Osmos (PC)
Platform: PC (reviewed), iPhone/iPad
Developer: Hemisphere Games
Genre: Other
Released: August 18, 2009
Metacritic: 80
What is it: Na naaaa nanana na na NA na primordial soup damacy!
0:00 – Odd music plays while cell-esque objects float by on the screen. The only option is the two intro levels. “Go for it!” the game cheers.
0:01 – I am a cell… type thingy. Movement is controlled by pointing the mouse opposite where I want to go and propelling myself by ejecting mass. I swear it’s not as disgusting as it sounds.
0:02 – You can absorb smaller objects by touching them, making you grow larger. So, it’s an almost-as-trippy 2D version of Katamari.
0:06 – So the goal of the game (so far) is to advance through levels absorbing other objects to achieve a certain objective (be the biggest, absorb a certain target, etc). Basic, but the movement system makes it more interesting. Not sure how long it will keep me entertained, but it’s working for now.
0:07 – Objective: Absorb the Ovarium. Uh…
0:12 – Not much change in the game structure, but the targets are getting more intelligent about avoiding me. Combined with the imprecise nature of movement and that movement costs you mass, it adds an extra level of strategy to the game. Be careful with your movements, or the hunter will become the hunted.
0:18 – Definitely getting more challenging. Just spent the last 5 minutes trying to absorb one Nemocyte, a particularly crafty enemy type. Next objective? Absorb 3 Nemocytes. Sigh.
0:22 – Thankfully when the objective is “Absorb X”, it doesn’t mean you have to do the absorbing yourself. It just needs to be absorbed. Makes chasing your foe into a larger object a very valuable strategy.
0:27 – So there are two key kinds of forces at work in the force levels. There are the repulsors, which push away material, and attractors, which pull material in and also provide something you can orbit around. And if you feed the attractor, you can collapse the system and everything dies. What fun.
0:39 – Doing the third category of missions: ambient. It may sound relaxing, but the level I’m currently on began with this warning: Matter + Antimatter = Annihilation.
0:40 – Okay, so matter touching antimatter means equal amounts of both get destroyed rather than absorbed, not matter touches antimatter, everything dies.
0:45 – Now the levels are getting more puzzle based, forcing you carefully navigate and manipulate your environments to survive rather than just charging off absorbing everything.
0:55 – One nice thing the game offers is the ability to redo the level map. Each map is randomized around a central theme, so if you’re having too much trouble, just re-randomize and hope for better luck.
0:58 – Huh. Looks like I’m already on the last levels of the game. That didn’t take long.
1:00 – And the game is done screwing around. This level is teeming with enemies and any hesitation will get me outsized and killed. This from a game that, until now, has tended to punish quick action. I get the feeling I’m going to die. A lot.
Conclusion: On one hand, I can’t shake the feeling that Osmos feels like a tech demo hastily turned into a game. It’s basic and short. However, what’s there is fun and challenging, so I really can’t complain that much.
Will I keep playing it: Yes.
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gamingproject2012 posted this
