Difference between revisions of "You Have to Win the Game"

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'''''You Have to Win the Game''''' is a free platform adventure game developed by [[J. Kyle Pittman]] and released in 2012. The graphics and sound are designed to be retro (CGA and PC speaker) and the game play features the now common theme of placing save states all over the map. As you explore the region you must pick up bags of money and decipher the magic word and symbol. Over all, I enjoyed the game, but it did have a couple flaws.
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[[Image:You Have to Win the Game - Steam - Title Card.jpg|thumb|256x256px|Steam title card.]]
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'''''You Have to Win the Game''''' is an action platform adventure game developed by [[J. Kyle Pittman]] and published by [[Pirate Hearts]] on 2012-05-06 for [[Windows]] and later ported to [[Linux]] and [[Macintosh]]. The graphics and sound are purposely designed to be retro (using [[Color Graphics Adapter|CGA]] and [[PC speaker]]) and the game play features the now common theme of placing save states all over the map. As you explore the region you must pick up bags of money and find clues to decipher a code to beat the game.
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I first saw this game in a video about game programming. I remember appreciating the CGA graphics and wanting to play the game, but I didn't remember the title (or if it was even mentioned). Later, while searching through Steam's [[Metroidvania]] category, I saw the game and remembered it from before, and was pleased to see it available for free.
  
 
==Status==
 
==Status==
I have beaten this game with 100% completion, though I needed a hint for the final puzzle.
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The game is freeware. I have beaten it the normal mode with 100% completion, though I needed a hint for the final puzzle.
  
 
==Review==
 
==Review==
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* Despite being limited to single-screen maps and CGA graphics, the game is pretty attractive, and the maps are quite interesting.
 
* Despite being limited to single-screen maps and CGA graphics, the game is pretty attractive, and the maps are quite interesting.
 
* I always enjoy seeing harder portions of the game when I'm still too weak to deal with them.
 
* I always enjoy seeing harder portions of the game when I'm still too weak to deal with them.
* I like how each room had it's own name often with jokes, although some of them seemed unnecessary.
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* I like how each room had it's own name, often with nerd-related jokes, although some of them seemed unnecessary.
 
* While there are some more complicated jumping puzzles, nothing ever became too frustrating.
 
* While there are some more complicated jumping puzzles, nothing ever became too frustrating.
* The ability to display the game in a retro CRT monitor, or use EGA colors is a nice touch.
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* The ability to display the game in a retro CRT monitor, with custom amounts of glare, overscan, etc., was a nice feature set.
 +
* I like how you can "upgrade" to [[Enhanced Graphics Adapter|EGA]] colors.
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* The addition of different hard modes (extra spicy, cat mode, etc.) is a nice addition.
  
 
===Bad===
 
===Bad===
* In general, there isn't much for the player to do. Other than the end puzzle, the entire game boils down to fairly simple jumping puzzles.
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* In general, there isn't much for the player to do. Other than the end puzzle, the entire game boils down to simple jumping puzzles, with the occasional difficult one.
 
* There is a fair amount of back-tracking. Each time you get a new power-up, you have to return to old areas to get the bags you missed.
 
* There is a fair amount of back-tracking. Each time you get a new power-up, you have to return to old areas to get the bags you missed.
* The audio was a bit dull. Even limited to PC speaker, more effort could have been added.
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* The audio was a bit dull. Even limited to PC speaker emulation, more effort could have been added.
* With only a tiny amount of monsters, the game world seemed rather empty. It would have been nicer to see more living things in the game, like if the designer replaced some of the spikes with monsters or changed the platforms or moving walls to neutral monsters.
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* With only a tiny amount of monsters, the game world seemed rather empty. It would have been nicer to see more living things in the game, like if some of the spikes with monsters or platforms and moving walls were neutral monsters.
* One of the room names actually points out an issue, the over-used contrived lock-and key progression mechanism. It would be better if the game used more power-ups to open larger areas of the map rather than generic platform fillers.
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* One of the room names actually points out an design weakness, the over-used contrived lock-and key progression mechanism. It would be better if the game used more power-ups to open larger areas of the map rather than generic platform fillers.
  
 
===Ugly===
 
===Ugly===
* The lose option which resets your power-ups is dumb. All it does is force you to redo a large section of the map again for no real reason, and it's necessary if you want to get that last money bag.
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* The lose option which resets your power-ups is dumb. All it does is force you to redo a large section of the map again for no real reason, and it's mandatory for a 100% completion.
 
* The clues to identify the magic word are extremely vague and don't offer enough information to decipher it.
 
* The clues to identify the magic word are extremely vague and don't offer enough information to decipher it.
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* Trying to beat the game in cat mode is pretty ridiculous.
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==Media==
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===Maps===
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<gallery>
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You Have to Win the Game - Map.png|Map.
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</gallery>
  
==Gallery==
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===Screenshots===
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
You Have to Win the Game - Art.png|Game art.
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You Have to Win the Game - W32 - Screenshot - Title.jpg|The title screen.
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You Have to Win the Game - W32 - Screenshot - CGA.jpg|Simulated CGA mode.
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You Have to Win the Game - W32 - Screenshot - CGA - No Monitor.jpg|Non-simulated CGA mode.
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You Have to Win the Game - W32 - Screenshot - EGA.jpg|Simulated EGA mode.
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You Have to Win the Game - W32 - Screenshot - EGA - No Monitor.jpg|Non-simulated EGA mode.
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You Have to Win the Game - W32 - Screenshot - Overscan - Heavy.jpg|Maximum overscan.
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You Have to Win the Game - W32 - Screenshot - Overscan - None.jpg|Minimum overscan.
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You Have to Win the Game - W32 - Screenshot - Hard Mode.jpg|Hard mode ("Extra spicy").
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</gallery>
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===Fan Art===
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<gallery>
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You Have to Win the Game - Art.png|Fan art.
 
You Have to Win the Game - Fan Art.png|Fan art.
 
You Have to Win the Game - Fan Art.png|Fan art.
You Have to Win the Game - Map.png|Map.
 
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
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===Videos===
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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kkFWqysmG0 youtube.com/watch?v=8kkFWqysmG0] - Default game long play.
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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg8Xde9-zcs youtube.com/watch?v=Gg8Xde9-zcs] - Hard mode long play.
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* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIAoe-f3rsY youtube.com/watch?v=YIAoe-f3rsY] - Cat mode long play.
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
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* [http://www.mobygames.com/game/you-have-to-win-the-game mobygames.com/game/you-have-to-win-the-game] - MobyGames.
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* [http://www.piratehearts.com/blog/games/you-have-to-win-the-game piratehearts.com/blog/games/you-have-to-win-the-game] - Official.
 
* [http://store.steampowered.com/app/286100 store.steampowered.com/app/286100] - Game on Steam.
 
* [http://store.steampowered.com/app/286100 store.steampowered.com/app/286100] - Game on Steam.
  
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[[Category: Games]]
 
[[Category: Games]]
 
[[Category: Video Games]]
 
[[Category: Video Games]]
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[[Category: Linux Games]]
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[[Category: Macintosh Games]]
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[[Category: Windows Games]]
 
[[Category: Action]]
 
[[Category: Action]]
 
[[Category: Platformer]]
 
[[Category: Platformer]]
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[[Category: Metroidvania]]
 
[[Category: Metroidvania]]
 
[[Category: Games I've Beaten]]
 
[[Category: Games I've Beaten]]
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[[Category: 2-bit Color Graphics]]
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[[Category: 4-bit Color Graphics]]

Revision as of 10:16, 18 June 2018

Steam title card.

You Have to Win the Game is an action platform adventure game developed by J. Kyle Pittman and published by Pirate Hearts on 2012-05-06 for Windows and later ported to Linux and Macintosh. The graphics and sound are purposely designed to be retro (using CGA and PC speaker) and the game play features the now common theme of placing save states all over the map. As you explore the region you must pick up bags of money and find clues to decipher a code to beat the game.

I first saw this game in a video about game programming. I remember appreciating the CGA graphics and wanting to play the game, but I didn't remember the title (or if it was even mentioned). Later, while searching through Steam's Metroidvania category, I saw the game and remembered it from before, and was pleased to see it available for free.

Status

The game is freeware. I have beaten it the normal mode with 100% completion, though I needed a hint for the final puzzle.

Review

  • Overall: 5/10
  • Best Version: Windows

Good

  • Despite being limited to single-screen maps and CGA graphics, the game is pretty attractive, and the maps are quite interesting.
  • I always enjoy seeing harder portions of the game when I'm still too weak to deal with them.
  • I like how each room had it's own name, often with nerd-related jokes, although some of them seemed unnecessary.
  • While there are some more complicated jumping puzzles, nothing ever became too frustrating.
  • The ability to display the game in a retro CRT monitor, with custom amounts of glare, overscan, etc., was a nice feature set.
  • I like how you can "upgrade" to EGA colors.
  • The addition of different hard modes (extra spicy, cat mode, etc.) is a nice addition.

Bad

  • In general, there isn't much for the player to do. Other than the end puzzle, the entire game boils down to simple jumping puzzles, with the occasional difficult one.
  • There is a fair amount of back-tracking. Each time you get a new power-up, you have to return to old areas to get the bags you missed.
  • The audio was a bit dull. Even limited to PC speaker emulation, more effort could have been added.
  • With only a tiny amount of monsters, the game world seemed rather empty. It would have been nicer to see more living things in the game, like if some of the spikes with monsters or platforms and moving walls were neutral monsters.
  • One of the room names actually points out an design weakness, the over-used contrived lock-and key progression mechanism. It would be better if the game used more power-ups to open larger areas of the map rather than generic platform fillers.

Ugly

  • The lose option which resets your power-ups is dumb. All it does is force you to redo a large section of the map again for no real reason, and it's mandatory for a 100% completion.
  • The clues to identify the magic word are extremely vague and don't offer enough information to decipher it.
  • Trying to beat the game in cat mode is pretty ridiculous.

Media

Maps

Screenshots

Fan Art

Videos

Links