Diamo XL
- October 13, 2017
- Adamvision Studios
- 9h median play time
Diamo XL is an arcade score-chaser game, where you must survive a persistent barrage of obstacles within a diamond-shaped field. Move your character between five zones to collect points and avoid enemies, with the goal of constantly beating your previous high score. Unlock various alternate player characters as you progress through the game. Created by indie developer Adam Nickerson, expect a small yet solid gaming experience with simple mechanics that provides hours of replayability.
Reviews
- Diamo XL is a fun and addictive arcade game that offers simple yet challenging gameplay, making it hard to put down.
- The game features a minimalist design and a catchy soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience while keeping players engaged.
- Unlocking new characters with different stats adds depth to the gameplay, encouraging players to improve their skills and aim for higher scores.
- The controls can be frustrating, as players cannot change direction once they start moving, leading to unavoidable collisions with enemies.
- The game lacks variety in levels and gameplay mechanics, which may lead to a sense of repetitiveness after a short period.
- Some players have reported technical issues, such as lag and unresponsive controls, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- gameplay49 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Diamo XL is characterized by its simple yet addictive mechanics, rewarding fast-paced action and strategic decision-making as players navigate obstacles to achieve high scores. While the game introduces progressively challenging elements and unique mechanics, it maintains a balance that keeps it engaging without overwhelming players. Despite some minor bugs and repetitive music, the overall experience is enhanced by smooth controls, appealing graphics, and a satisfying sense of progression.
“The game rewards you for fast-paced gameplay; the faster you are, the better your combo will be as it continuously fades when you aren't moving, keeping you on your toes if you want to make any progress!”
“Diamo has an incredibly simple but clean design and gameplay, and is easy to pick up and quickly understand for a gamer at just about any level.”
“The gameplay is simple; using the four directional inputs (up, down, left, right), you guide your character to a point on the diamond grid.”
“Some mechanics make it almost impossible to dodge the obstacles at some point, making it a lot harder to complete the diamond shape (which is timed), causing the game to become really hard after 250-300 points.”
“I encountered a few bugs throughout my gameplay; one of them ruined one of my runs: the game randomly started lagging and becoming super choppy.”
“Very simple gameplay, surprisingly difficult to get over 300-400 points.”
- music38 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the upbeat and soothing soundtrack that complements the gameplay. However, some noted that the tracks can become repetitive over time, leading to a desire for more variety. Overall, while the music is generally well-received and fits the game's atmosphere, players have the option to mute it and play their own music if they prefer.
“The music fits well with the game, too.”
“As usual, the soundtrack is fantastic - it really reflects the action of the game, starting off slow but building up in speed and complexity as the game continues.”
“Great music, sound effects, minimalist graphics and challenging game mechanics makes diamo xl just as addicting as everything else we've seen from Nickervision Studios.”
“The choice to open with an awful-sounding version of the game's music is bizarre to me, a continuation of the developer's somewhat perverse habit of not putting a game's best foot forward - perhaps they are just not musically inclined.”
“Only thing I wish is that there was some variety in the game music... but you can just mute that and play your own.”
“The music is a bit monotonous, but that is easily fixed by playing your own.”
- graphics20 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as simplistic and minimalistic, with some reviewers wishing for a more modern aesthetic akin to the studio's newer titles. While the visuals are polished and smooth, they are considered mediocre and lack substantial quality improvements, which may disappoint PC gamers accustomed to higher standards. Overall, the clean and straightforward design complements the gameplay, but it may not be visually impressive for those seeking more elaborate graphics.
“The graphics and presentation are simple, and the animations and visual effects don’t get too distracting, so you can always see what’s happening on the game board.”
“This stayed with the clean, simplistic aesthetic of the two previous games and looks great.”
“The graphics are incredible and smooth.”
“Just wish the game got a face-lift with the neon aesthetics of the studio's newer titles.”
“While there are options to change the resolution for the game, all this does is scale up the simplistic low-quality vector art assets used to make the game, which makes little or no difference to the graphics quality.”
“Considering this is being evaluated as a PC game, having the graphics phoned in like this isn't going to result in a high quality, visually impressive game that PC gamers are used to seeing.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Overall, opinions on replayability are mixed; while some players find the game enjoyable and worth the low price for its challenge and replay value, others feel it lacks depth and charm, suggesting it may not satisfy those seeking a more engaging experience.
“Overall, the game is fun and for $1 it's really worth it for the replayability and the challenge this game offers.”
“High replay value purchase =)”
“The content, gameplay and replayability make diamo xl worth its low price, especially if it goes on sale.”
“There isn't very much replayability and it doesn't capture the same charm as Bit Blaster.”
“If you are looking for a super casual game then you might pick it up, but if you want anything with depth or replayability then go find a different game.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it genuinely funny and cleverly integrated into the gameplay, though some aspects, like controls, can lead to frustration. Additionally, the game's thoughtful design and the developers' sense of humor are highlighted as standout features.
“Really funny and harder than you think.”
“The sense of humor in this game is great (look at the recommended specs).”
“I wrote what I thought was a 'hilarious' review about this game, highlighting its thoughtful design.”
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story conveys a moral about perseverance and the unpredictability of life, emphasizing that giving up can prevent one from achieving success. However, despite its meaningful message, the narrative failed to engage gamers, leading to a lack of interest in the game overall.
“The moral of the story is that you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“Hardly a success story; gamers just weren't all that interested in the game.”
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its simplicity and near bug-free experience, contributing to its high ranking among players' favorites. Users report stable performance, particularly on specific hardware like the x220, although some may find the lack of content a drawback.
“I don't really know what to say about this game; it is just so simple and almost bug-free (for me) that it is way up on my list of favorite games. Maybe some people will not like that lack of content, but really, it isn't a content game; it is just a play-in-between-other-games game.”
“Very nice game; it runs great on my x220.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players note that while there are no missable achievements, achieving a score of 400 in a single run and accumulating 15,000 total points necessitates practice and grinding. However, obtaining the fastest game piece significantly eases the grinding process, allowing for quicker point collection.
“There are no missable achievements, but the 400 score in one run and 15,000 points in total achievements require some practice and grinding to get. It becomes easier once you unlock the fastest game piece, the brown one, which can move quickly around the edges, allowing you to collect points much faster.”
“The grinding in this game feels excessive and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I found myself spending hours just grinding for resources, which took away from the enjoyment of the game.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization model is likened to mobile games typically found on Android, but notably lacks advertisements and in-app purchases, suggesting a more user-friendly approach.
“Reminds me of the type of game you'd find on Android, except without ads or in-app purchases.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the player's engagement with dynamic elements, such as covering lines and interacting with moving dots, which creates a sense of connection and investment in the gameplay experience.