Score: 8

"Two steps forward one step back Great game anyways"

submission: StickMan Sam - Part 3

date: November 24, 2005

First of all, this game is without a doubt a big evolution over the first two, but when you make a game more advanced and move away from the simplicity of the first two it takes more refinement to make it perfect and what is really hurting this game is a lack of refinement. In the end it feels like two steps forward and one step back. Just as a short list of complaints I have. I want to let you know that

- Jumping from poles and ledges you've grabbed onto is frustrating, it would be alot easier if you didn't have to let go of the grab button. If you were able to hold the up key the whole time is would make it faster especially when you're being shot at.

- It's annoying how enemies instantly lock onto you with perfect aim. It takes a little fun out of fighting when the only strategy is to fire before they do. Items to hide behind would spice the action up a bit as well.

Those are two major complaints, but there are lots of smaller ones as well such as enemies that are still able to harm you when you're in an elevator. I could list more but I'd like to have room in my review for some complements.

Aside from my complaints theres alot to love about this game. I think it is easily the best flash sidescrolling, use the mouse for aiming, shooter (hope that makes sense). The first two SMSs got a little boring near the end, but the additions in this version help fix that issue.

The graphics while suitable in a stickman world, really lack any pizzaz. Running through similar grey environments isn't exactly interesting. I would love to see more distinction from each area to make thing more interesting.

You're great at making games and I want you to be able to improve on the next SMS enough that I can give it a 10 overall. Spending more time on the next iteration of SMS could really make an excellent game, I know I wouldn't mind waiting up to a year for it if it would mean a vastly improved game.

Score: 8

"Simple, addicting, fun!"

submission: Wade vs The StarSyndicate

date: November 3, 2005

I like it, you took what could have very easily have been a terrible idea for a game and made a fun, simple, addicting game.

The gameplay is simple and without nuance, though its not meant to be a deep game so it works to its advantage in this situation. I like that you decided to omit the us of direction keys, opting to make it on-rails. Sometimes when the action is hectic you don't want to be juggling a lot of different buttons to press. I have no complaints on the controls.

Although the game is fun and purposely simple its could have used a few powerups, possibly a temporary spread shot or homing missile upgrade. Also a combo system to build points would have added more replayability, I would suggest after killing one star you would have one or two seconds to kill a second to increase the combo multiplier. You could also use that to build up a meter for a berserk mode.

Graphics were clean, they did what thay had to without being dull. It wasn't drop dead gorgeous, but also they were far from being unacceptable.

As far as sound goes, the music was fitting and the sound effects were unoffensive. When you're constantly shooting and blowing stuff up its nice to have sound effects that don't get annoying after being repeatedly heard.

Overall you did a great job.

Score: 8

"A nice twist on an old genre."

submission: Tunnel Rush

date: September 29, 2005

I started playing this game and my first thought was, "well its just another tunnel game, nothing special here." Right after that the direction of the tunnel started spinning around in circles. Definetly a fun and original touch that kept me on the toes.

Also a good job an keeping the file size to a minimum, you lost a little bit in terms of graphics and special effects, but who needs 'em. When you've got a game thats this simple, fun, and engaging it doesn't matter.

Score: 9

"A good example of how a short cartoon can be great"

submission: kegel: the bored room

date: September 8, 2005

I've always enjoyed your Kegel animations, this has been one of the most consistently funny series here on Newgrounds and its about time people start to take notice.

The characters are top-notch

Most people who submit comedy series here go for the "sitcom" style 5 minute cartoon about a group of friends with jokes set up sequentially one after another. Its always refreshing to see someone try something different. The 1 1/2 minute build up to a single joke isn't easy to pull off, but you've done it perfectly here without resorting to something wacky and unexpected. "Clearly I vote for the soft drinks" simple, short and effective, it doesn't try too hard to be funny, in terms of the situation, it just works and works wonderfully.

As far as the animation goes its a nice blend of frame by frame and tweening, you've done a good job of making hard to tell when you're using one or the other and I think its something a lot more flash artists should be trying.

As far as how everthing was drawn you've done a good job, the backrounds are vibrant and fit in with the cartoon. The characters are all simplistic, but sport their own unique style and personality. Most importantly of all people are going to be able to recognize the characters after one viewing.

I still don't know why this series hadn't hit it big here on Newgrounds. Maybe its too short, maybe people don't get the humor. In any case I still think it's great. Don't stop doing what you're doing you're doing an excellent job.

Score: 10

"Almost arcade perfect."

submission: Indian Outlaw

date: August 21, 2005

Everytime I play a new game from you it feels more and more like an actual arcade worthy experiance, the only difference is that I don't have to plunk away quarter to keep playing. This time the experience is nearly perfect, we've got a game with great style and graphics, smooth gameplay plus it actually demands that the player play the game more than once to beat it.

Graphics-wise its exactly what I've come to expect from you, very clean and stylized, neither too simple or overly complex. It throws dozens of badguys at you while blasting out explosions and other special effects all over the screen.

The best part about the gameplay for me is that even though its a simple game noone is going to play for 10-15 minutes beat it and then walk away. It brings back that Ghosts n' Goblins style of difficulty that forces to to actually play the game until you get down the pattern of every enemy and boss and know whats coming up next. I think a lot of people used to the standard 15 minute online game wont get the appeal of a game like that and they'll give up once they die on the first boss.

You've made a great game here, I can't think of anything to say that would help you improve upon it and you more than deserve a 10 for that. Keep making games, you're one of the best.

Score: 9

"Don't sell yourself short, best CC flash so far!"

submission: Lord of the Clocks pt. 1a

date: August 15, 2005

This flash is such a perfect mix of the Lord of the Ring and Newgrounds/Clock Crew. The story was set up perfectly so that anyone can enjoy it, while the in-jokes flowed like wine for all the people who could spot and recognize them.

Before I say anything else I have to say what a wonderful job Nef did on the narration. In a flash like this where the narration is the main source setting the tone and delivering the story its important that it be done well and it was done perfect. The accent was spot on and the the pacing was perfect. There are so many flashes that I love, but my main complaint almost always boils down to shoddy voice acting. Its a breath of freash air to watch a flash where the voice acting is done so brilliantly.

The graphincs were also beautiful, detailed, and stylistically very fitting. You did a grat job of taking different clocks and redesigning them into the LOTR world. There were a few moments where the characters looked and animated very flat, but those moments hardly detracted from the rest of the film. Also I also appreciate the effort you put into redoing all the Newgrounds menus instead of just using a screenshot.

Overall I am immensely impressed, I was betting on The Void III to be the best flash today, but this may just top it. Its not out yet though so well just have to wait and see.

Score: 10

"So much <3"

submission: omg4cali

date: August 14, 2005

Every frame of this film exudes so much <3, by the end I was overwhelmed and began crying rivers of tears. They were not tears of sadness, but of joy. Much <3.

Score: 10

"The collab that all others will be compared to."

submission: One o'Clock Jump

date: July 5, 2005

I'd like to first off congratulate everyone who made it into this collab, what you've come together to make will be the collab that all others submitted to the will be compared to for the next few years. Its amazing how you've fit together so many different styles and made them mesh together, while keeping it all together in a storyline (albeit a very loose one)

The animations themselves were all top notch, and in some cases the best I've ever seen from a particular author and while all of them were not equally great I don't want be a dick and single anyone out, because they were still so great overall. The overall feel of the collab was very cool, an old school meets newschool mixup that never lost any of the charm of edge.

In terms of the seques between animations you did a great job, the only thing i can compare it to is Mr. Show, in the way it takes two unrelated concepts and leads one into another to create its own storyline its a fresh take on the idea of a collaboration and the way things were going innovation was sorely needed.

The music was a near perfect pick, in terms of cartoons it had a very old school feel that one would expect from the earliest cartoon while still having a timeless enough feel to complement all the animations.

Everyone participating in this did a great job and looking at this flash how can I not give it a 10 overall. Good work!

Score: 8

"Great horror short"

submission: The Mask and the Monster

date: June 24, 2005

First problem that bothered me with this movie, music volume needs to go down and sound effects need to be turned up. Also, I can understand why you want to get new music for this. It definetly needs something more ambient that fits in with the atmosphere of the film.

I definetly felt a sort of dreaminess from this movie, where things happen with little to no explanation, but I do feel like you could have worked on making it a little more coherent and less random. I understand that he wanted revenge for his partner getting killed, but when he transformed into a werewolf, I should have been thinking "whoa cool" but instead it was more like "wait, he's a werewolf now?"

I did like the graphical style you were using, everything was dark and covered in shadows. You definetly succeeded in that area. The animation itself was a little bare, but it's still in the realm of perfectly acceptable.

Overall this was a very impressive and entertaining horror short.

Score: 8

"An old school shooter done right."

submission: RaidenX

date: June 23, 2005

You've definetly done good with this game, I've never played Raiden before, but you've definetly captured the frenetic style and action of classic acade shooters.

This game is really pretty, your ship, the enemies, the bosses, the giant, screen filling special attacks, you almost want to take a second from the action to get a good look at them . The one flaw in the graphics is the backroundsm while I never found myself botherig to look at them much, they were rather bland.

I didn't really find the music in this game to exciting, when I'm playing a shooter I like to listen to something that'll really pump me up and while the music in this game had an action-y feel to it, it also came off as sort of low key. The sounds were all rather generic shooter noises, but that of course is a very minor problem.

The gameplay is near perfect old school shooting fun. The controls are tight and the the enemies are are varied and fill the screen with bullets testing your ability to fly and shoot at the same time. The old school feel to it does hurt it as well though because its so straight forward. the whole of the game never goes beyond shoot everything and collect a few gems to get your guns to full power. I still loved the experiance though. Great game!