Reviews for Space Station Jason

[hyperforce]

innovative, but...

The GOOD:

The gameplay can only be described as innovative and highly refreshing.
while the innitial game plays like a decent 2D platformer the real trick of the game is that its NOT 2D.
While the gimick of this game is decent the way it was introduced still didn't register with me at some points in the game causing me to get stuck, untill i got out of my 2D world.

The best way to describe it would be the NOW YOU ARE THINKING WITH PORTALS phrase from the game PORTAL.

The games introduction and ending movies are entertaining (even though they don't make much sense).

Space station jason manages to somewhat resemble Super Mario Sunshine's warp worlds (if thats what they're called) in a flash game.
And it can be rather refreshing and suprising at times.

The BAD:

the game is good, but it is sertainly not without fault.
Or actually the game has a lot of faults that I can name.

the first thing to note is that the game forces you to redo the level when you die... and you die easily.
While at first your only enemy is gravity (in space?) you'll soon meet more dangerious antagonists like floating mines, electricity, a rather large benny hill asteroid and laserball shooting robots.

As allready mentioned the puzzles (especially later in the game) can be tough, but some clear thinking and trail and error can usually get you through them.
The NONO this game however has is that it forces you do redo these puzzles every time you die from the very start.
Now mines I could handle, and I wouldn't have minded the robots either... except they returned.

The later levels all sport robots, which if killed drop a goodie (orbs). once killed they're no longer a treat to you but if you die... they all return. Causing even the simpelest puzzle to become a nightmare of trail and error. And because you have to redo the entire level every time you die. this often becomes tiresome and repetitive.

while these levels can all be mastered by remembering which moves to uses at what times this is one of the only game elements I can not stand.
And I doubt anyone else can either unless your a hard core gamer that wants to get every goodie and badge in the game.

this game could really use some form of checkpoint in each of the levels.
After level 14 (the second last level) i really hesitated to play the final level.
It turned out however i didn't have to fear to much of it, since the final level was rather fun and refreshing, and it really saved the game for me (meaning that I actually finished it).

A final word:

While the game is innovative, its anoying to a fault.
The game displays a new type of gameplay which I personally have never seen before and enemy's and tricks are presented in a steady pace.
I would have to give the presentation a high grade because it was rather well done, especially for a flash game.

The lack of checkpoints and the trail and error gameplay however greatly lower the enjoyment of the game to a point where you have to force yourself to finish the game.

The only other game I remember doing this to me was the final set of levels from rayman 3 and I hated those with a vengeance.

For the great presentation and innovation I'd give this game a 9
But due to the anoying gameplay this game doesn't score more than a 6 in my book.

Phantasmagor responds:

Wow an amazing review. I really appreciate that you went into a lot of detail about everything you liked/disliked about the game rather than just saying "This game sucks" or even "This game is the best ever" without explaining why.

You make a lot of great points there and I understand where you are coming from completely. It is now far too late to make any changes though I really wish I could now since you have given me some insight into some of the flaws in the game. I think I really should have had the player start back from the last place they died inside levels, just as they do in the portal world. This would have encouraged players to keep playing through to the end of the game as dying would not be such a big deal and people would not have to replay the same levels over and over!

That being said we were very much going for the feel of older games where players had to be much more patient as they often died repeatedly, as in crash bandicoot. Having to play a level over offers much more challenge and makes dying seem much more daunting as if you just started back where you just were then there would be no consequence for dying and it would make dying seem redundant. It seems though that it may have been a big mistake on our part as many game players these days lack this patience, especially when it comes to flash games.

To sum up I am completely grateful for your long review and the points you raised, my only complaint is that the score you gave is so low considering that you played and enjoyed most of the game. 6/10 equates to a 3/5, and on newgrounds that's not very much at all. While I may have some bias as to how good I think the game is, I still believe the game deserves a slightly higher score

[cmann100]

if i could only get past the 2nd level

it is a good game but its a little hard. the blocks are spaced far apart and sometimes even after doublespacing i cant jump on to it. i cant rate more than a 6 cuz i havent even played the game fully

Phantasmagor responds:

so if you haven't played the game fully don't rate lol

[CrankyRabbit]

Good concept, look forward to a sequel

I'm a sucker for this kind of "2-and-a-half-D" style - I got thrown out of a shop years ago for hogging Bug on the Sega Saturn - and this game not only uses the 3D concept well, but introduces it in a way that really was both a logical progression and a surprise. I had no idea at first about the secret life at the start of level 5... :)

Like most other people, I feel that in-level checkpoints would have been welcome.

The graphics are very clear and well done, and the music reminds me of that used in the original radio and TV versions of Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, very nice.

Why only six stars? Simply put, I became frustrated attempting to side-jump AND rotate my view at the same time on level 7 without dying - that requires pressing THREE keys at once (eh, maybe I'm just uncoordinated.) Maybe a more "secure" environment to learn this new skill, and maybe a sign alerting you of this new learning experience, would have helped.

Also, the levels seem somewhat static; but I don't know if there are moving platforms or doors or anything like that in later levels.

If there is a sequel, I hope the humour stays intact, and that checkpoints are included. And maybe more interesting/dynamic level designs, even something as simple as texturing the blocks.

And as for "gravity in space"... maybe next time Jason could be exploring in the atmosphere of a gas giant?

[HorrorOfHell]

nice

Its a great game. The ability to change camera views was cool, but you really should just need to pres up and down. I played up to level 3 and then I got bored, as there was nothing new. I think you need to add a reason for people to continue to play, because it gets old fast.

Phantasmagor responds:

Levels 1, 2 and 3 get off to a slow start and from there things start to get a little more intense. Level 4 introduces a lot more moving in 3 dimensions, and level 5 really turns up the heat!

Also simply pressing up and down to move in and out would make the game less unique. Having to spin the camera adds more of a puzzle aspect to the game which you will see in later levels.

[Lamicktin]

The jumping

the controls were bad you have to go left or right for the double jump to be use full. so i give it a 5 since i wasted my time trying to get up one place until i found that out.

Phantasmagor responds:

I don't understand what you mean?

Also if you don't like the controls you can set up your own custom controls from the ingame menu.