GameHippo.art : ACTION

Virtual In 2 is one of those games that really gave me an impression. Of course, the name of the game is a parody of sega's arcade hit Virtual On. But what struck me was the originality of the game, which sometimes is risky, especially for freeware game authors. On first look, this game looks like a fighting game, okay, on the second look this game still looks like a pfighting game. Yet the game is different right from the start. The characters featured in this game are small 'SD' sized robots with a hint of Virtual On designs here and there. This is where the difference lie, this game fully uses projectile attacks as its main source of attack, which feels like a mix of space shooters and fighters. In detail, the game has a full fighting game setup, health bars, timer and power bars etc. The main aim of the player is to gun the other opponent down. To prevent cheap continuous whacking, the robots are equipped with a jetpack, which acts really weird if you just got started, when jumping you actually suspend in the air for a while, tapping left and right activates the forward/backward thrusters. Tapping the jump button while in the air brings the robot back to the ground immediately. Though weird at first, the jump has now proven indispensable to me in dodging enemy fire. Some stages also has a set track of movement for the robots at the field, so the robots are force to move up and down the field, adding to the difficulty, yet giving another line of defense for you. Yet after all this talk of originality and great concept in game play, the big question is, has this game executed these ideas well? My answer is no to a large extent. The game play, as many reviewers like to put it, just lacks polish. The ideas are great yes, but it all comes to whether everything else flows or not. One example is how one robot can be pounded by another robot, with no chance to recover at all. These cheap moves are even used by the computer itself. The game in my opinion is just not tamed enough, its just too frantic and in a bad way. Sometimes I resort to pressing all the keys at once to win, yet I lose alot even if I tried to use some skill and strategy into this game. Button mashers some may call this type of game. To me this game lacks focus, the focus of winning. The game's flaw is that sometimes, it just feels pointless, there is just no proper way to win this game. Just shoot and pray. The graphics are decent stuff, nothing too amazing though. Typical of a Japanese title, this game features flashy graphics like transparent projectiles and wild explosions which shake the screen. The overall style is great, it successfully captures a futuristic anime themed experience. Character designs are simplistic but not ugly. The high resolution graphics also makes this game feel 'cleaner'. My only gripe, is the lifeless background which is basically just an image. I would have liked scrolling stuff and some movements which are the norm in this type of games. But that's just me being too demanding, the backgrounds does not hamper the game at all. One note though, the game's flashy graphics might make it hard to play for some, i did not experience this but one of my friends did anyway so, just a warning The sound effects fit the game and are quite clear. The sounds of metal hitting the ground and projectile shots are very well done, no complaints though the 'frenziness' of this game tend to make the sound turn into a noisy mess. The music are okay, listen able tracks (it is techno I think). It ranges from catchy tunes in the menu area, to 'beat beat beat' music in the game area. Kid safety is an issue I feel I have to address as a reviewer, the game is generally safe for kids to play, no blood or gore unless robot violence is a no no for you. Not recommended for those with parents against Heavy Metal, errr...Bad joke bad joke. :) The game's menu interface is also something I feel should be commented on. It's not too bad really, nice logo, theme-fitting metal look. It was a little awkward to use the left/right keys to select around because the game does not use the up/down keys. Oh well, you will get use to it after some time. You will be glad to know that though this game is of Japanese origin, the text in the game are in full English. The tutorial included with the game however, is Japanese. Longevity wise, this game takes a good while to finish with the training, single player mission and survival mode. The game's two player mode definitely prolongs the game's life. Personally the two player mode is great, it really instills that sort of 'I must beat you the next round feeling' in me. Ideal for a party! Now on to the conclusion, to download or not? Well, this game is well worth the download if you want a break away from the stereotypical games. It is a nice 2 player game but do not expect to love it to death, this game is very subjected to personal taste. It is a very questionable game, because there is alot of good and bad points and it really depends how you view the game, from the good side or the bad? For me I liked it at first, hate it later, went back again and liked it again, you know that feeling. Gamers who have played Little Fighter 2 and Fighter's Kototai might find this game more appealing because it has some similarities. Final score an 8/10, maybe because I like to see the good points and the author deserve it tryng to make this a different game on the whole. Not an Editor's Choice, not a 'Games In Focus', but fun enough for me though. *Note: The game's website have more characters to download and the designs are much better than some of the originals in my opinion. The default keys are, 1 player: left, right, z ,x ,c ,v and 2 player: 8, 9, 0, 1, 2, 3(numpad). Remember...I am HyperRussell.

PC REQUIREMENTS: I GHz CPU

GAME AUTHOR Juna
REVIEWED BY HyperRussell
STAFF RATING 8/10
USER RATING 7.1/10

FILE SIZE 3.6 MB
FILE DATE Mar 24, 2004
UPLOADED Apr 18, 2004
DEV TOOL Hot Soup Processo

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Wire Robo

Wire Robo (henceforth known as WR) is one of, if not -the-, most innovative space shooters I've ever seen. Sound: The music in WR is nothing original. Just the same techno beat (ok, so it's slightly different), you hear in most Japanese sh'mups. Sound effects in WR are neat, but not incredible. The explosions sound enough like explosions to make you think "that's nice", but not enough to think "wow". Thankfully, though, WR's sound is by far the worst part. Graphics: The visuals in WR were superb, if a little pixilated. Background scenery in this game looks like what it should look like: space. Heck, the explosions are a good enough reason to download this game, even if it didn't come with game play! Of course, it does come with game play. And, while the graphics are quite a bit of eye candy, they don't stand up to Techno Sylph's beauty. Game play: When's the last time you've used a grapple in a freeware game, let alone a space shooter? Well thatï¿½s exactly what the basis of this game is: using a grapple. Here's how it goes: You take on the role of a robot in space, with enemies and meteors spread all around. Your job is to (with the help of radar) "swing" over to your enemies, and attach on to them. Then, while attached, swing left and right a lot (this will make you shoot with each turn of direction) until you have vanquished all of your enemies in that stage. Your health indicator is a sleeping little girl in your upper-right hand corner. I found Wire Robo to be quite difficult. There's many an asteroid and villain that needs destroying. Sometimes, the large enemies shoot heat-seeking missiles, and the missiles will even shoot normal bullets! It's crazy! The control scheme is essentially simple ('z' to use your grapple, 'left' and 'right' to turn.), but still takes a while to master. Bottom Line: Wire Robo is one of the best space shooters I have ever played. It has great, but pixilated, graphics, average sound, and ingenious game play. Download it if you are a fan of space shooters, or want to play something that takes a step from the norm. Note(s): Download is at the bottom of the page linked to in the download section.

PC REQUIREMENTS: DirectX8.1

GAME AUTHOR Team Dangeroude
REVIEWED BY Da_Goat
STAFF RATING 8/10
USER RATING ---

FILE SIZE 23 MB
FILE DATE Sep 15, 2002
UPLOADED Jan 27, 2003
DEV TOOL VC++

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Worm Wars 2

Worm Wars 2 is a massive improvement over its prequel. Packed with more enemies, more weapons and more features, Worm Wars 2 is a totally different game. Even with more action on the screen, all the speed problems that lagged its predecessor are gone. Following up on Worm Wars 1, the game revolves around the war between the worms and ants. You again play as the commander of the worm army. The graphics are better than before. The levels are more detailed, and the same cartoon look is still there. There are even well-drawn cut-scenes explaining the story before each level. Sound is much better, and there are more background music themes. The only problem with the music is the temporary lag is creates when it repeats, though you shouldnï¿½t notice this often. Controls in the game have gone through a massive improvement since Worm Wars 1. Now your commander worm moves and fires by pointing and clicking with your mouse, which really simplifies things. You can no longer control your units, but the units are intelligent enough on their own. There has been a massive speed improvement ï¿½ commands are issued instantly, and thereï¿½s no longer a lag. The interface has also been completely re-done. The opening screen adds a ï¿½coolï¿½ dimension to the game, and loads much quicker. Everything looks nicer, and buttons are placed a little more conveniently and in a way that will please the eye. One of the major differences between Worm Wars 1 and Worm Wars 2 is how you get additional units for your army. There is now a money system, in which you pick up money in order to buy units. Instead of buttons to control units and picking new ones off the ground, you now pick up money and use those buttons to buy them. There are many new units you can use, such as helicopters and mine layers. Another addition to Worm Wars 2 is the ability to control turrets. Your commander worm can take control of stationary turrets to deal enormous damage to the enemy ant ranks. Bottom Line: Worm Wars 2 is a much better and improved game than Worm Wars 1. A must get for action/RTS fans. Presentation: 9/10 ï¿½ The interface is creative and is pleasing to the eye. There is no included documentation, but this is partly made up for with the training mode. Graphics: 10/10 ï¿½ The graphics have gone through a major haul-over and look gorgeous. Sounds: 8/10 ï¿½ The background music is great, but the normal sounds can start to feel monotonous. Game-play: 9/10 ï¿½ Worm Wars 2 is a fun game, but does lack the ability to control your troops ï¿½ something I would like to see in a game like this. Lasting Appeal: 8/10 ï¿½ There is now a customizable skirmish mode, but there is only one map that can be played on. Worm Wars 2 is a hard game to beat, and will deter some people. The Rating: 8/10 ï¿½A good mix of action and strategy, and the cut-scenes make the story enjoyable. Still, the game is too hard to beat ï¿½ I couldnï¿½t even get past the first level.

PC REQUIREMENTS: CNCS32.DLL

GAME AUTHOR Crystal Studios
REVIEWED BY Dragonfly
STAFF RATING 8/10
USER RATING 7.3/10

FILE SIZE 2.7 MB
FILE DATE Feb 06, 2002
UPLOADED Jun 15, 2003
DEV TOOL unknown

NO DOWNLOAD

Wormlings

Wormlings was created by Daniel Schlyder for an Allegro Size Hack Competition in which the games author must make the best game possible and yet keep it under 10KB. Well, maybe all games should have this restriction (j/k, of course) because Wormlings is one of the best multi-player games around. That's an especially good thing, since there is no AI at all, as that would have caused the game to go over the 10KB mark. The gameplay in Wormlings consists of you and up to 3 friends (total of 4 players) to take the role of worm-like lines of different colors. There are balls bouncing around the screen with you as well. The idea of the game is to stay alive as long as possible by not bumping head-on into any of your opponents or any of the balls. Your worm is consistently growing with each second, so it gets pretty hard after a while, since the screen will be almost full at times. This leads to very simple, yet strategic game play, as it is alot of fun to trap your opponents with your own worm's body, forcing them to crash. Of course, you also must avoid getting trapped yourself. The game is very customizable so you can adjust EVERYTHING in the game to suit your taste or crank up or down the difficulty. The graphics are surprisingly good for a game this small. While nothing will make you say "Wow!", this games is by no means ugly. Animation is also very fluid, but occasionaly it got jerky. Could just be my PC, though. There is no sound, one of the few prices that must be paid for having such a small game with this much overall quality. Still, it hardly detracts from the game at all. Bottom Line: Excellent. Despite having had to spare a couple of things (AI and sound), which would have possibly gotten this game a 9, it is still an extremely fun game to play with your friends. Each player only takes up two buttons, so four can squish around one keyboard and not be TOO uncomfortable. Two thumbs in the air, pointing towards the heavens. Note: The file that I am giving you for download is not the 7KB version, which is the original one made for the competition. If you want that one, you can get it at the author's homepage.

PC REQUIREMENTS: Windows 9x/Me/2000/XP, DirectX 5.0

GAME AUTHOR Daniel Schlyde
REVIEWED BY Evil Boris
STAFF RATING 8/10
USER RATING ---

FILE SIZE 271 KB
FILE DATE Sep 24, 2002
UPLOADED Sep 25, 2002
DEV TOOL C/C++ (generic)

NO DOWNLOAD

Yokoy DM

In Yokoy DM (Ye old knights of Yore - Death Match), your objective is to kill all your opponents (other human players), with weapons that you buy along the way, or if you prefer the weapons you start out with. You may also buy armour, to get up experience points. You can play up to 4 players, on 5 different maps. The game also has a lot of options, ranging from how much experience you start out with, to much money you get in the money bags. What I like best about Yokoy DM, is that the author has managed to make a nice RPG, and then add a great real-time action feel. Yokoy features 5 different game modes, good 2-D graphics, nice sound, and great game-play. This update (v1.4) includes features such as AI-controlled enemies in deathmatches. NOTE: This game isn't very gory, but it does feature quite a bit of blood.

GAME AUTHOR Ashley Yeates
REVIEWED BY Rixte
STAFF RATING 8/10
USER RATING 7.7/10

FILE SIZE 1.3 MB
FILE DATE Feb 22, 2002
UPLOADED Feb 22, 2002
DEV TOOL The Games Factory

NO DOWNLOAD

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