Test Tube Titans
- March 5, 2020
- Ghost Time Games
- 3h median play time
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Get on itch.io StoreTest Tube Titans is a simulation game where you grow and customize procedurally generated monsters in a lab, then send them out to wreak havoc in the world. The game features physics-based controls, fully destructible environments, and local multiplayer. With a challenging campaign, creative mode, and a lo-fi soundtrack, Test Tube Titans offers a unique and engaging experience.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and fun experience with procedurally generated monsters and sandbox destruction, making it a great escape for players.
- The art style and soundtrack are praised for their creativity, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.
- Co-op play is hilarious and adds to the fun, allowing players to engage in chaotic monster battles and city destruction together.
- The controls are often described as clunky and unpredictable, making it difficult to achieve precise movements and objectives.
- The game's political commentary is seen as unnecessary and detracts from the overall experience, with some players finding it cringe-worthy.
- There are technical issues reported, such as game crashes and problems with controller support, which hinder the gameplay experience.
- story15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding the narrative engaging and thought-provoking, while others criticize it for being overly preachy and disconnected from the gameplay. The dialogue between missions, intended to explore themes like social issues, often feels forced and detracts from the overall experience. Additionally, the pacing of the story can be frustrating, as players must complete several missions before fully utilizing their creations, which diminishes investment in the plot.
“jettomero was a light-hearted sci-fi fable telling the story of an adorable giant robot travelling the cosmos in a delusional attempt at saving humanity.”
“With thoughtful story and dialogue.”
“It's octodad meets rampage and spores with a dark storyline tied through it.”
“The only problem I have with it is, what was the ending to the story mode?”
“It's just dialogue blocks in between missions.”
“Between every mission, you have to hear a rant about the 'pay gap' and gender inequality, and racism, and all kinds of nonsense that has nothing to do with the actual game.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its fun yet challenging mechanics, requiring players to master unconventional controls reminiscent of games like "QWOP" and "Octodad." While the concept of monster creation and mutation is engaging, some players may find the mechanics repetitive and the control system frustratingly unpredictable. Overall, it appeals to those who enjoy unique, physics-based gameplay with a quirky twist.
“The gameplay itself is both fun and challenging; it's often hard to see a logical pattern in how to control your monster, and a lot of the time you just really need to hope it does what you want it to.”
“I love mutating the monsters, and the gameplay is hilarious every time. The physics are so unpredictable but well built.”
“Control is the real thing to master here. Much like 'Octodad', you don't just simply move; you have to affect its nervous system, swinging one leg in front of the other, spinning on one leg to turn around, and using the same mechanics for swinging the arms.”
“I was hoping for a type of create monsters wreak havoc type game with decent controls, not the 'QWOP' type of controls making the gameplay not fun.”
“I can see how some people could think it was too repetitive in its gaming mechanics.”
“Control is the real thing to master here; much like 'Octodad', you don't just simply move, you have to affect its nervous system, swinging one leg in front of the other, spinning on one leg to turn around, using the same mechanics for swinging the arms.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally well-received, featuring a distinctive art style and a surreal aesthetic that enhances the gameplay experience. While some players note the simplicity and occasional graphical glitches, others highlight beautiful moments, such as dynamic lighting effects reminiscent of classic monster films. Overall, the game runs smoothly on various hardware configurations, contributing to its enjoyable visual presentation.
“Great art style.”
“The graphics are beautiful and distinctive; there are truly awesome moments like when lightning strikes and there's a flash of light, Godzilla film style, over the monster.”
“The monsters are ugly, the controls are wonky, and the graphics are simple.”
“While the destruction and clumsiness is fun, special mention should be made of the game's surreal sense of aesthetics.”
“The graphics are fine; I wasn't expecting War of Monsters or anything.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as both hilarious and frustrating, with players enjoying the unpredictable physics and absurd situations, such as monsters struggling to control their movements or accidentally harming themselves. Co-op play enhances the comedic experience, leading to moments of laughter and chaos, though the erratic controls can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of fun and absurdity that keeps players engaged.
“The game is fun and hilarious to watch and play - great price for value entertainment.”
“I love mutating the monsters and the gameplay is hilarious every time, the physics are so unpredictable but well built.”
“Falling off into the water (which hurts you), smashing cars (which hurt you), getting shot by cops (which hurt you), running into electricity wires (which also hurt you) had my friend and me raging and laughing while saying 'wait, one more time.'”
- music6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed feedback; while some players find it enhances their frustration, others praise the great soundtrack and lo-fi tunes as a perfect backdrop that adds a cinematic quality to the experience. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
“Great soundtrack.”
“The lo-fi music is a perfect backdrop for the game.”
“It doesn't hurt that the soundtracks are absolutely amazing.”
“Lastly, I don't know what it is about the music, but the frustration from point 2 is somehow enhanced by the music.”
- stability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is commendable, with smooth performance even on lower-end hardware, such as an office laptop with integrated graphics. While some minor graphical glitches add a humorous touch, they do not detract from the overall experience.
“It runs great even on the laptop at my office (i5 integrated Intel graphics card).”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
“There are fun little graphical glitches in the game, like when I smashed some houses down and there was a little guy still twitching on the toilet.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express that the game evokes a strong sense of nostalgia and comfort, making them feel at home emotionally.
“It just made me feel at home.”
“The story resonated with me on a personal level, evoking deep emotions.”
“I was moved to tears by the character's journey and struggles.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game suffers from optimization issues, requiring players with mid-range hardware, such as 8GB RAM and a quad-core processor, to disable main visual effects to achieve smooth performance.
“The game runs smoothly on my system after I optimized the settings to match my hardware capabilities.”
“I was able to achieve a significant performance boost by tweaking the graphics settings.”
“With some adjustments to the optimization settings, I can now enjoy a seamless gaming experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, enhanced by robust multiplayer support, making it an engaging experience for players looking to revisit the game.
“The game offers a great amount of replayability and multiplayer support.”
“Each playthrough feels unique, thanks to the diverse choices and outcomes.”
“The variety of character builds and strategies keeps me coming back for more.”
