Escape from the VBP - Game preview / gameplay
3Ever play one of those fair games where you have to keep your hand steady as you pass a ring of metal attached to a stick all the way through a wire maze without touching the ring to the maze? Now imagine adding guns, spaceships, and funky retro graphics to that and you've got Escape from the VBP.
At first, it would seem that Escape from the VBP (Very Bad Planet) is a simple side-scrolling shooter. While it does indeed have some things in common with said shooters, it's far more of a concentration game than a mindless shooter. But we'll get to that later.
The graphics for Escape from the VBP are very, very simple. You've got a little ship, you've got obstacles, and you've got bonuses. And just about everything is made up of small little pixels that are so large you could count them all. That said, it makes for a very nice effect and actually adds a lot to the gameplay as it doesn't distract with fancy-shmancy graphics. Still, the retro look does have its own charm, and while it's not much to look at, it's easy on the eyes and allows you to really focus on the game. And you're really going to need to focus, as it's one tough cookie.
At first, you'd be pleased to find that you control everything with the mouse, no other keys for you to worry about. Then later on, you'll find that the fine control needed in the game can be rather clunky with the mouse and that it can be a problem. Keyboard controls would have been so much better, you may think. But soon, you'll find that that's the entire point of the game: it requires fine control, finesse, a delicate and careful touch that'll allow you to make your way through the game successfully. Sure, while in the easier areas of the game, where everything is colored yellow (it progresses from yellow, to green, to blue, and finally to red in very gradual, and very subtle gradients) it may seem easy enough with the mouse, but by the time you get to the red or even just the blue area, things get really tough and your fine control is really put to the test.
Fine control is only part of it though, as you're absolutely going to need to buy powerups in order to finish the game. Well, yeah, sure, I'm certain there's some madman out there who's so insanely good at the game and who has far too much time on his hands that he's beaten the game without any powerups, but for us mere mortals, they're needed. The first thing you're going to want to get is the coin attractor. As tempting as getting a gun is, it's not really needed. What you need are the armor and speed powerups, and to get those, you need cash. Once you've gotten some decent speed, a few teleports, and can take more than one hit without dying, then you can grab the guns.
All in all, Escape from the VBP is a fun, very challenging, and very entertaining game. Be sure to give it a shot, you won't regret it!
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