PPKK
Level: Roachling
Rank Points: 10
Registered: 05-12-2005
IP: Logged
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Re: Review request (0)
Raw review candidate (one typo corrected):
<b>SubTerra</b> is a <b>Boulderdash</b>-like game. For those, who don't
know or remember the original, I describe: you have to quarry diamonds, trying
to evade toppling stones. However, most elements of the game are improved,
the means and procedures for reaching your goal are slightly different.
This game has average graphics (not as great, as, for example, in <b>Pac-Man
adventures in time</b> compared to old <b>Pac-Man</b>) because <b>SubTerra</b>
is rather a fan remake, than a carefully planned product by a major. The game
developed slowly, and has risen from not very big commercial version to neat
freeware with 450 levels, including expansion packs.
<p>
Of course, many things have passed from 1984, when <b>Boulderdash</b> appeared, but bells
and whistles of <b>SubTerra</b> don't ruin the puzzle. The game successfully incorporates
levels, that could appear in <b>Boulderdash</b> (<i>yes, <b>SubTerra</b> is not an assemblage
of well known levels: many puzzles are indeed original</i>), several <b>Soko-ban</b>-like
levels (and one levelset of about 70 levels), original <b>Supaplex</b> levelset and many
brain-teasers in decent style of <i>Pieter Simoons</i>.
<p>
<p>
The game itself is very addicting. One can easily spend days and nights trying to solve
a pattern, carefully time or plan his movements 30 steps ahead.
<p>
Yes, it's true. But many games are. This game has more: many friends of mine, who turned
back games other games I played, accepted <b>SubTerra</b>. The astonishing fact is that
they weren't gamers, but the simple, neat and intelligent atmosphere conquered their minds.
<p>
Now about the atmosphere: you don't have to replay level, awaiting good
circumstances, because almost all events and consequences of your moves are predictable.
If you have problems with timing, you can set gamespeed lower (the game has 9 values).
If you have real troubles, you can solve the puzzle partially, getting fewer points.
102 initial levels ("Prime SubTerra") are formed in rectangle 6*17, so that many puzzles
open two next ones: one to the right and one downwards. After about a month of playing,
you "open" (can access) almost all levels, having succeeded only in one half of them.
Two careful documentations (for the beginners and the complete one) and 17 tutorial levels
certainly help.
<p>
One of my favorite features of this game is the coexistence of easy, fun levels with really
challenging ones. According to the <i>Hall of Fame</i> on the official site of the game
(as far, as I can understand, you can still try to get into it), the eleventh player has achieved
rank 4 of 10! Another good thing is the Community of <b>SubTerra</b> (<i>yes, there is more,
than public Hall of Fame</i>). The game includes accurate
level-editor, and there were three annual expansion packs: the best amateur
levels of 2002, 2003 and 2004.
<p>
Of course, there are some glitches: it's not so easy to switch to another task on some
systems, and after switching <b>SubTerra</b> crashes. The animated tiles on some levels
are extremely annoying (large areas of water, fire,...). However, if you have
a friend, who thinks, that puzzles on computer are only for kids, you can drastically
disappoint him (or her) and captivate the same time.
<p>
Be that as it may, this game is surely
must-have (and try) for anyone, who enjoys solving puzzles.
<p>
[Edited by PPKK at Local Time:05-24-2005 at 01:38 AM: Comment: <tags> were supposed to be.]
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Or put it into the faq.