Dealspwn.com reports: "Platformines development appears to be going from strength to strength, with veteran Xbox Live Indie outfit Magiko Gaming on course to deliver a procedurally-generated platforming masterclass. The latest developer update video demonstrates the robust character creation system in action, which currently allows players to design 128625 different combinations. Which isn't too shabby, being that it isn't even finished yet.
The update also shows off how taking damage will deplete your light radius and some of the massive seed-generated levels"
Analog Addiction writes, "With the independent developer floodgates breaking open over the past few years, the retro 8 and 16 bit art style has seen a resurgence. Modern games adopting a retro art style offer a nostalgia trip for some gamers while mostly still utilising modern day game mechanics. However, Platformines takes the homage a step further with gameplay mechanics reminiscent of the 80s and 90s. Unfortunately, the game also proves why control schemes with more than four directional inputs - i.e. the analog stick – were invented."
The plot of Platformines is a simple one: you are trapped in a giant dungeon populated with not only strange monsters but also humans who are out for your blood (for some reason). You must rebuild the damaged Robodig which is your only means of escape. In order to repair the Robodig you need to explore the titular mines and find the coloured block shooting guns that are scattered around the place.
The game starts with you in the mini-hub world and a very short tutorial teaches you how to use your multi-jump capability (you can jump 5 times without touching down!), introduces you to the tip giving man and the store. You then teleport out into the mine with the mission of battling to the nearest block-shooting gun. Easy peasy!
The initial gameplay is pretty fun: you jump around the screen blasting bats, gun-toting goons and a menagerie of odd monsters. It starts off pretty easy but the closer you get to the gun, the more enemies start filling up the screen and the more traps appear to test your dexterity.
RPG games are awesome. Platformers too. But when you mix them together the result might be less than perfect, as The Indie Mine found out when reviewing Platformines.
