WAMOFI Reviews

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 5:26 am

For anyone who's interested, I thought I'd start a thread with WAMOFI reviews when I see them. Feel free to check them out at these sites, rate or leave comments (when available), or link to new reviews on this thread when you see them.

Here's one on www.casualgamerchick.com :
http://casualgamerchick.com/2009/02/03/ ... nd-review/

Helium.com also has a list of nine reviews. Most are very positive, one or two weren't into the game as much. Here's a nice one from that list:
http://www.helium.com/items/1310766-gam ... ire-island

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 3:28 am

Another very nice review was just posted on JayIsGames.com:

http://jayisgames.com/archives/2009/02/ ... island.php

mette · Post by **mette** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:11 pm

Nice reviews, Patrick

Well done

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 7:14 pm

Gamezebo just reviewed MOFI: http://gamezebo.com/games/wonderland-ad ... and/review

Not as positive a review, unfortunately, although I'm not quite sure I agree with some of the points made.

By the way, the above link for the JayIsGames review has a vote button at the bottom, where you can give your own score (from 1-5 mushrooms, 5 being the best).

popo · Post by **popo** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 7:39 pm

I gave it 5 mushrooms when I looked at it the other day.

mette · Post by **mette** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 7:56 pm

The Gamezebo guys obviously never got the spy-eye

But hey, publicity is publicity.... right?

I just went and added my 5 mushrooms to the JayIsGame site

cbloopy · Post by **cbloopy** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 8:35 pm

Midnight Synergy wrote:Gamezebo just reviewed MOFI: http://gamezebo.com/games/wonderland-ad ... and/review

Not as positive a review, unfortunately, although I'm not quite sure I agree with some of the points made.

Particularly demented is this comment of theirs:

Gamezebo wrote:A few other beefs: [...] even if you save your progress it's possible to get stuck and have to restart from a previous save point.

Like this (getting stuck) doesn't happen in other games worth playing. Or maybe in other games you can always just blast the #@%! out of anything that gets in your way?

Qloof234 · Post by **Qloof234** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 11:58 pm

The problem is - I see where they're coming from - that not all other games have huge involving overworlds the way Wonderland Adventures do. And the ones that do usually have guns, or some sort of attack that can be used to destroy stuff in the way.

In Wonderland Adventures games, I have to say, you really do have to be 100% sure it's safe when you save. Sometimes you could save at a point where the loading times don't give you enough time to do anything, or you could save too late altogether.

That's the thing - most other video games don't let you save at any given time. They usually have a set point where you can save. Two examples (first that come to mind) are Mirror's Edge or Sonic '06.

Mirror's Edge: After each chapter, the game automatically saves - also, there are some in-level checkpoints.

Sonic '06: Saves automatically once something is accomplished - not like much will be done in a short timespan, because the loadtimes in this game are ridiculously long.

Wonderland Adventures - and MOFI - on the other hand, both let you save whenever and where-ever you want.

Sometimes, it's good - You finally make it somewhere, you want to save so you don't have to do that over again. Some games don't allow that.

However, in a puzzle/action game as hard as MoFI, it can be a very dangerous thing to do.

Example; you FINALLY get past a very hard HUB AREA puzzle. First instinct (in my mind at least) is to save. However, say that you ended up getting it wrong, and you missed something you needed. This is where MoFI is incredibly decieving. The game starts easily, except suddenly you need to clear some incredibly difficult puzzles. In this case, you might have to start the level over because you're only using one save slot. Worst-case scenario, the whole game.

Which really, really bites if you're far into it.

I do realize that it's recommended to use mutliple save slots. However, that warning is only visible to those who look at the forum. Someone who doesn't - regardless of if they're new or not to adventure games - could become really annoyed and thus not want to play the game anymore. I said regardless of if they're new to adventure games or not because Wonderland Adventures is so unique in the retrospective - A free-roaming tile based game, a first-person shooter without guns...

Now, what would be a good idea (in my opinion) for further MoFI updates is to include a few hints on the loading screen.

What I mean is where you have the normal screen with a little caption giving you a hint below.

For example:

Code: Select all

LOADING...

Hint&#58; Don't forget to use multiple save slots!

In the long run, this way, it's more likely that people will use multiple saves - Except me, of course, cuz I'm silly enough to think it'll be fine - and thus not get bored of the game.

However, I still think that a difficulty option or something like that is REALLY necessary for the third WA game.

Of course, it would be difficult to code, and make the game 600% harder to fit together, but better late than never.

In the end, as long as the game is good and it doesn't bore players, it'll all be worth it.

*****************

Wow, that was a long post.

On to reviews: I might end up doing my own review for Youtube, depends on if I get around to it.

cbloopy · Post by **cbloopy** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:24 am

Qloof234 wrote:The problem is - I see where they're coming from - that not all other games have huge involving overworlds the way Wonderland Adventures do. And the ones that do usually have guns, or some sort of attack that can be used to destroy stuff in the way.

In Wonderland Adventures games, I have to say, you really do have to be 100% sure it's safe when you save. Sometimes you could save at a point where the loading times don't give you enough time to do anything, or you could save too late altogether.

That's the thing - most other video games don't let you save at any given time. They usually have a set point where you can save.

Yeah, do you really want to play MOFI with the game only allow you to save after each completed adventure?

You do have a point about overwriting saves, but even in the worst case you can always abort the adventure and then save on the hub page. So the worst case is equivalent to saving only between completed adventures, which sounds just like the games you were quoting.

I think the real issue is that most games are more linear, where there's only one way to pass a certain part, and so you rarely get into a situation where you got past a part but not enough to get past the next part. Or at least they'll make it a more optional thing (eg. an optional sidequest that can't be done past a certain point in the game). I suppose it'd be possible to make the puzzles in WA more linear that way too, but it'll definitely put a constraint on people designing the levels. Not sure that's the way to go.

dlcs18 · Post by **dlcs18** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:45 am

Nevermind... Post Deleted

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:16 am

Qloof234 wrote:Example; you FINALLY get past a very hard HUB AREA puzzle. First instinct (in my mind at least) is to save. However, say that you ended up getting it wrong, and you missed something you needed. This is where MoFI is incredibly decieving.

I know that was the reviewer's point, but my question would be: where in WAMOFI does this actually happen? There are absolutely no dead ends in the hub of the game (other than a very very very few things that might happen by extreme accident). Or did I misunderstand you, Qloof?

Qloof234 · Post by **Qloof234** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:29 am

@cbloopy; I had a really detailed post for this, and then of course my internet turned off. To put it short, that's not the kind of saving thing that should be used in MoFI.

@MS; Wasn't there a few overworld puzzles in one of the WA games? Not necessarily MoFI, but I'm pretty sure there was one.

Just for the record, a better example; You get a key in the hub area, and continue on.

Say you need this key later, except there was a gate of the same colour in an adventure.

My instincts don't tell me to use it, but others might not think the same way I do.

Afterwards, save. Then say you find a gate of the same colour, and it turns out you needed that key.

Most of the time, no biggie, but if it's far in the game and - like me - you use one save file, you would have to restart.

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:53 am

Qloof, right, but none of the keys in the Wamofi hub match the colours of any gates in the adventures - precisely to avoid this problem.

Qloof234 · Post by **Qloof234** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:28 am

IIRC, and this was mentioned during testing, there is a moment with this problem.

At the beggining, where Morklin finds the gates that previously weren't there.

The gates are yellow. The keys you need are yellow.

One of the gates in one of the two adventures is yellow.

SubColor? I'm not sure. But it's still something to be careful about, so it can be avoided.

Perhaps using code that specifically states that Hub keys can ONLY be used in the hub, and that Adventure keys can ONLY be used in adventures.

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 3:29 am

Yep, I know which one you mean - that was changed during testing (and a few similar things), and isn't in the final release version.

Anyways, not to belabour this one point.

janetgalle · Post by **janetgalle** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 5:03 am

I have noticed that one thing many reviewers say about Wonderland games is that the graphics are "outdated".....while I think the graphics just add another UNIQUE aspect to the game.
jg

Qloof234 · Post by **Qloof234** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 3:43 pm

janetgalle wrote:I have noticed that one thing many reviewers say about Wonderland games is that the graphics are "outdated".....while I think the graphics just add another UNIQUE aspect to the game.
jg

That's one of the other things I had thought - the graphics might be outdated, but in the long run they still look so colorful and pretty in game.

@Patrick; Okay, so it was fixed. Good to know, I was wondering about it when I went by there first time through Gold version.

But even still, and I really hate to say this, the hub really could have used some improvement.

Not really design-wise, but in the sense fo how much ground you cover in the game, going to one area, get something, go back, use it, etc. etc.

That's probably one of the places where the original WA surpasses its sequel:

Code: Select all

WA
Hub size&#58; Medium

Modes of travel&#58; Walking, Rainbow Shards

WA&#58;MoFI
Hub size&#58; Huge

Modes of travel&#58; Walking, &#40;to a minor extent&#41; Glyphs

Simply put, there's less ground to cover in WA, and you have a much faster way to travel across it, and yet in MoFI there's a whole lot more you have to traverse, and your only mode of travel is walking. The glyphs don't really count, because they take you to areas you otherwise can't reach.

However, apart from the difficulty, that's gotta be one of my only complaints about MoFI in the long run.

mqdar · Post by **mqdar** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 5:28 pm

Qloof234 wrote:The glyphs don't really count, because they take you to areas you otherwise can't reach.

That is the same situation with some of the shards in WA.

cbloopy · Post by **cbloopy** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 7:08 pm

Qloof234 wrote:Simply put, there's less ground to cover in WA, and you have a much faster way to travel across it, and yet in MoFI there's a whole lot more you have to traverse, and your only mode of travel is walking. The glyphs don't really count, because they take you to areas you otherwise can't reach.

Yeah, it's definitely a pain in MOFI to go back to previously visited areas. Like when I found yourself with 99 stars and have no idea which one I missed. I almost have to wonder if the map was originally meant to allow for a faster way to get to previously visited areas but the feature was dropped due to lack of time. It is the very reason why many RPGs provide you with increasing better means of transport as you progress through the game, often culminating with some "airship" that lets you fly around the overworld directly from point A to point B. Definitely something to think about for POTZ.

chrise · Post by **chrise** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 9:53 pm

Not only is the dialogue (and silly voices) for younger players

I have always liked this element, and I expect most of the older players here have too. Probably the only group for whom this is not suitable are those who are quite young and are trying desperately to appear grown up.

the graphics are quite outdated, too

I have never found that the graphical realism of a game to make much difference, especially not with a puzzle game.
The graphics of MOFI do clearly show what they are supposed to represent, and (I feel) effectively put across the correct atmosphere.
In fact, I think it is quite informative that the word the reviewer chooses to describe them is "outdated". If graphics like these would have been good in the past, why are they not satisfactory now?

only one game mode

I'm not sure what this means... if they mean that there is no multiplayer capability, that is true. It probably would be interesting to try multiplayer levels, although I suspect it would require a lot of effort to develop, and probably would not add enough to really be worth it.

you can't zoom out to get a better look at the environment

This does make one wonder whether the reviewer had discovered the spy-eye. Zooming out might be helpful in some cases - although it may spoil some puzzles.

even if you save your progress it's possible to get stuck and have to restart from a previous save point

This is true within adventures, but you will never have to lose previous adventures. Perhaps the reviewer did not notice the Abort Adventure and Restart Adventure options.

Qloof234 · Post by **Qloof234** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:21 pm

mqdar wrote:
Qloof234 wrote:The glyphs don't really count, because they take you to areas you otherwise can't reach.
That is the same situation with some of the shards in WA.

Um... Where?

dlcs18 · Post by **dlcs18** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:28 pm

Qloof234 wrote:
mqdar wrote:
Qloof234 wrote:The glyphs don't really count, because they take you to areas you otherwise can't reach.
That is the same situation with some of the shards in WA.
Um... Where?

Green Shard to go across Chasm to Wasteland and Red or Blue Shard (IIRC) to go to Forest

Qloof234 · Post by **Qloof234** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 1:00 am

Oh yeah, the chasm. Completely forgot about that one.

However, in WA you can still see the area from the other side of the chasm. In MoFI, you just have the glyphs. Can't see the area from somewhere else, except one spot in the Acid Pools.

mqdar · Post by **mqdar** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 3:27 am

Qloof234 wrote:However, in WA you can still see the area from the other side of the chasm. In MoFI, you just have the glyphs. Can't see the area from somewhere else, except one spot in the Acid Pools.

Aha, except? You could say the same with WA, "except the one spot in Wasteland," or however you would say it.

One of the main thing I don't like about MOFI is that sometimes you have to walk all the way back to the makeshift camp, maybe just to buy something. It just gets tedious, and at first I wondered whether that was even intended.

Qloof234 · Post by **Qloof234** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 4:41 am

What I meant was that in WA you can still reach the destinations the Shards take you to via walking, and yet in MoFI (unless you can fly) you have to use the glyphs.

Post by **Midnight Synergy** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 3:07 pm

Just spotted another review:

http://www.itexpressions.com/freeplatfo ... land.shtml

Positive, but I'm not sure it's the right game that (s)he's talking about. Platformer?

Qloof234 · Post by **Qloof234** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 3:31 pm

It Expressions wrote:Mysteries of Fire Island is ideal for those that love platform games with puzzle twists and suitable for players of all ages.

Hang on...

It Expressions wrote:(our hero is somewhat like a calmer Sonic the Hedgehog in jeans and sneakers)

Wait, what...?

mette · Post by **mette** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:29 pm