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[Nix]

Minimalism alone in a sea of complexity

[hurpes]

I think the gameplay and the game itself is pretty unique, at least it feels unique when I play it. I'm not sure how exactly to put it to words but kind of like how when you play certain zombie games it doesn't feel special or vastly different. Not necessarily that the game is bad, but it just doesn't feel unique whereas Terry's game does. Does that make sense at all?

[Garrent]

it feels like every spectrum game I've ever played

[JimmyJ]

Let's move on and come to the conclusion. I would give the game 7 apples out of 10 pears.

I give it a yam and a half. And that's being generous.

[st33d]

it feels like every spectrum game I've ever played

Spectrum games didn't have checkpoints or saving mechanisms (bar a few exceptions).

[Nillo]

Spectrum games didn't have checkpoints or saving mechanisms (bar a few exceptions).

A convenient feature for sure, but the ability to save the game is just something we expect from a modern video game. It's hardly "experimental". And a game with a save feature can still feel like a Spectrum game if it is a 2D platformer with a limited color palette and predictable enemy movement patterns.

[Jasmine]

can still feel like a Spectrum game if it is a 2D platformer with a limited color palette

The spectrum's colour system was RGB based. rather than a palette.

Each byte contained
- 3 bit RGB (forecolour)
- 3 bit RGB (backcolour)
- 1 brightness flag
- 1 flash flag

This made the graphics rather vivid and distinctive.

Quite often the backcolour was black, to give a coloured monochrome appearance, that was quintessentially 1980s!

[C.A. Sinner]

A convenient feature for sure, but the ability to save the game is just something we expect from a modern video game. It's hardly "experimental". And a game with a save feature can still feel like a Spectrum game if it is a 2D platformer with a limited color palette and predictable enemy movement patterns.

other similarities with spectrum platformers:

each room has its own name, displayed at the bottom of the screen

there is no "combat" per se. enemies are invincible and touching an enemy results in instant death

http://www.squidoo.com/PlatformGames


again, i'm sort of puzzled why people seem so determined to find "experimental" or "innovative" things about the game. not every game you like has to be groundbreaking.

[st33d]

It's not experimental. Everything in VVVVVV has been done before.

Boiling level design down to as few elements as possible isn't experimental. It's just a very good decision.

[Nillo]

I think most of us can agree at this point that VVVVVV is a good game, but not because it does anything new. It just does the things that it does really well.