VVVVVV - The Most Flip-Flopity Game of Them All!

Developer: Terry Gavanagh, Simon Roth, Nicalis, Distractionware

Publisher: Nicalis, Distractionware

Platform: Android(reviewed) , IOS, Adobe Flash, Linux, Mac, Windows, Playstation Vita, Ouya

VVVVVV is a game that I've wanted to play for a long time, and finally broke down and got it once it came out on the Google Play store. This game is a tough-as-nails platformer-esque game where instead of the traditional jumping you'll find in most other platformers, you instead flip your gravity. This leads to the extremes of both skill and puzzle based gameplay, as well as one heck of a good time. Keep in mind I am reviewing the mobile version of this game, which I think is fine because I'm sure there are plenty of reviews for the PC version already. I also want to say that this is only including the actual game, and not the player created stuff, although I feel that should be mentioned.

The flipping gravity is obviously the core-mechanic, and everything is based around it. It's very simple, and you sorta develop a feel for it once you've played it enough. Once you're into that groove you'll find the game to be very fast paced, which means you'll be very quick, and therefore very quick to your death.

The movement is pretty solid for a mobile device, or at least with the control scheme I chose. There are three control schemes to choose from, so finding one most fitting for you is key. The player character is very fast, but also changes speed from when he's on the ground to when he's in the air. This speed difference is something you gotta get used to, and is what I think leads me to feel why the player character feels like he's sliding all over the place. It's tight enough, but there are definite times when I think that it wasn't my lack of reflexes that led to my death.

Or many deaths. Then again, this game is filled with many deaths. It's simple core-mechanic leads to all the diversity and complexity branching off of it via the level design. The levels can kill you with either of two things: spikes, or moving obstacles. The moving obstacles can literally be any weird shape, so you might want to prepare yourself for some wacky stuff. With the simple means of death and the simple core-mechanic, the levels decided to spiral out of control with the difficulty through means of unique mechanics. These'll force you to walk on the underside of platforms, pace yourself (which sounds a lot better than it is), and work with the situation at hand. You've gotta become real flexible to deal with all of the different mechanics and then (nearing the end) all of them together. All of this combined with the single-screen levels design choice lead to interesting puzzles and challenges.

It's narrative is a charming department. You and your crew of five are crashed in a different dimension, and you have to travel through almost all of it to save them. They've each got their own personality displayed through the use of dialogue boxes, and are made even more memorable by the levels you have to go through just to reach them. Dialogue also appears via terminals you can activate to gain access to more lore about the VVVVVV dimension. There is a huge open world to explore, full of interesting challenges, collectable trinkets, and things to see. Exploration is an adventure itself!

The aesthetics are golden. Actually, they are a lot of colors, at least when it comes to the visuals department. Everything is in this very minimalistic, neon style that find very appealing. The background is always black with something flying around depending on what area you're in, and the foreground changes color every screen. It's vibrant choice of colors leads to a foreground that just pops out at you. It's never confusing as to what you can interact with.

This game's soundtrack is easily in my top 10 or even top 5 favorite video game soundtracks ever. They're so filled with emotion and motivation that I find myself addicted to it when I need a good bit of a catchy adrenaline rush. It's, as the kids call it, bumpin'. It's pacing is one that is fast enough to push you forwards in such a fast paced game, instead of making you want to pace yourself. I've already talked about a few of them in I believe the 4th VGMC, but you can bet that I'll have an entire VGMC dedicated to this soundtrack.

All in all, VVVVVV is a masterwork of a game. It's fun, challenging, motivating, inspiring, intriguing, mysterious, enchanting, fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping, wacky, bizarre, intense, exploratory, emotional, heart-breaking, heart-welding, ingenious, and clever.

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