX Live Arcade game called 'Geometry Wars', where similar neon-coloured graphics are used. I personally love such bright colours.
The game objective is simple: navigate around the maze, to reach the coveted exit point. There is no storyline, and we are not told the reason for the objectives. This, however, doesn't really distract us from the overall feel. I treat this game like sudoku, only much prettier.
Gameplay is interesting, but limited, as will be explained later. Players control a coloured orb, and moving over other coloured orbs change the player's orb colour (running over a blue orb changes your orange orb to a blue one). Players can only pass through a wall if he is of the same colour as it. Later on in the game, things will get more complicated: locks will be introduced. To pick up a lock, you have to be of the same colour as it.
Controls are really simple: just use the mouse cursor to guide the gear-looking object around the maze. However, each level gets increasingly difficult and players find that it takes more time in order to finish each level. To increase the tension within the game, the game designer included a timer on the upper-left hand corner of the screen to challenge the player to complete it as quick as he can. The player, however, is left to wonder how the timer works. Does it decreases bonus points every second? The UI doesn't show the player anything except for the game area, and there is no points display, so we are left guessing. However, the clean, sleek UI design works well for me, as it is a refreshing change from the millions of buttons and information tabs in other games. I also like how the orbs responds very fast to your cursor movement, which is crucial for games like this where time is of the essence, especially if you are planning on beating the timer. However, the playing space is too small, and I occasionally find myself hitting the walls because my mouse cursor has gone off the game screen and my orb is no longer tracking it. Perhaps the optional control of the keyboard or a gamepad can be used.
As much as the game looks great, it doesn't go long before the player starts to feel that the whole game is draggy. The game objectives doesn't change, and he will realise that it doesn't really take a lot of brains to complete the level. He is just required to navigate through the level, pick up the very first coloured orb that he sees, go through the newly unlocked wall, pick up the next coloured orb, go through the newly unlocked wall, etc. Before long, he will realise that he has just solved the level without using much thinking. This causes the game to be a drag. It feels as though the designing of the level was actually much tougher than the actual playing of it, which is kind of odd.
Rating: 7/10
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