Lizard

About

"Lizard" is a single-player, open-world NES game where you play as a lizard with six different special abilities, navigating through treacherous environments and encountering strange creatures. The game features tricky platforming gameplay, a coin currency, and is rated for its mature themes. It is available for download as a ROM or application and comes with a Steam key. Physical NES cartridges are also available for purchase. A free demo version is available.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 24 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Lizard features stunning graphics and a variety of content, providing a sense of exploration and freedom reminiscent of classic NES platformers.
The game has a unique and quirky concept, with a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
It offers a nostalgic feel for NES enthusiasts, with engaging platforming and secrets that encourage exploration and replayability.

The controls are often described as slippery and unresponsive, making platforming difficult and frustrating.
Checkpoints are infrequent, leading to tedious backtracking and a punishing difficulty that may deter some players.
The gameplay can feel lackluster and uninspired, with random enemy placements and a lack of engaging mechanics.

gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
39%
17%
The gameplay is criticized for being lackluster and uninspired, with awkward controls that hinder the platforming experience. The mechanics, including a lizard switching feature, fail to engage players, and the world feels visually unappealing and small, leading to a lack of motivation to explore further. Overall, the game does not offer anything new or compelling compared to classic titles, making it a disappointing experience.
- “While that fundamentally may be what all NES games were, the good ones at least disguised this well with enjoyable gameplay elements and pleasing visuals.”
- “This is a fine game element, but when it's the main hook of your entire game mechanics then you're not in for an exceptionally fun time.”
- “Every gameplay aspect that it hints at has not only been done before but done in far superior ways by the multitude of great classics that served as its inspiration.”
- “Aside from that, the actual gameplay is lackluster.”
- “In no way does this enhance or otherwise add to the gameplay.”
- “The controls aren't terrible but they do remain awkward and inhibit a decent platforming experience, the world is visually unappealing and small (albeit very open), the gameplay is uninspired and about as bare-bones as you can get, the lizard switching mechanic isn't intriguing or compelling, enemy placement feels too random for good level design, and perhaps worst of all there is simply no drive to continue after you've seen most, if not all, of the world which doesn't take long for the average player.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The game's graphics are praised for their stunning world and level design, creating an engaging atmosphere that appeals to fans of the 8-bit aesthetic. However, some critiques highlight a chaotic and disorganized visual layout, likening it to a "digital 8-bit dadaist nightmare." Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, especially for those who appreciate retro-style visuals.
- “Stunning world and level design, great graphics and atmosphere.”
- “The game itself offers quite good graphics and a variety of content for the game on this platform.”
- “In terms of graphics, the world layout of Lizard is such a hodgepodge mess of randomized locales and sprites that it comes off as a digital 8-bit dadaist nightmare.”
- “While that fundamentally may be what all NES games were, the good ones at least disguised this well with enjoyable gameplay elements and pleasing visuals.”
- “And if you're already tired of the 8-bit aesthetic, I'd say you should still try this - go out of the retro trend with a bang with a legitimate NES game that's well made and remembers why the games of long ago keep captivating players.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music in the game has been widely praised, particularly the chiptune soundtrack composed by Brad Smith, which enhances the overall gaming experience and is described as a masterpiece. Reviewers consistently highlight the soundtrack's ability to create an immersive atmosphere, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “But well... I was already aware that the soundtrack was going to be a masterpiece of chiptune as I'm very much acquainted with Brad Smith's works - but the way it accompanies the game turns the experience into a dream.”
- “The only exception here is the music, which is actually quite good.”
- “Awesome soundtrack too.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game intentionally lacks a complex story, echoing the simplistic narratives typical of NES titles, where the protagonist's goal is simply to thwart the antagonist. This absence of a detailed plot is viewed positively by some players, as it aligns with the nostalgic feel the developer aimed to achieve.
- “There is no story to be found here, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.”
- “Virtually every NES game of this type consisted of one simple, non-complex plot point: 'You are the protagonist, stop the antagonist from doing antagonistic things.' So, as a matter of personal taste, I really think this is one of the strong points of the game.”
- “It has since been confirmed that this was purposely done by the developer, so if his intent was to re-capture the feeling of sloppy controls that plagued so many NES games back in the day, well, mission accomplished.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its stunning world and level design, complemented by impressive graphics that create an immersive experience.
- “Stunning world and level design, great graphics and atmosphere.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with the game's emotional impact, feeling that the lack of checkpoint memory detracts from their experience and leads to a sense of futility. This has prompted some to wish they had opted for the NES ROM version, which would have allowed for more control over their progress.