21 replies to this topic

[LarsonCreativity]

The creator of this game is ScaryPotato.
The game can be played at Yoyo Games.
The original GMC topic can be found here.

Adventure Apes and The Mayan Mystery, when described with the utmost simplicity, is an exploration platform game starring a monkey who is equipped with a gun. This review is based on the first part of an on-going series (currently still in development). Yes, technically it's just one level, but this level offers a whole lot of platforming goodness.  In the series, you take on the role of Mitch Monkey, and your objective is to recover a stolen artifact from the Mayan Temple.  In part one, Mitch must fight his way through hordes of enemies, collect treasures, and gain new abilities to vanquish the Skull Demon (the boss).

The basic gameplay is simple, and plays very clean. You move Mitch by using the arrow keys: right and left keys for side to side movement, up key (or (X) key) to jump, down key (or (Z) key) to compress into a ball (used to access tight spaces). When you acquire a gun, fire it at enemies by pressing the (S) key. If you're running low on ammo, collect some of the colored orbs scattered throughout the game. No ammo left, and you can't seem to find any orbs? No problem, just pick up the nearest miniature block by pressing the (A) key, and hurdle it at the enemy. If you're running low on health, find some green colored orbs to boost your health back up. If you lose all your lives, you are forced to play a fairly useless minigame, and (after completion of the minigame) restart the game.

When I first started playing, I was lost. I had a general idea of what to do, but I had no idea how to accomplish it. I soon found myself wandering aimlessly through the game -- standing on the fine line between exploration enjoyment and wandering frustration. Once I became more familiar with the game, the frustration quickly subsided, and the enjoyment grew. I found a great satisfaction in locating, and opening, treasure chests. Additionally, I was fond of how the level design stretched both horizontally and vertically. It felt like every platform was positioned naturally, as opposed to being positioned solely for the player to jump on; the design felt fresh and genuine.  

The game's retro graphics are some of the best I have seen from the game maker world. The graphics are very comfortable, bright, and light-hearted. The percussion driven music gives the game a cheerful beat that you will soon be bobbing your head to. The sound effects are decent, and they definitely give off a retro feel, but I found that some of the sounds contrast negatively with the music. Luckily, music volume can be increased by using the (+) and (-) keys.

All around, this was one of the best platforming experiences that I have ever had on a PC. However, like all games, it had its faults: the aimless wandering, some game sounds contrast negatively with the music, and also (even if it was only part one) the game lacked any real ending. By itself, Adventure Apes and The Mayan Mystery (Part 1) can stand its ground against almost any other GM game of the platform genre. What are you waiting for? Go explore!

~LC~

Further Reading
Are you on the bandwagon yet? If not, this is a link to ScaryPotato's blog. His blog will get you up to speed on the progress he has made with the series.

ScaryPotato's Blog

Edited by LarsonCreativity, 22 February 2010 - 02:40 AM.

[ramses12]

Very nice review! I'll definately play the game when I have the time.

[jalb]

an exploration platform game staring a monkey, who is equipped with a gun.

Sold.

Good review, time to try it out.

[quadriseene]

... is an exploration platform game starring a monkey, who is equipped with a gun.
If you're running low on ammo ...
If you're running low on health ...
... found myself wandering aimlessly through the game -- standing on the fine line between ...
... every platform was positioned naturally, as opposed to being positioned solely ...
... very comfortable, bright, and light-hearted.
... some of the sounds contrast negatively with the music. Luckily, music volume can be increased ...
... can stand its ground against almost any other GM game of the platform genre.

A few errors in your spelling and grammar there (the errors are fixed above in bold, the red comma doesn't belong). Apart from that, it's a pretty good review. I'm going to try this game out -- partly because of this review, partly because the protagonist is a loveable monkey.

Edited by quadriseene, 15 February 2010 - 04:14 AM.

[toadfrogs]

Ah, I saw that from this video:
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Nek-gMLunj8

Got to play that game soon...

[masterofhisowndomain]

Great review and an interesting title made more so by it being part of a series (hopefully you can bag reviewing the whole series).

[Mr. RPG]

Good review, I would personally write it much different than what you displayed.

I've been meaning to play this game for awhile. It's a good break from all of the nonsense top-down shooters that most of the GMC has to offer.

[GStick]

A few errors in your spelling and grammar there (the errors are fixed above in bold, the red comma doesn't belong). Apart from that, it's a pretty good review. I'm going to try this game out -- partly because of this review, partly because the protagonist is a loveable monkey.

That, and the review felt rushed to me. Not a horrible review, just not amazing either.

Edited by GStick, 16 February 2010 - 01:35 PM.

[quadriseene]

A few errors in your spelling and grammar there (the errors are fixed above in bold, the red comma doesn't belong). Apart from that, it's a pretty good review. I'm going to try this game out -- partly because of this review, partly because the protagonist is a loveable monkey.

That, and the review felt rushed to me. Not a horrible review, just not amazing either.

It seems sort of rushed, but I thought perhaps that's just the way that Larson writes. I'm not one to nitpick at style, especially when the review seems to work.

Also, i'm not Tahnok. I'll try my best to be him if I must be him, but for now can you please refer to me as me and not another user on the GMC (let alone one that never did post in this topic).

[GStick]

I think quotes got messed up. I don't do them by hand... sorry about that. I have no idea how that happened. I'll fix it, I didn't even notice.

Edit: Fixed it. Probably had something to do with how many tabs I had open when I posted that.

Edited by GStick, 16 February 2010 - 01:36 PM.

[Mr. RPG]

"is an exploration platform game staring a monkey"

Staring should be starring. Did no one catch this?

[smileyface1505]

Hey cool! I read the review quickly (mainly skimmed and it looks great)

I will try this game, one of these days.

[makerofthegames]

"is an exploration platform game staring a monkey"

Staring should be starring. Did no one catch this?

Yeah, Tahnok did.

[Diptoman]

An ape as a protagonist? Reminds me of Chimpventure .

Pretty nice review apart from the spelling and grammatical errors; time to try out the game!

[LarsonCreativity]

Thanks for the feedback. I have fixed most, if not all, of my errors.

It seems sort of rushed, but I thought perhaps that's just the way that Larson writes. I'm not one to nitpick at style, especially when the review seems to work.

Its a style that I have developed from years of writing my assignments while riding the bus.

~LC~

Edited by LarsonCreativity, 21 February 2010 - 02:58 PM.

[PixelPalace]

Its a style that I have developed from years of writing my assignments while riding the bus.

Congratulations, you just became my role model. XP

Nice review, everything's pretty clean cut, and it really makes me want to play the game. And like JoshALB mentioned:

"exploration platform game starring a monkey who is equipped with a gun"

*Ahem* Sold.

Edited by PixelPalace, 23 February 2010 - 02:55 AM.

[ScaryPotato]

This review comes to me as a very pleasant surprise! The fact that you would find the game, do some research on the project as a whole, and then take the time to write up a thoughtful review is really excellent. I must have read your review after people pointed out any mistakes, because I found it clear, concise and free of any glaring mistakes. Looks to me like you covered all the aspects of the game itself and included ways for people to get at any other bits of info that is possible to find. All in all, it's a great review, thanks so much for thinking enough of my game to do something like this

ScaryPotato

[Mornez]

What happened to this game??? The link doesn't work.

[storkEXEC]

Link is very obscure or non-existant.

Edited by storkEXEC, 05 August 2011 - 02:13 PM.

[jimn346]

I did an advanced Google search for Adventure Apes on the YoYo Games Sandbox website for it and found nothing. I checked on ScaryPotato's profile for games he's made and it showed none. Even the link on his site is broken.