Willful
- August 9, 2017
- Luke Vincent
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreWillful is a fast paced shooting/exploration game that takes place over ten worlds. Explore ruins, forests, other dimensions, and take down an evil organization as a small rabbit Will.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The platforming mechanics are very well tuned, providing a responsive and enjoyable experience.
- The art style and music are praised for their charm, contributing to a fun atmosphere.
- The game offers a short and simple experience that is enjoyable and easy to recommend for casual play.
- The game suffers from jank and a rushed ending, particularly with the final boss fight feeling unsatisfactory.
- Level design can be inconsistent, with some areas feeling empty or poorly thought out, leading to a lack of direction in later stages.
- Many reviewers feel the game is not worth its price, suggesting it feels more like a student project or tech demo than a polished commercial product.
- graphics8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the art style and find the visuals fun and engaging, others criticize them as basic and unpolished, noting issues like inconsistent pixel sizing. Overall, the graphics contribute to a charming experience for some, but detract from the game's quality for others.
“Very well tuned platforming, I love the art style, I love the dialog, I love how short and simple it is, it's just a great game.”
“Stage-based but like a Metroidvania, great music and fun graphics.”
“I wish more games were like this, and less pornographic achievement collecting meme simulators.”
“The graphics are basic and unpolished, with inconsistent pixel sizing, the puzzles can barely be called such, and the level design is a complete joke.”
- music8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as stage-based with a metroidvania feel, featuring a mix of great tracks and simple midis that some players found forgettable. While opinions vary, with some considering the soundtrack to be great and others finding it underwhelming, the overall experience is enhanced by fun graphics and tight controls.
“Stage-based but like a metroidvania, great music and fun graphics.”
“The controls are tight, the level design is fantastic, and the soundtrack is great.”
“The music is made up of simple midis that I've already forgotten, and I beat this game today.”
“The music ranges from okay to underwhelming.”
- story6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story follows a protagonist who escapes captivity, acquires a weapon, and embarks on a quest to confront a monster in its spaceship. While it has a clear structure and includes boss battles and diverse enemies, many reviewers feel that the narrative is simplistic and largely consists of filler content. Overall, the plot is self-contained but lacks depth beyond its basic premise.
“It has an actual structure and a self-contained story; it has boss battles and more than two types of enemies, and it uses original assets.”
“The story begins and ends there, with everything else in between essentially filler.”
“By random happenstance, he manages to escape, pick up a gun, and now he's off on a quest to journey up to this monster's spaceship and kill it.”
“It has an actual structure and a self-contained story, it has boss battles and more than two types of enemies, it uses original assets.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the game's atmosphere, noting its nostalgic qualities reminiscent of classic indie games. There is a strong desire for a metroidvania-style adaptation that emphasizes exploration and atmospheric depth, suggesting that the current development style is well-suited for such an approach.
“If I had anything to recommend to the developer, it would be to take this game and make a Metroidvania-style game with the engine, with a heavy emphasis on exploration and atmosphere. I think the way they develop is really geared towards that.”
“Though I might just like the atmosphere because it reminds me of old free indie games I used to play.”
“If I had anything to recommend to the developer, it would be to take this game and make a Metroidvania style game with the engine, with a heavy emphasis on exploration and atmosphere. I think the way they develop is really geared towards that.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Gameplay is criticized for its inconsistency, featuring unique mechanics like wraparound ceilings and floors that are not utilized effectively throughout the game. While the multiplayer versus mode adds an unexpected layer of engagement, it fails to elevate the overall experience, which many find ultimately dull. The shooting mechanics improve with upgrades, but the initial underwhelming experience leaves a mixed impression.
“Most egregiously, the passage leading up to the final level has wraparound ceilings and floors; this mechanic is never used again, not even in the level itself. There's a multiplayer versus mode, which is surprising and far more than I would ever expect a game like this to have, but it's not enough to salvage an ultimately boring game.”
“The shooting mechanics start off underwhelming but become decent later on with upgrades.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with occasional glitches and jank that do not significantly impact the player's experience. However, some players have noted that the ending can detract from the overall enjoyment.
“It's a fun experience, there's nothing about the game that is actively offensive except for some occasional glitches or jank that thankfully your character is exempt from, but the ending really left a bad taste in my mouth.”
