Game: Curse of the Arrow
Platform Reviewed: PC
Developer: Egor Dorichev
Rating: Ice Cool
I love a good single-screen puzzle-platformer video game and so I love Curse of The Arrow (COTA).
A tightly-designed, fast-paced jaunt that doesn’t misfire at all and gives the right level of challenge for multiple skill levels.
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| SPOILER ALERT! This is all 100 Screens Put Together.... |
The brief introductory scene sets out the skeleton of the story. Your father is killed (rather squashily) whilst hunting for a mystical arrow and so you as his son, set out to complete his quest.
Reminiscent of a gameplay mash-up of Mr. Karoshi and Super Meat Boy but with a pixelated visual aesthetic that reminded me somewhat of a cross between Terraria and Benefactor, COTA eases you into the swing of things gently.
You have a single arrow that can be re-used but will disappear from the screen in order to do so. Another twist is that whatever wall the arrow is plunged into, it ‘corrupts’ causing various enemies to spawn and attack you. There are also birds that fly around a lot of the levels that will become hostile if they are struck and can cause serious issues as you only have a couple of hit points before you die, causing the level to restart.
You have a single arrow that can be re-used but will disappear from the screen in order to do so. Another twist is that whatever wall the arrow is plunged into, it ‘corrupts’ causing various enemies to spawn and attack you. There are also birds that fly around a lot of the levels that will become hostile if they are struck and can cause serious issues as you only have a couple of hit points before you die, causing the level to restart.
The game starts with simple ‘use the arrow as a platform’ and ‘shoot the switch to open blocked sections’ etc. But slowly begins introducing other factors into the game play such as bouncing platforms, snake-like moving platforms, multi-coloured switches and keys to open locked doors as well as the obstacles that come from which ever ‘world’ your level is set in. There are five worlds comprising of twenty levels each, ice worlds, hell, dungeons,s etc.
At five dollars, this game REALLY gives you bang for your buck…it’s a real straight arrow when it comes to value for money…
At five dollars, this game REALLY gives you bang for your buck…it’s a real straight arrow when it comes to value for money…
I was very impressed with and adored the music which struck the right tone of being scene-setting and fitting whilst also being subtle and unobtrusive, genuinely a great game soundtrack and one I will be casually throwing on to listen to in the future (some of the tracks have a real Final Fantasy vibe about them. GOOD).
As well as the challenge of completing the levels, the game also has coins hidden throughout (even in the options screen!) that can be collected as an extra challenge (they can be in some really tough placed in the later levels) which adds to the replayability and will also appeal to those out there who relish a more difficult challenge.
These coins can be used to purchase ‘pets’ in the in-game store that follow you around the levels, it’s a nice addition that adds something extra to the game. There are other options such adding a level timer or changing the difficulty to suit your abilities, this can really make a heck of a difference. Also, if you die a lot on a certain level the game will offer to skip through it so you can still move through the game, seeing everything that it has to offer.
These coins can be used to purchase ‘pets’ in the in-game store that follow you around the levels, it’s a nice addition that adds something extra to the game. There are other options such adding a level timer or changing the difficulty to suit your abilities, this can really make a heck of a difference. Also, if you die a lot on a certain level the game will offer to skip through it so you can still move through the game, seeing everything that it has to offer.
The options screen contained the ability to turn on touch-screen controls so I assume the game is available for mobile devices but due to the simplicity and mechanics of the game it doesn’t feel like ‘port’ of a mobile game as it’s such a well-realised concept that feels fully fleshed out.
Summary
I really don’t have anything bad to say about COTA because at $5 it’s one of the best value games I’ve played recently and it’s clearly crafted with love and that shines through in the game play.
Looking at the rest of Egor Dorichev’s catalogue of games, you can see where his love of game design has grown from and also the humour and charm that goes into his games, definitely a developer that I will be keeping up to date with.
Looking at the rest of Egor Dorichev’s catalogue of games, you can see where his love of game design has grown from and also the humour and charm that goes into his games, definitely a developer that I will be keeping up to date with.
Well, what are you waiting for?
Stop reading and go and get it from https://egordorichev.itch.io/curse-of-the-arrow
Stop reading and go and get it from https://egordorichev.itch.io/curse-of-the-arrow
"Right, I’m off to shoot some arrows and scratch my head a bit more."
❄️ RATING: ICE COOL ❄️
Ratings Explained
ICE COOL (Great Game Recommended)
MELTING (Recommended with reservations, one to consider if you are a fan of the genre)
MELTED (Not A Recommended Purchase)
Review By Britt
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