Crazy Evil Laptop is a simple puzzle/action platformer where you play the role of a crazed laptop, decided to destroy every human on its way. The problem, though, is that humans are well equipped with errors that can destroy even the bravest of laptops. So careful! Avoid those pesky humans!
Controls pretty slidy, it's pretty hard in level 3 or 4 or so to jump up between two tiles without just jamming your "head" against one and not getting through. And the moving platform bits... aghhh. Love the art, reminds me of ye olde days.
The game's idea is interesting (though not very innovative - it does little to differentiate itself from DOS-era puzzle platformers), but I did have some issues with the game.
As others have mentioned, the controls are very slippery, which makes precise platforming difficult.
The effects of the switches are not always clear, and this mainly presents a problem in this level: http://i.xomf.com/zfnpk.png. You keep pushing the button, but the blocks seem to move almost randomly in response (there is a pattern, but it took a long time to find it - it was especially confusing due to all other buttons toggling between two states instead of six or so).
The level after that was what made me gave up on the game, though: http://i.xomf.com/xrbzs.png. Clearly there is a puzzle there, but as you're thinking about the puzzle you are hit by errors leaving you absolutely no time to think (as death means you have to start all over from the beginning). There's no clear way to dodge the errors (looking at the readme you could apparently duck, but I had no idea at the time, and many other players will likely face the same problem), and if you try to move forward to seek shelter from the errors you screw up the puzzle - and get hit by even more errors.
The sound also felt very repetitive and became grating after a while.
On the other hand, I did like the graphics, and the idea to start by bashing your keyboard was nice.
I'm aware of the many issues with this game. Unfortunately I didn't have enough time left to balance everything properly, so as it is now it is extremely hard to finish it. It is possible though, but I doubt anyone will have the dedication to actually do it.
Probably the most annoying thing, even more than the slipperiness and the oddness of puzzles (and believe me when I say even I don't know the exact logic behind those moving blocks, I was half sleeping when I was coding that :D) are a few jumping puzzles about half-way through the game, where you have to jump on a block that is right above you. Turns out it's insanely difficult to do so. It's possible by trial and error or by using a weird trick where you position yourself on the edge of the block, duck, release duck, wait half a second and then jump and turn at the same time (it took me a while to figure this out, it's still hard though).
If you run out of lives too quickly, you can use the cheat code - press I, B and M keys together to gain an extra life.
@VDZ: actually you can finish that level by running straight ahead and jumping across to the finishing point. You lose a life, but you get through. The rest of the level was meant to be a puzzle but in the end I just left it there to be a distraction.
Anyway thanks to everyone for comments! And thanks for playing!
The controls felt very slippery indeed. The graphics are charming, and I like the DOS-feeling sound effects :) Missing music though! Where are my chiptunes?
I ran into the same kind of trouble as VDZ with the switches. It took me a lot of time to figure that level out. And I gave up at the same level as him.
I really understand the balancing issues though - I barely had time to play my game myself!
The game is obviously made in retrospective style and with that I mean - grapihcs, sounds and difficulty - I really loved that. Game is really great except the problems most of commentators already mentioned.
This game is charming, but it does have some control issues. The jumps feel a bit too abrupt, and the controls a bit slidey. I enjoy the story / theme here too, though I could see the users being just as villainous with their nasty logic errors. :p
Really cool, reminded me of some great dos games like command keen back in the day. It would be nice if you didn't have to start at the beginning when you die though.
I fear this is one of those games that only its parents can truly love :) I was a NES adept so of course shunned all DOS games so this is a nice peek into another past for me.
Comments26
As others have mentioned, the controls are very slippery, which makes precise platforming difficult.
The effects of the switches are not always clear, and this mainly presents a problem in this level: http://i.xomf.com/zfnpk.png. You keep pushing the button, but the blocks seem to move almost randomly in response (there is a pattern, but it took a long time to find it - it was especially confusing due to all other buttons toggling between two states instead of six or so).
The level after that was what made me gave up on the game, though: http://i.xomf.com/xrbzs.png. Clearly there is a puzzle there, but as you're thinking about the puzzle you are hit by errors leaving you absolutely no time to think (as death means you have to start all over from the beginning). There's no clear way to dodge the errors (looking at the readme you could apparently duck, but I had no idea at the time, and many other players will likely face the same problem), and if you try to move forward to seek shelter from the errors you screw up the puzzle - and get hit by even more errors.
The sound also felt very repetitive and became grating after a while.
On the other hand, I did like the graphics, and the idea to start by bashing your keyboard was nice.
Probably the most annoying thing, even more than the slipperiness and the oddness of puzzles (and believe me when I say even I don't know the exact logic behind those moving blocks, I was half sleeping when I was coding that :D) are a few jumping puzzles about half-way through the game, where you have to jump on a block that is right above you. Turns out it's insanely difficult to do so. It's possible by trial and error or by using a weird trick where you position yourself on the edge of the block, duck, release duck, wait half a second and then jump and turn at the same time (it took me a while to figure this out, it's still hard though).
If you run out of lives too quickly, you can use the cheat code - press I, B and M keys together to gain an extra life.
@VDZ: actually you can finish that level by running straight ahead and jumping across to the finishing point. You lose a life, but you get through. The rest of the level was meant to be a puzzle but in the end I just left it there to be a distraction.
Anyway thanks to everyone for comments! And thanks for playing!
Missing music though! Where are my chiptunes?
I ran into the same kind of trouble as VDZ with the switches. It took me a lot of time to figure that level out. And I gave up at the same level as him.
I really understand the balancing issues though - I barely had time to play my game myself!
Good job, you did well :)
If anyone is interested, here is a video of how I beat my own game (no cheats): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9MUukcCZrk
It's clear from the video that some levels are very frustrating. :D
I was a NES adept so of course shunned all DOS games so this is a nice peek into another past for me.
I enjoyed this, even though platformers aren't really my thing. The aesthetic is great.