Proto Raider
- August 27, 2015
- Puzzle Lab
Get on SteamProto Raider is a single-screen puzzle platformer with ASCII graphics, where players explore a colorful and imaginative world filled with quirky characters and dangerous obstacles. Collect treasures, complete quests, and gain superpowers to defeat fearsome monsters and become a legendary raider. Watch out for consequences, as actions like swimming, diving, and sailing can result in unexpected hazards.
PC
Reviews
- The game features a charming ASCII art style and a relaxing chiptune soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- The level design is clever and offers a mix of puzzle-solving and reaction-based gameplay, keeping it engaging.
- Despite its simplicity, the game provides a unique challenge with its one-button control scheme, making it accessible yet thought-provoking.
- Many levels rely on luck rather than skill, leading to frustrating experiences where players can die due to random obstacles.
- The jumping mechanics can feel unresponsive and inconsistent, which detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
- There are no Steam achievements or options to revisit important in-game text, which limits player engagement and satisfaction.
- music13 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The music in the game features a chiptune soundtrack that, while enjoyable and relaxing, can be somewhat repetitive and loud at lower volume settings. Many players appreciate the retro aesthetic and catchy tunes, noting that the music complements the game's challenging puzzles and charming ASCII graphics. However, some users have pointed out that the music is not original to the game, being sourced from a pre-existing album by composer vibe/crc.
“The retro music is amazing too!”
“Relaxing music balances the hardcore nature of the game's puzzles (and yes, it also means you will die a lot).”
“On top of this, the ascii-style of the game is surprisingly gorgeous, and the music that plays throughout is quite relaxing and beautiful.”
“The volume strength for music and sound effects when setting it to 33% is too loud, especially when wearing a headset microphone; excluding muting, there are three settings: 33%, 66%, and 100%.”
“Enjoyable graphics and music aside, the game lacks any kind of momentum in movement, and the fact you can't control your forward movement compounds problems that wouldn't exist otherwise.”
“Sort of like a less music-based, more RNG, simpler, even more retro aesthetic Bit Trip Runner (sans scrolling screen, of course).”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity, relying on a single action button for movement and jumping, which allows for a diverse and engaging experience. However, players have noted significant issues with the jumping mechanics, describing them as unresponsive and inconsistent, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While the game encourages learning and mastery, the inability to revisit important text and the frustrating mechanics hinder its overall appeal.
“The gameplay is one button: start moving, and then jump.”
“The simplicity of game mechanics is absolute (you literally only have one action button) but the gameplay is deep and diverse.”
“It's perfect for its style, giving you time to learn and master the mechanics while retaining a sense of discovery with the surprises each new level introduces.”
“The first issue is that the jumping mechanics feel very weird: jumps feel unresponsive and collision response (with walls and ceiling) is inconsistent and just feels wrong.”
“The gameplay is meh, very meh.”
“The ideas here are solid, the gameplay less so.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their charming ASCII art style, which adds a retro aesthetic that appeals to fans of this genre. While the visuals are considered beautiful and the level design impressive, some players feel that the graphics alone cannot compensate for the game's lack of depth and momentum in gameplay. Overall, the graphics are enjoyable and complement the game's music, but opinions vary on their ability to elevate the overall experience.
“The level design is amazing, the graphics are beautiful.”
“The ASCII art style is great, and the game is fun.”
“The graphics were charming in their ASCII beauty, the gameplay was pretty solid, and the music was actually pretty catchy.”
“It isn't very hard at first, but was a little too one-dimensional in gameplay that the art style couldn't fully overcome.”
“It's certainly not a bad game, and the graphics are not without their charm, but ultimately it's nothing new.”
“Sort of like a less music-based, more RNG, simpler, even more retro aesthetic Bit Trip Runner (sans scrolling screen of course).”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with certain levels that rely heavily on luck rather than skill, particularly noting the introduction of random falling boulders in level 5 that can harm the player unexpectedly. This randomness detracts from the emotional engagement, as it can lead to feelings of helplessness and irritation.
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players note that the ability to change the typeface and color scheme in the options menu adds a unique layer of replayability, allowing for a fresh visual experience when revisiting levels. However, some users have not explored these features post-completion, leaving their full potential for enhancing replay value somewhat untested.
“In the options menu, the typeface and color scheme can be changed; I didn't try them out after finishing the game, but I guess it would be pretty neat for some form of replay value to see how the levels look when they deviate from the original default settings.”
“In the options menu, the typeface and color scheme can be changed; I didn't try them out after finishing the game. I guess it would be pretty neat for some form of replay value to see how the levels look when they deviate from the original default settings.”
“Once you complete the game, there isn't much incentive to go back. The story doesn't change, and the gameplay feels repetitive after the first playthrough.”
“The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel pointless. I found myself just going through the motions without any real motivation to experience it again.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted for being both entertaining and brief, contributing to a lighthearted experience.
“The game is also hilariously short to boot.”
“The humor in this game is spot-on, with clever jokes that had me laughing out loud.”
“I love how the characters have such witty banter; it really adds to the overall fun of the game.”
