VVVVVV might be off-putting for some.  Weird title?  Check.  Chiptune music?  Check.  8-bit graphics?  Double check.  But those who dismiss it simply for its graphics or title will be missing out on one of the greatest platformers of this generation.

VVVVVV has a simple premise: You play as Captain Vermillion, and set out to find the rest of your crew, whose names also all start with the letter V.  How this is accomplished; however, is where the game works its magic.  The entire game revolves around a gravity shifting mechanic.  No jumping, climbing, dashing, or much anything besides walking and shifting gravity for our blue-colored hero.  This makes the game fun, but also difficult, sometimes fiendishly so.

In one section of the game, in order to retrieve one of twenty collectible trinkets, you must flip gravity, make your way through rooms with names such as “Veni”, “Vidi”, “Vici” and best of all, “Your bitter tears...delicious”, before landing on a platform at the top.  You have to flip gravity quickly again before the platform collapses, and every room you pass through is lined with plenty of spikes, so there’s no room for error.  Also, if you land on the wrong side of the wall at the bottom, you have to do it all over again!  I succeeded to do this once, I have tried this room over one hundred times, and have not succeeded to obtain the trinket to this day.  Fortunately, that section is optional, and is by far the hardest part of the game.

The rest of the game is difficult, but not too much so.  You will be required to flip gravity while on moving platforms, collapsing platforms, past spikes and enemies and even moving words, but with practice, you should be able to finish the entire game in 4 or so hours, although the game can be completed in fewer than 15 minutes.  The entire entire experience can be trippy at times, with well-titled rooms giving hints or hilarity.  There are no puzzles, no doors, no treasure chests to be opened.  The game focuses on the basics, and does them all well.

Also, the twenty collectible trinkets to find will be well worth your while.  Some require you to go a good bit out of your way, but most are well within reaching distance.  If you manage to collect enough of them, you will be treated to various choices of music at your home base.

What is a game without its music?  Fortunately, this department is well covered, with some of the best chiptune music I have ever heard in a videogame, or outside of one.  Although I am a musician, describing music is not my forte.  But what I can say is that this music never grated on me, but kept me entertained throughout my entire experience.  And I am not one to listen to chiptune music often.

The graphics are beautiful, but minimalistic.  The 8-bit designs are good-looking enough to keep you invested in the game, and your character has a constant smile that is only broken by death, so try not to die (but you will).  Nothing is particularly noteworthy, but nothing needs to be.  The gameplay is the main focus of the game, and the graphics serve their purpose just fine.

But one of the main reasons the game is worth the money is the level editor/additional content.  VVVVVV features a level editor, and also features extra levels built in, including one by Notch of Minecraft fame.  They are diverse in their difficulty and function, and serve to pad this already incredible game with more content.

Pros:

Brilliant Level Design
Unique, well-implemented mechanic
Wonderful chiptune music
Level editor/levels by pros
Only $5
Difficult

Cons:

Very short
Difficult

Presentation: 10/10
Graphics: 7.5/10
Sound: 10/10
Gameplay: 10/10
Lasting Appeal: 9/10

Score: 9.5

zanderlex : I'll fix my review so that each has a grade.  But no, this is not my last review for now, not by a long shot.  I sent you a PM with details.  

Burnout Paradise is next, so I'm going to try and play that tomorrow and I'll interview my 8-yo bro as well, who has spent the majority of the time that has been logged on Steam playing it, instead of me.  I'm going to try and give this review through his eyes, so I have high expectations for how it will turn out.

supernerd117 : You know what? That wouldn't be a bad idea, having an "interview" in the review to pull together facts on what other people think of the game, maybe get a few quotes in their as well. Now I have high expectations as well, I want this to be your epic, 2000 word masterpiece.

zanderlex :  I'll see what I can do.  I think that's feasible.  But I've never done one with 2,000 words.  You know what, I'll give this a shot!  I'll make it as good as I can, while trying to keep it long.  But I don't want it to feel unnatural.  This may take me a week or so, so I'll try to pad it with some easier reviews.

supernerd117 : All right, go for it. If you can make it 2000 words or longer and make it so there is quality, I can 95% guarantee that it will be features. If you can get it done by the end of Monday, you don't have to make any others along with it. As in, if you can get it done in 5 days, I want you to work just on that one. Remember, it has to be special, and I plan on doing the first features review on Tueaday hopefully.

zanderlex : You got it, Boss.  I'll keep working on other reviews, but I'll make sure to make this the main focus.  I will have it done by Monday, and it will be great!

supernerd117 : nice review i actually love vvvvvv but the puzzle is a little much somtime but the music is amazing

Nice review! VVVVVV is one of my all-time favorite games (it's just that fun), and I think you've summed things up nicely. But in your cons, you said it was "very short." Although the main story is pretty short, there's still a huge amount of user levels (if I remember right it was around 24, but I could be wrong). And no, the game cannot be completed in under 15 minutes. Even if you had a perfect speedrun, 15 minutes is practically impossible... practically. That would take tons and tons of practice.

But still, like I said, great review!

...those darn trinkets...

TheFadedWarrior : Best time: Single-segment 0:13:03 by Jared 'FieryBlizzard' Klein on 2013-05-24.

He was right. And 100% was 17 minutes

mourinhosgum : Dear sweet paws of justice...

That's. Really. Fast?

But he used glitches, so I don't count that (even though they are counted normally).

OMG, VVVVVV has an awesome soundtrack. it's a good game and such a trippy one at that