Splasher
- September 27, 2017
- Dear Villagers
- 4h median play time
A new (and refreshing) take on one of the oldest genres
Get on Steam
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Get on Xbox Games Store"Splasher is a single-player comedy shooter game with unique arcade/action gameplay and a cartoonish aesthetic. As a hero armed with a paint cannon, players must save workers and battle the factory's evil boss across challenging levels, using different paint colors for superpowers in time attack and speedrun modes."
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Linux
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Splasher features tight controls and innovative mechanics that make platforming feel fluid and satisfying.
- The game offers a well-designed difficulty curve, with levels that progressively introduce new challenges and mechanics, keeping the gameplay fresh and engaging.
- It has a strong emphasis on speedrunning, providing various modes and collectibles that enhance replayability and encourage players to improve their skills.
- Performance issues, including lag spikes, can hinder gameplay, especially during time trials where precision is crucial.
- The controls can feel imprecise at times, particularly with the aiming mechanics being tied to the same stick as movement, leading to frustrating moments.
- Some players find the game repetitive after a while, with similar level designs and a lack of variety in enemies and environments.
- gameplay64 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is widely praised for its tight controls, innovative mechanics, and engaging level design, reminiscent of classic platformers like Super Meat Boy and Celeste. Players appreciate the balance of challenge and fairness, with a steady introduction of new mechanics that keep the experience fresh and enjoyable. While some critiques mention issues like input lag and repetitive art styles, the overall consensus highlights the game's fun, fast-paced nature and its appeal for speedrunning enthusiasts.
“It is an absolute joy all around from the great gameplay, challenging but fair level designs, great art, and good music.”
“The gameplay is akin to the likes of Super Meat Boy and Celeste but with a bit more going on. In addition to traditional running and jumping, there are three sprays to control: water, red ink, and yellow ink. These three are absolutely integral to the gameplay, and the game slowly introduces these mechanics to allow the player to get accustomed to them.”
“All mechanics introduced are intuitive and flawlessly play into the flow of its gameplay, instead of going for frustrating jumps with extreme sliding. Generous platforming windows and great level design keep its fast-paced rhythm, only testing your ability to internalize the three simple mechanics that the game gives you and execute them.”
“A promising start to the game... but it flops horribly when it forces you to fight questionable game mechanics, terrible controls, input lag, and mean-spirited 'nothing other than perfection allowed' level design, not just on a timer but a timer with rubber banding.”
“But the basic gameplay always remains the same: you can jump and shoot the fluids.”
“Though there isn’t a whole lot to write home about when it comes to the presentation, the core gameplay is more than enough to keep you engaged.”
- music25 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its fit with the game's atmosphere and level design, while others find it repetitive and lacking in engagement. Notably, several reviews highlight standout tracks that enhance the gameplay experience, particularly during challenging moments. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally pleasant and complements the visuals, it may not leave a lasting impression for all players.
“It is an absolute joy all around from the great gameplay, challenging but fair level designs, great art, and good music.”
“The music keeps up with the presentation, and the art assets have a style all their own.”
“The techno synth heavy music never gets old and always aided in the gameplay and helped me push forward through some tougher bits.”
“Challenging platformer with unique ideas, but the soundtrack is lacking.”
“Pair that with a mind-numbingly boring soundtrack, and you got the perfect concoction for one of the most unsatisfying experiences you could have with a platformer of this nature.”
“The gameplay is this game's biggest strong suit honestly, but without any real engaging enemies, a repetitive art style, and barely any sense of a soundtrack.”
- graphics21 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful and stylish design, featuring vibrant colors and a unique art style that sets it apart from other 2D platformers. While some reviewers noted a repetitive art style and a lack of engaging enemies, the overall visual presentation is considered charming and appealing, contributing positively to the gameplay experience. The clean aesthetic and attention to detail enhance the game's identity, making it visually entertaining despite some mixed opinions on specific artistic choices.
“The graphics are beautiful and incredibly stylish; enemies stick out, the inks are clear to see in advance. The game also has various different level types, keeping the visuals fresh. Albeit some of them repeat, it's still enough to visually keep things entertaining.”
“I also absolutely loved the art style and art direction of the game; it really helped to give it its own unique identity in comparison to other 2D platformers.”
“Gorgeous art style; lots of vibrant colors and attention to detail in the environment.”
“The gameplay is this game's biggest strong suit honestly, but without any real engaging enemies, a repetitive art style, and barely any sense of a soundtrack.”
“I'm fully aware that story and visuals are not the main appeal of this kind of game, but it goes a long way in making more people interested in the genre and giving your game some sort of personality.”
“I'm not a huge fan of the art style—the general flatness and large spans of solid color remind me too much of a free flash game, which cheapens the experience for me.”
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's story is light and serves primarily as a backdrop to the gameplay, featuring humorous elements and a quirky narrative about a villain kidnapping workers for experiments. While the story is not the main focus, it adds personality and flavor to the experience, though some players note it feels more like an introduction than a fully developed plot. Overall, the narrative enhances the fun, but the game is primarily designed for time attack and speedrun enthusiasts.
“There's a spreading of story layered on top, not enough to hide what it is, but enough to add a good bit of flavor to the game, and sprinkled sparingly throughout is a nice touch of humor.”
“And this is less of a story and more of an introduction of what you’ll see at Inkorp because this game is very funny in its style and ambiance, and you’ll find out quickly that this game doesn’t take itself seriously in the way that you die and interact with the enemies.”
“The only story you get is less of a cutscene and more of a string of pictures telling you how the boss at Inkorp has kidnapped their workers and is doing crazy scientific experiments on them.”
“And this is less of a story and more of an introduction to what you’ll see at Inkorp because this game is very funny in its style and ambiance, and you’ll find out quickly that this game doesn’t take itself seriously in the way that you die and interact with the enemies.”
“I'm fully aware that story and visuals are not the main appeal of this kind of game, but it goes a long way in making more people interested in the genre and giving your game some sort of personality.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability through various modes, including collectibles, time trials, and multiple speedrun options, catering to players seeking increased challenges. With a solid amount of content and the opportunity to earn medals, players can enjoy hours of engaging gameplay while striving to improve their performance and climb leaderboards. Overall, it is well-designed for those who appreciate replay value in platformers.
“For those who seek more of a challenge, it has collectibles, time trials, and speedrun modes that ramp up the difficulty and its replayability.”
“Speedrunning is where the game shines for replay value, and you will die... a lot... trying to climb the leaderboard.”
“All told, Splasher is a smartly designed, tight platformer that offers up hours of replay value on top of the creative ideas it delivers.”
“That isn't to say that Splasher is an especially short game, or that it's lacking material--on the contrary, between the 'normal' game and the various speedrun modes/medals to earn, there's a decent amount of replayability to the game.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its dark and playful tone, effectively complementing the creative art style and engaging gameplay. Players appreciate the clever integration of comedic elements, which add a lighthearted touch to the challenging platforming experience, making it both entertaining and enjoyable. Overall, the humor serves as a delightful enhancement to the game's atmosphere and narrative.
“If you want a fairly challenging 2D platformer with a really cool art style and a dark sense of humor, pick this one up!”
“Splasher is a fun and creative platformer with a hilarious style and top-notch music.”
“This game is very funny in its style and ambiance, and you'll find out quickly that it doesn't take itself seriously in the way that you die and interact with the enemies.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for poor performance on systems that handle other 2D platformers without issues. However, it introduces unique mechanics that enhance speedrunning strategies.
“This mechanic adds a lot of interesting optimizations into a speedrun.”
“The game's optimization features allow for a smoother gameplay experience.”
“I love how the optimization options let me tailor my strategy for maximum efficiency.”
“Performance is pretty bad on a computer that has no issues with any other 2D platformer.”
“The game frequently stutters and lags, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I expected better optimization; the frame rate drops significantly even on mid-range hardware.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game challenging yet enjoyable due to excellent level design; however, many feel that the requirement to collect certain items to progress can make the experience feel unnecessarily tedious rather than genuinely difficult.
“Grinding is challenging but not tedious, thanks to the awesome level design.”
“The grind feels rewarding and engaging, making each level worth the effort.”
“I appreciate how the game balances grinding with exciting gameplay elements.”
“I feel like it's unnecessarily locked behind these collectibles just to increase the lifespan of the game. Any hardcore platformer player could get through these levels easily, and having to collect these workers and golden ink feels more tedious than actually difficult.”
“The grinding in this game is excessive and feels like a chore rather than a challenge. It detracts from the overall enjoyment and makes progress feel artificially prolonged.”
“I find the grinding mechanics to be frustratingly repetitive. Instead of enhancing the gameplay, it just feels like a way to stretch out the game time without adding any real value.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates excellent stability, with fluid controls and a seamless level design that enhances the overall gameplay experience. Users report no significant bugs, contributing to a smooth and enjoyable flow throughout.
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight the atmosphere as a strong point of the game, noting it complements the engaging mechanics effectively.
“The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into the game's world.”
“The haunting soundtrack and detailed environments create a captivating atmosphere.”
“Every element of the game contributes to a rich and engaging atmosphere.”
Critic Reviews
Splasher Review
If you love a challenge, and appreciate fantastic level design, this is most definitely for you.
80%Splasher Review
Splasher is a creative, fun, and competent 2D platformer. It takes a gimmick and runs with it as far as it possibly can in the best way possible. It keeps the player interested and the difficulty curve fair by slowly feeding new tools to change the environment and gameplay, ensuring the game stays fresh towards the end. It is, however, on the short end, and a special world with extremely challenging stages at the end of the game would not have hurt it at all. That said, when the only complaint is that the player is left wishing for more, even after a filling meal, it is a great testament to how good and solid Splasher truly is.
80%Splasher Review
When someone mentions a particular genre, there are normally a few amazing games that come to mind. With platformers, we normally think of Super Meat Boy, LIMBO, Rayman Legends, or Braid. It’s incredibly hard to break into this top tier list, especially with the huge influx of games lately, but Splasher is making one hell of an argument for being added into the big league.
90%
