Developer: Retrific
Publisher: Retrific
Platforms: PC
Tested on: PC
Beeftacular – Review
Some time ago two videogames fell in love: Super Meat Boy and 10 Second Ninja. The two lovebirds married and made a baby: Beeftacular was born. This little gem of gaming combines the platformer action from Super Meat Boy and the combat action seen in 10 Second Ninja. This gives us one tasty meal, ready to serve and best enjoyed within ten seconds or less.
Story
We play the game as Beefy, a chunk of meat that has a mission. Other than that: Beeftacular does not really sport a story; the only goal in the game is to destroy all the rotten meat chunks in time. This is done by various methods while dodging traps, jumping wall to wall and making it in time. This all happens in a time span of 90 levels, where after you are treated to the speedrun section of the game.
Graphics
Putting great graphics in a 2D platformer can be hard, because of the graphical limitations. Developer Retrific however made a smooth and lovely game to watch, which runs at a wonderful frame rate. Characters have detail, blood splashes are touch sensitive and will increase on roads more traveled (you can always select an option to clean up that mess afterwards). Lasers have an organic feel to them and there is a difference between the various enemies’ bloodstains.
Sound
Although the graphics present a modern look on things, the music in other hand is based on retro chiptune music with a slightly modern twist. The catchy background music is easy hummable after a few minutes, and helps in keeping you calm in more difficult parts of the game. Sound effects themselves are high quality making it feel as if no costs were spared in the sound department.
Gameplay
As mentioned earlier in the review, the game is a platformer mix between Super Meat Boy and 10 Second Ninja. You will have to move your character through a maze with the objective to destroy every piece of spoiled meat. Luckily our main character has the ability to wall jump, double jump and attack with both a short ranged and long ranged weapons. Don’t worry if you miss the ranged attack, Beefy uses a javelin as ranged weapon which you can pick up the again from the wall. If you have time that is: every level has a time limit of ten seconds. Some mazes are filled with traps, where others rely more on platforming skills, but most are both. To sum up a few of obstacles: you will have to dodge lasers, crossbows, falling floors and spikes. Even portals are present and even better, the physics behind them allows for manipulation to succeed in the stages.
When you have played trough the normal mode a speedrun mode is unlocked. Speedrun lets you play trough the whole game again but now every level again without a pause. Bored of the stock maps? Then you can either download new ones from the steam workshop or create your own with the level editor. The level editor gives you the same tools as the developer, so no limitations towards creating new and probably hard levels.
If you care to spice up the game: various skins can be found throughout the levels. In the beginning a free sponge mode is embedded that turns enemies into paint cans. This makes the game non violent and vegan friendly.
In a speedy game like this controls are of the essence. Nobody can play a platformer if the controls have input lag or the character doesn’t respond well. A giant relief that the developers worked on this to perfect and fine tune the whole action of movement and jumping on and off walls. Playing with keyboard or controller is selected by preference. Keyboard has a fine layout where the controller sticks with classic controls that can’t go wrong. Ideal so for every type of player, since the game is fully controller supported.
Talking about difficulty, Beeftacular starts off with a few tutorial missions learning you the ropes. Gradually increasing difficulty, once you master the flow new obstacles will be presented and new tactics will be needed if you want to make it to the end. Don’t be scared to keep retrying that one level where you are stuck at, sometimes it’s all about timing jumps right.
Conclusion
Beeftacular is one of the more fun indie titles that we played in the last years. The rapid platformer action and quick reacting controls make it possible to breeze through the game, albeit with try and error on harder stages. This makes it more challenging and the gameplay longer lasting, without needlessly bashing on the player and giving hope that even the hardest stages are completeable.
Beeftacular - Review,
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