Taking a different tack from the other Action 52 Owns game jam entries, Easyname’s Beeps and Blips remake goes even more retro in presentation even as it considerably ages up the design.
The game almost looks like it’s running in text mode, and yet for a top-down shooter it’s rather sophisticated. To move to the next room, you clear the screen of enemies. There are two buttons: shoot, and lock your aim. You can move and shoot in eight directions. Touch a purple orb to gain an “option” (in Gradius terms) and increase your firepower. I’m not sure if there’s a limit; you can certainly collect at least three of them. When you’re injured, you lose an “option” and your firepower decreases. When you lose all your energy, you die and start over from the last threshold you passed.
The levels are scattered with story nodes; hover near them to read snippets of context for the game’s premise. Sometimes the nodes are in areas of heavy fire, so reading them is a bit of a challenge. The game is very talky, in an understated way, ensuring that you’re never lost in terms of exactly what your options are in a given situation.
It’s a clever and elegant game, with a great soundtrack and simple yet clear presentation. All the screen shaking may seem a bit over-the-top, but I like it. Of the game jam games so far, this is perhaps the least obvious standout yet it’s my pretty clear favorite. You can download Beeps and Blips here.
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