1000 Amps
- February 22, 2012
- Brandon Brizzi
- 4h median play time
An often frustrating game built around a clever idea. It could have become something so much greater.
Get on Steam"1000 Amps" is a first-person puzzle-platformer game where players navigate through a surreal electric grid, solving puzzles and avoiding obstacles using various power-ups. The goal is to restore power to a mysterious city while uncovering the story behind the grid's creation. With challenging gameplay and a unique art style, players must use their wits and quick reflexes to reach the end.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- 1000 Amps is a clever and engaging puzzle platformer with unique mechanics that encourage exploration and problem-solving.
- The minimalist graphics and sound design create a charming atmosphere that complements the gameplay.
- The game offers a satisfying sense of progression as players unlock abilities and complete rooms, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
- The game suffers from frustrating design choices, such as a blurry minimap and the need to restart rooms upon leaving, which can lead to significant backtracking.
- Many players have reported performance issues, including lag and crashes, particularly in the Flash version of the game.
- The final boss fight is often seen as overly difficult and out of place compared to the rest of the game's pacing, leading to a disappointing conclusion.
- gameplay60 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this metroidvania platformer is characterized by its simple yet effective mechanics, primarily revolving around jumping and activating light blocks, which create a satisfying synergy. While some players find the gameplay repetitive at times, the clever room designs and unique power-ups provide a rewarding experience, especially after upgrades. Overall, it offers a solid 3-4 hours of engaging puzzle-platforming for a budget price, making it a worthwhile choice for fans of the genre.
“The beauty in this game lies in how well the different mechanics work together.”
“The tile revealing gameplay is fun when it is puzzle-platforming rather than trial and error, and the power-ups are all unique and integrate nicely into the game's unique mechanics rather than being just a double jump or a dash.”
“The heart of the game is in the very well designed rooms and enjoyable power mechanic.”
“It wouldn't be so bad if the levels or mechanics were designed with this in mind, but they weren't, so off you go to retry this room again because a pit you didn't see dropped you into the room below.”
“The gameplay can be repetitive for a while, but after getting upgrades and finally completing the rooms, it feels great.”
“Maybe that mechanic, however it works, makes this area bearable, but all I know is there are a series of rooms that keep dumping you into 'swept away', which makes you ride inescapable conveyor belts and deposit you into 'jump high and higher'.”
- music28 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been widely criticized for its repetitiveness and lack of depth, with players noting that it consists of only a few simplistic samples that become obnoxious over time. While the concept of tying music to gameplay progress is appreciated, the execution feels amateurish, leading many to mute the game in favor of listening to other audio. Overall, the absence of a proper soundtrack and the poor quality of the existing sound design detract significantly from the gaming experience.
“Once you completely light up a room, the music starts playing.”
“The art is solid, the gameplay is tight, and the music is good.”
“While the idea of tying the music to your progress in the room is a good one, the actual compositions are unfortunately reminiscent of an amateur plonking around on their first electronic keyboard.”
“I ended up muting the game as the 'music' is just repetitive notes in completed rooms and it can get a little obnoxious.”
“The game lacks a proper soundtrack, is flash-based with slowdowns at high resolutions and, due to the open-world design, can be frustrating if you haven't found the right power-ups yet.”
“Game opens in a window named Flash, extremely laggy for no good reason, no good storyline, the music is made to sound like the notes but the timing is always one beat after another, with no pauses, making it terrible.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are predominantly minimalist and charming, utilizing a limited color palette of black and white, which some players find aesthetically pleasing and thematically appropriate. However, many reviews highlight that the visuals are outdated, running at a low resolution of 640 × 480 with no effective upscaling options, leading to pixelation when played in fullscreen. Overall, while the graphics complement the gameplay, they lack the wow factor and can be seen as a drawback for those expecting more modern visuals.
“Minimalistic, yet pretty graphics, interesting mechanics.”
“The entire world is made up of roughly ten block types with graphics that clearly and intuitively indicate how they behave.”
“Sound and visuals also demonstrate the simplistic tastes by using shades of grey and soft sounds.”
“However, the graphics are massively outdated, and if you want to make the game full screen, it just zooms in on the game and all the pixels.”
“The graphics are okay; the entire game is black and white, and there is nothing else to write about it.”
“Even with graphical quality and resolution at the lowest possible settings, there are often second-long delays between when you press a key and when your character finally reacts to this input.”
- story14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as weak and simplistic, primarily serving as a backdrop for its puzzle-platforming mechanics. Players control a small hero navigating a world filled with platforms and traps, but many feel the narrative lacks depth and leaves them wanting more. While the gameplay is praised for its mechanics and progression, the story does not significantly enhance the overall experience.
“Simple mechanics, well balanced puzzles, satisfying progression, and a simple story that blends with the mechanics.”
“Well worth the price, and you'll love the gameplay & story.”
“As with a metroidvania, you will have to work your way to the special power-up and story rooms to progress.”
“There's essentially three characters in the game, and though it's more of a puzzle-platformer, there's a very weak story that just leaves me wanting a little bit more.”
“It's a story of an impossibly small, filament-brained hero set in a world of platforms, gaps, and traps.”
“Game opens in a window named Flash, extremely laggy for no good reason, no good storyline, the music is made to sound like the notes but the timing is always one beat after another, no pauses, making it terrible.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with users reporting frequent bugs and glitches, particularly related to teleport mechanics. Many players find the randomness of these bugs frustrating, leading to a less enjoyable experience overall.
“I enjoyed it for a while, but it is extremely buggy.”
“As of writing this, the game is still buggy and can stale-out or glitch.”
“When energy is removed from teleports, it seems random and buggy; at least I can't figure out the rule.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is initially calming and engaging, providing a pleasant backdrop for its puzzle-platforming gameplay. However, it quickly becomes repetitive and lacks the depth and ambiance found in similar titles, leading to a sense of dullness as the experience progresses. Overall, while it offers a decent atmosphere for the price, it may not sustain interest over time.
“At $5, you're getting about 3-4 hours worth of puzzle-platforming gameplay in a calming atmosphere.”
“It lacks the atmosphere and ambiance of the Nifflas titles, but it is still excellent in its own right.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a sense of progression and challenge, as players experience a growing complexity in gameplay that evokes feelings of accomplishment and excitement. The transition from simple tasks to more intricate maneuvers fosters a connection to the character, enhancing the overall emotional engagement as players strive to illuminate the rooms.
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often derived from its quirky mechanics, such as the unpredictable behavior of conveyor belts and puzzles that can be solved through unexpected methods, leading to a sense of playful randomness. This element of surprise can be enjoyable for players who appreciate a more chaotic approach to problem-solving.
“The humor in the game is delightful, with quirky mechanics like conveyor belts that often work in unexpected ways, leading to puzzles that feel like a mix of skill and dumb luck.”
“I love how the game embraces its own silliness; sometimes I solve puzzles in ways I never intended, which adds a layer of humor to the experience.”
“The unintended solutions to puzzles often lead to hilarious moments, making the gameplay feel light-hearted and fun.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is enjoyable as a puzzle-platformer, but it is plagued by significant performance and control-responsiveness issues, which detract from the overall experience.
“While it is an enjoyable puzzle-platform romp at its heart, this game suffers from terrible performance and control responsiveness issues.”
