Quickly, Quackley!
- June 9, 2021
- JXT
"Quickly, Quackley!" is a fast-paced, quack-filled game where players must help Quackley gather his lost ducklings in a chaotic, procedurally generated world. With various obstacles, enemies, and power-ups, each level offers a unique challenge. The game features charming pixel art and chiptune music, providing a nostalgic experience with modern twists.
Reviews
- Quickly, Quackley offers a nostalgic ZX Spectrum aesthetic with charming visuals and a fitting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- The game features tight, responsive controls and a well-designed difficulty curve, making it enjoyable for both casual players and speedrunners.
- Levels are short and designed for quick retries, allowing players to learn from their mistakes and feel a sense of accomplishment with each completion.
- The game lacks a button configuration option, which can be inconvenient for players using different controllers or setups.
- Some mechanics, such as the wall jump and down dash, can feel unintuitive and may favor controller players over keyboard users.
- The game is relatively short, with the main campaign completed in about 90 minutes, which may leave some players wanting more content.
- music17 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 12 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its fitting homage to the ZX Spectrum era, with a unique and engaging soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight its charm, creativity, and ability to complement the game's aesthetic, making it a standout feature that resonates well with players, even if the style may not be universally appealing. Overall, the music is described as enjoyable, memorable, and integral to the game's atmosphere.
“The visuals really represent the home computer scene in the UK in the 80s and is a good homage to the era, plus the music is spot on as well with the theme.”
“The soundtrack and art are awesome and have a ton of personality.”
“The music is incredible and doesn't get repetitive.”
“The music is not the kind of music I would listen to, but it's good.”
“The music is not the kind of music I would listen to, but it's good.”
“As always, Jay makes music that stands out from a harmonic standpoint: a lot of weird chords, but they really work and feel like they were meant to be there.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are a nostalgic homage to 1980s home computer systems, particularly the ZX Spectrum, Atari 2600, and Commodore 64, featuring a vibrant color palette and clean lines that evoke a classic platformer aesthetic. Players appreciate the fluid movement and tight controls, which enhance the retro experience, while the visuals and sound design reflect a strong effort from the developers to capture the essence of the era. Overall, the game's retro art style and aesthetic have resonated well with fans, creating a sense of nostalgia even for those who did not experience the original systems.
“The visuals really represent the home computer scene in the UK in the 80s and is a good homage to the era. Plus, the music is spot on as well with the theme.”
“I really like the retro art style - you can really tell that the devs put a lot of effort into the game's visuals, sound, and maneuverability.”
“Its graphics are reminiscent of ancient games on home computer systems of the 1980s such as the Atari 2600, Commodore 64, and (the developer's personal inspiration) the ZX Spectrum system.”
“Though its graphics are very retro, the movement is very fluid.”
“Qq (quickly, quackley!) really is the Shovel Knight of the ZX Spectrum; the aesthetic feels like I could be playing the game on the ZX Spectrum.”
- story5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The story of the game is light and humorous, effectively complementing the fast-paced gameplay and enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate its engaging narrative, which adds value to the game despite its short length, making it a worthwhile aspect of the game.
“The story has humor that cools you down before the next world.”
“A short, fast masochistic platformer that tickled me more with its radioactive pixels and energetic frame story.”
“However, the three-something I paid was fully worth the price of admission to the story mode.”
“The light story also complements the gameplay.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its challenging mechanics that, while polarizing for some players, are clearly defined and contribute to a unique experience. The light story enhances the overall gameplay, providing context and motivation for progression.
“It does a really good job of being tough as hell but always being clear about what you need to do to progress, while also feeling familiar yet having a unique feel to the gameplay.”
“I personally don't like this mechanic, though I understand that it's the developers' prerogative.”
“The light story also complements the gameplay.”
“The game does a really good job of being tough but always makes it clear what you need to do to progress, while feeling familiar yet unique in its gameplay.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "quackley" is highlighted as a strong point, complementing its unique visual style and minimalistic precision platforming. While some levels may be frustrating, the overall comedic elements enhance the experience, making it a recommended choice for fans of platformers and humorous narratives.
“Quickly, Quackley is a minimalistic precision platformer with a really unique visual style and tons of good humor.”
“There is also quite a bit of humor in this game, which I think is great.”
“Some levels were maybe a bit too frustrating, but overall I'd recommend this game to anyone that enjoys platformers and funny stories.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the replayability of the game, noting that the inclusion of speedrun and time trial modes after completion provides opportunities for practice and encourages revisiting the game.
“Speedrun and time trial modes are accessible after game completion, allowing you to practice and add some replay value.”
“The game offers multiple endings and branching storylines, encouraging players to replay and explore different choices.”
“With a variety of character builds and strategies, each playthrough feels unique and keeps you coming back for more.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel pointless.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
“The limited variety in gameplay mechanics means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than a fun experience.”