The Daily Click

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Review: Roly Poly Pumpkin: And the Totem of Mystery

Author:	Hill Gigas
Added:	07/11/2008
Overall:
Average:	7/10

Roly Roly Pumpkin is a short but cute little game about a rolling pumpkin on a mission to collect totem parts. Don't ask too many questions about plot, this game isn't much of a "game", it's more of an interactive artwork showcase. The author admits this himself.

The first thing you will notice is the level of detail applied here. There are visual flares everywhere, everything is in motion. Menus are fun and easy to interact with, and the presentation is well done.

Gameplay is very well done, although it will leave you wishing there was more to it. You roll your pumpkin back and forth across one large side scrolling level, interacting with many different and bizarre items including Ferris wheels, bouncing candy corns, and a variety of flourishes that will throw you, carry you or bounce you to different locations. However there isn't really any danger or challenge involved in navigating the level. You just roll from one side of the level to the other, and then back again. There really isn't much to do. This game reminds of FIG, but without the puzzles and lastability.

Graphics are where this game shines. Colors are crisp and the characters are clear and well animated. Sprites bounce, roll and interact with ease. Background scenery comes alive as you pass, and there are all kinds of interesting things to see over every hill. Like I said before, this game reminds me of FIG, in that the game is based around interacting with your environment because your character alone can't really do anything. This system is implemented well, as the character interacts seamlessly with his surroundings.

Sounds and music are fair enough, even though they don't add as much as maybe they could have. The music is easy to listen to, and slightly spooky too, adding to the Halloweenish atmosphere and theme.

Lastability will last as long as it takes you to roll from one side of the level to the other, and maybe back again. While there are plenty of things to interact with, there is never a clear purpose or direction. The game is basically about rolling and bouncing on things to see what happens. I think this kind of style and graphics would make an excellent game, and I think there is a lot of potential here. So hopefully this type of engine can be explored more fully in the future.

Overall, this is a neat and attractive little game that may be overly simple for most players. This isn't so much a game as it is an interactive graphics portfolio, and it takes only a few minutes to get the full tour. Is it worth the download? I think it is, because the engine is well done and there are a lot of clever ideas implemented here, just don't expect much more than that.