Smith and Winston
- October 12, 2018
- Execution Unit
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Get on itch.io Store"Smith and Winston" is a Metroidvania style exploration game with twin-stick shooter combat. As the hapless mercenaries Smith or Winston, you'll explore a shattered ring world, uncovering secrets and battling enemies using a variety of weapons and power-ups. The hand-crafted levels offer a challenging experience with a focus on dexterity and evasion. * Metroidvania style exploration with twin-stick shooter combat * Hand-crafted levels with a focus on evasion and dexterity * Variety of weapons and power-ups to use against enemies and obstacles
Reviews
- The game features enjoyable twin-stick shooter mechanics with a focus on destructible environments and exploration.
- It has a charming voxel art style and humorous NPC interactions that enhance the overall experience.
- The game encourages high scores and replayability with numerous collectibles and hidden secrets to discover.
- The death mechanics can be punishing, with frequent resets of progress and points for falling off edges or making mistakes.
- Camera controls are problematic, leading to motion sickness and obscured views during gameplay.
- There is a lack of variety in upgrades and weapons, which can make combat feel repetitive and limit player progression.
- gameplay3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by easy-to-pick mechanics and a smooth flow, making it enjoyable, especially on Linux. However, players note that levels can become repetitive due to minimal gameplay variation despite visual differences, and the death mechanics can be frustrating. Overall, the vibrant graphics enhance the experience, but the lack of diverse gameplay elements may limit long-term engagement.
“This is a very fun game that works exceptionally well on Linux, with really easy-to-pick gameplay, great game flow, and nice vibrant colorful graphics.”
“The death mechanics are frustrating; you can easily fall off the edge.”
“Levels become repetitive quickly, as the visual differences have little impact on gameplay; most 'stuff' is just destructible or not, with only different colors.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features well-executed voxel-style graphics that create a consistent and appealing art style, complemented by vibrant colors. The visuals enhance the fun gameplay experience, particularly in its destructible environments, making it visually engaging and enjoyable.
“A short but fun overhead shooter with an emphasis on voxel visuals and destructibility.”
“The voxel-style graphics are done well, featuring a very consistent and cool art style.”
“This is a very fun game that works exceptionally well on Linux, with really easy-to-pick gameplay, great game flow, and nice vibrant colorful graphics.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the presence of amusing NPCs, particularly a snarky ship computer that provides entertaining commentary throughout the gameplay. Players appreciate the witty interactions that add a lighthearted touch to the experience.
“The funny NPCs (AI) provide hilarious comments from time to time.”
“The snarky ship computer adds a great touch of humor.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users indicate that achieving instability in games typically requires intentional manipulation, such as exploiting corruptions, data mining, or utilizing glitches, rather than encountering inherent stability issues during regular gameplay.
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I experienced constant lag and stuttering, which ruined the overall experience.”
“There are numerous bugs that disrupt gameplay, leading to frustrating moments.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the replayability of the game, noting that the lack of highlighted elements encourages personal discovery and exploration, which can lead to missed opportunities and secrets. This design choice enhances the incentive to replay the game to uncover all its hidden features and pathways.
“The game encourages your own discovery, with elements that aren't highlighted, meaning you might miss some extra keys to open other portals. This adds to the overall replayability.”
“Each playthrough offers new surprises and challenges, making it a game you can return to time and again.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes ensures that no two playthroughs are the same, significantly enhancing its replayability.”
“The game lacks significant changes in subsequent playthroughs, making it feel repetitive rather than engaging.”
“While there are some hidden elements, the overall experience doesn't offer enough variety to warrant multiple playthroughs.”
“The absence of meaningful choices and consequences leads to a lack of incentive to replay the game.”
