Turbo Pug - Endless Runner FunTurbo Pug is a Steam game that takes gaming back to it's most basic roots. For those who aren't familiar, an Endless Runner game is a side-scroller that goes on forever until your character succumbs to the many obstacles along the path. Most of these have a consistent pace with increasing amounts of death traps, ones that gradually increase in speed, and sometimes both. The game has no story or plot, other than guiding your Pug (or Cat / Penguin / etc) as far as you can before they inevitably die before your eyes. Not much else I can say for the overview, so on to the review!
Graphics 8/10 -- Okay, I'll admit my score is probably a little generous here. I'm basing this on the look they were going for, more so than what today's technology is capable of (I can't be the only fan of retro visuals, ya know?). The graphics have a very 8 / 16 bit feel to them, with the characters being obviously rendered by pixel blocks. The environments have the same old school feel to them as the characters, though in my opinion it feels just slightly more modern. The actual background image is constantly scrolling slowly as your character progresses, and can vary somewhat in what is shown, such as forests or mountains off in the distance. One of the best things about this game is the varying characters you can choose, and their different humorous visual aspects. My personal favorite is the Space Cat, which is a cat with an astronauts helmet on it's head. Though the Graphics are nothing special, they look great for what the game tries to accomplish, earning a solid 8/10.
Sound 6/10 -- Again, this score may be a little high, but there's a good reason for me giving it what I am. The track that plays in the background while you are constantly staying vigilant in your attempts to keep your furry friend alive is near perfect for what this game is. The track is very upbeat and pleasant, but never to the point it becomes stuck in your head driving you insane and becoming bothersome to listen to. I didn't make it all that far in the game, but this one track on loop is the only one I managed to come across, so I'm unsure if it changes once you can make substantial progress. This isn't a positive by any means, but as I already described, the track isn't really bothersome by any means either, which is bonus points in my book because of it's peers in the same genre. The sound effects are just mediocre at best, and don't really go beyond the basic dying, jumping, and coin collecting that the game centers entirely around. The sound in this game is a "take it or leave it" kind of deal. Turbo Pug can be enjoyed to the fullest with or without actually listening to it. Sound gets a decent 6/10
Addictiveness 6/10 -- I was blown away by how addictive this game actually is. Now, the concept is so basic it's best played in short bursts, but if played in moderation, this could easily be the most used time killer in any gamer's life. The game only has a single button that controls everything, which is the Space Bar. Everything else is automated, and you merely have to time your jumps to avoid the obstacles. Simple enough, right? Well, the difficulty of this game is what makes it addictive. You're going to die A LOT, and most of the time sooner than what you believe you are capable of achieving. This frustration is the fuel that constantly keeps you coming back to try and surpass your current best, giving Addictiveness a 6/10.
Story -- N / A
Depth 4 / 10 -- The depth of this game in a way depends on your perspective and personal definition of "Depth" in a video game. On one hand, the game is incredibly basic with only one mode to play, one objective, and literally one button. So on this side of the argument, the depth would be considered incredibly low. On the other hand, if you can stay alive for it, the game will technically go on forever. So on this side of the coin, the depth could be considered a perfect 10. In this aspect it really comes down to how you feel about this genre in general, and personal preference. On a more factual note, the game does contain 12 different characters to play as, and most of them vary in one way or another. For instance, the Rainbow Pug (the one who leaves a trail of rainbow from it's butt as it runs) has the ability to double jump mid-air. The Mouse / Hamster character is very light-weight and not only runs slightly faster than the basic Pug, but can jump slightly higher as well. There's also the Space Cat, who very slightly defies gravity as it falls, giving it something of a floating effect, as well as having the ability to double jump. Last, and certainly least in my opinion, is the Penguin who doesn't move fast enough to clear ANY jump in the game, making them utterly useless beyond being a novelty. You can also compete with your friends or on the Leader boards worldwide for High Scores too. All that said, I just couldn't bring myself to give the game higher than a 4/10 for Depth.
Difficulty 9/10 -- This is where the game really shines. The concept is incredibly simple, but the game makes up for this with it's grueling difficulty. You will need to stay extremely vigilant and aware at all times or death will come with a quickness. The main factor in this game is timing. Not only are most of the gaps and ledges spaced out the exact length of how far your character can jump, but there will also be spike / spinning blade traps strewn about the course on the ground, ceiling, and sometimes walls. These also increase in number and complexity as you progress. With each death, you have to start with your score back at 0, which is frustrating as heck when you die 30 points away from setting a new record. Each round is randomly generated, so memorizing what obstacles will hinder you and when is impossible. This falls in to the category of being a game that is super easy to play, but extremely difficult to master. The game gets a whopping 9/10 for Difficulty.
Overall 7.5/10 -- Turbo Pug is a pretty darn fun game, and well worth it for the $1 price that's asked. If you want to kill some time, mindlessly plummet to your death over and over, or enjoy the genre / Pugs in general, then I would highly recommend this game. On the other side of it, if this kind of game isn't your thing, you're not missing a whole lot by overlooking it. In summary, what the game tries to do, it does pretty darn well.
Hope you enjoyed the review :)
Graphics
8 Sound
6 Addictive
6 Depth
4 Difficulty
9
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