Here’s another game that plays with the idea of mimicking the graphics of a variety of old game systems!
The first thing you see when booting up this game is an array of screens, showing the game on different platforms. It’s all fabricated of course, but there’s an amusing history provided of this fictional “lost game”, and the developer’s follies which lead to its poor sales on unknown systems. Each device is a take-off of an existing one, such the “Some Toy” (Game Boy) or the Maple computer (an Apple Mac knockoff).
While playing, you view the action through a frame showing these made-up machines, on a photo backdrop to put you in the perspective of someone playing it at the time. There’s a pleasingly nifty system where you can swap between these frames at any time during gameplay, and zoom in or out on the picture. The style you use doesn’t affect anything practically—the assets and physics are identical—and they’re all more or less monochromatic, so it’s really just a fun presentational layer. Some are easier on the eye than others though; I liked the two-tone colours on the DOS and GBA homages, or the black-and-white simplicity of the Mac-like (simulated CRT distortion and all), over the eye-straining Game Boy look or green-on-black vintage computer.
As for the game itself, it’s also in an appropriately old-school mould. It’s a bit Spelunker-ish, except you don’t die from metre-high falls (or indeed any). Respawns are instant and close by, and there’s a handy map to refer to as you explore tombs to ransack cultural treasures like a true coloniser. Well, you’re playing as a woman so it’s a win for representation in one way at least. Each room is intricate and puzzle-like, connected to others with occasional shortcuts. You have to manage your limited bullet resources (only two at a time between pickups) both for the occasional dangerous animal, and for breaking jars which may contain coins.
Clearing the first map took about an hour for me, and half that for each of the two additional maps added in the DE rerelease. These new maps are compact but they add an extra mechanic or two to spice things up. It’s not a hellishly difficult game, which I appreciated. It’s actually quite chill to traverse these ruins, even with all the spikes and critters. The highly forgiving checkpointing certainly helps, even when the third map limits your respawns. And the aesthetics are super charming. For a game made essentially by one person, it’s a lovely way to spend an afternoon.