As we enter 2020, one message I think some upstart Indie devs could use is having a profitable idea isn’t enough, you have to actually have a passion for it to really nail the execution. Enter Ville Matter, a game with a great concept without regard for its execution.
There’s an old saying that goes, “The better the options menu is, the better the game is.” [EDITOR’S NOTE: Pretty sure he made that up.] Well, this game has none, you can’t even turn down the music, which makes me wonder if I’m going to have to add deafness to my disability checklist. This is one of many instances where the game lacks a homemade feel. Another instance is the physics feel like me picking up stuff with my hands, very clunky and full of spasms. This would be no problem, but as this game requires precise placement of objects, it hurts the game’s ease to play.
In the third room, you have to run like the wind to avoid darkness consuming your soul. First off, that is not a puzzle, it’s a marathon. Second, if you miss one checkpoint, you have to redo the whole level. Now, I’m all for a challenge but, needless to say, being mindlessly punished with no reward makes it feel like the game is laughing at you. The second has you repeating back a long, complex pattern that you can only hear once before you risk restarting the game. If I had to sum up the design of the game, it would be that it uses infraction as a cover for clever design, just like how I use jokes in my reviews as a cover for my lack of talent. [EDITOR’S NOTE: That was fucking funny.] There’s a story, but it feels meaningless and like a patchwork of disjointed thoughts so it feels meaningless. On the plus side, it looks nice but leaves a poor taste but so do Peeps. [EDITOR 2’S NOTE: Fuck you. Peeps are delicious.]
Ville Matter was developed by Decoy Software.
Price: $4.99
Point of Sale: Steam, Gamejolt, and itch.io
A review copy of the game was provided by the developer.
Djf1107 has not awarded Ville Matter the Indie Gamer Team Seal of Approval
Indie Gamer Team 