Ethan: Meteor Hunter
- February 7, 2014
- Seaven Studio
In "Ethan: Meteor Hunter," players control Ethan, a rat with telekinetic powers, as he seeks revenge on his neighbor and hunts for meteorites to gain more power. The game features a unique blend of precision platforming and physics-based puzzles, allowing for multiple solutions and quick respawns for a challenging yet frustration-free experience. The game is inspired by titles such as Super Meat Boy and Braid.
Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic arcade feel with enjoyable new elements, making it a fun experience for fans of the genre.
- It features challenging puzzles and platforming that require skill and thought, providing a rewarding gameplay experience.
- The graphics and animations are decent, and the game runs smoothly without significant bugs.
- The level design is often frustrating, with difficult jumps and a lack of checkpoints that can lead to repeated restarts.
- The story and audiovisual elements are lacking, with cheap cutscenes and an odd narrative that detracts from the overall experience.
- Many players find the game to be overly difficult and finicky, making it less enjoyable for those who prefer a more casual gaming experience.
- gameplay7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Ethan Meteor Hunter has been criticized for lacking engaging mechanics and personality, with a time-freezing feature that feels underutilized. The combination of high-speed platforming and slower puzzle elements creates a disjointed experience, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. Overall, the game is described as visually unappealing and fails to deliver a satisfying gameplay experience.
“The time freeze mechanic is a unique addition that adds an interesting layer to the gameplay.”
“The videos are demonstrative of the gameplay, so if you like what you see there, then get the game.”
“I made a video review, showing off some gameplay and letting you know the basics here.”
“The higher-speed platforming doesn't mix with the puzzles well, resulting in a platformer that occasionally slows gameplay to a halt with a sliding block puzzle or a tedious autoscroll puzzle.”
“Rubbish game, horrible graphics, and looks really ugly; it's a shame it's got a mediocre gameplay experience.”
“There are no fun mechanics.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics received mixed reviews, with some praising the decent in-game art and smooth animations, while others criticized the overall visual quality as ugly and poorly executed. Despite some positive aspects, the lack of well-crafted levels and enjoyable character design detracted from the overall experience.
“The graphics are great and the sound is okay, but the execution is a disaster.”
“In-game art and graphics are decent, and the animations are smooth.”
“Even if it worked perfectly, it still lacks nicely crafted levels, an enjoyable main character, and decent audiovisuals.”
“Rubbish game, horrible graphics, and looks really ugly. Shame it's got a meh for gameplay.”
- music3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally perceived as bland, with some reviewers noting it as decent but unremarkable, scoring around 3/5. While it doesn't detract from the experience, it fails to leave a lasting impression.
“I never felt like I had to turn off the music.”
“The music is bland and the character designs and general visual style are ugly.”
“The sound effects and music are decent, but nothing special.”
“I never felt compelled to turn off the music.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story is considered odd and somewhat lacking, though it is present enough to engage players.
“The story is odd and doesn't quite make sense.”
“The story is lacking, but it's not completely absent.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game includes a splash screen promoting the use of a gamepad, but players have reported difficulties in selecting this option in the settings, indicating potential frustration with the game's promotional tactics.
“The game is riddled with microtransactions that feel exploitative and detract from the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating to see that progress is heavily gated behind paywalls, making it nearly impossible to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
“The monetization strategy is aggressive, with constant prompts to purchase in-game currency that disrupt the flow of gameplay.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find that the combination of high-speed platforming and puzzle elements leads to frustrating grinding moments, as the gameplay is often interrupted by slow-paced sliding block puzzles and tedious autoscroll sections.
“The higher-speed platforming doesn't mix with the puzzles well, resulting in a platformer that occasionally slows gameplay to a halt with sliding block puzzles or tedious autoscroll puzzles.”
“Grinding feels like a never-ending chore, where progress is painfully slow and the rewards are minimal.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes the game feel more like a job than an enjoyable experience.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that character development is overshadowed by criticisms of bland music and unattractive character designs, suggesting that the visual and auditory elements detract from the overall engagement with the characters.
“The character development feels shallow and uninspired, leaving me disconnected from the story.”
“I was hoping for more depth in the characters, but they all seem one-dimensional and forgettable.”
“The lack of meaningful choices in character progression makes the experience feel linear and unengaging.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through various built-in challenges, such as achieving low clear times, collecting fragments, minimizing pauses, and competing on leaderboards, encouraging players to revisit each stage for improved performance.
“There is a lot of replayability for every stage due to built-in challenges like achieving low clear times, collecting fragments, minimizing pauses, and competing on leaderboards.”
“The game offers endless replayability with its diverse challenges and leaderboard system that keeps you coming back for more.”
“Each stage has multiple objectives that enhance replayability, making it fun to improve your scores and strategies.”