Review: VVVVVV

A Stellar Adventure in a Small Package

        You read the name right, that is just six V's in a row. Just like its name, VVVVVV is one unique game. This is an indie game that takes the graphics and music of an era long ago and combines them with the technology and gameplay of today and tomorrow.  

  

           Developed almost single-handedly by Terry Cavanah of Distractionware, VVVVVV  mixes the chiptune music, 8-bit graphics and difficulty of old Commodore 64 games with fresh, new gameplay. The player plays as Captain Viridian who's space ship has crashed and his crew members have all been teleported to a different dimension and he has to rescue them all. Instead of jumping, Captain Viridian can change the force of gravity and flip from the ground to the ceiling and vice-versa to help him explore the Metroid-esque world . Along the way, the game throws in new mechanics to mix things up and add more variety to the game, like trampolines that reverse gravity automatically and screen wraps that make you think about where you need to be at what time. 

Brings you back to the good old days, right?

          

        The graphics and music are awesomely retro, and are easily the most memorable part of this game. The graphics are all 8-bit and the enemies ranges from ghosts and Pac-Man helicopter guys, to giant words, numbers, and glitched blobs. The music is a wonderful collection of chiptune music that rivals the greats like Mario and Megaman from the NES days. 

        VVVVVV is also an incredibly short game. It only took me two-and-a-half hours to run through the main story. Although, that is without collecting all of the shiny trinkets. There is also a level creator and other modes like time trials to add replay value. Even though it didn't take me long to complete the main story, it is by no means a simple game. Throughout that short time, I died over eight-hundred times, according to the death counter. I think that's about average. And if I wanted that toll to sky rocket, I could have gone looking for all of the collectables that are placed in the most difficult to reach areas.

        VVVVVV is a great little game that I hope gains a longer sequel with the ability to use a controller on XBLA, PSN, or WiiWare. Although it exceeds in what it does best, I can't help but imagine what could have been when given a bigger budget and a more mainstream release. Hopefully Distractionware's next game can do just that after the relative success of VVVVVV.


Final Verdict: 8/10