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Gibbage

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Developer: Zombie Cow
Publisher: Zombie Cow
Genre: Action > General
Released: Apr 09, 2006
Players: 2

Picture Lode Runner, Mega Man, Super Metroid (from the snes), Lemmings, and Team 17's original Worms, and tossing them into a blender; the smooth mixture of the fore-mentioned content would equal Dan Marshall�€™s two year project, Gibbage. After starting this game up and sitting through the loading screen, I had no idea what to expect. When the gibbage title screen came up in its animated way, with the theme song blaring in an all-out manner of self-important jolly, I laughed. I laughed in a good way, of course. Gibbage is a game that takes wacky mannerisms related to thematic circumstances, and tosses them into this deathmatch fray of cartoonish visuals and over-the-top weaponry.

The first five minutes were a bit confusing because I thought I could skip the tutorial. Yet unlike other games, the tutorial in Gibbage is actually quite enlightening. Simply, the tutorial explains how to play the game, and how to play the game effectively. Now, even though the tutorial takes less than three minutes to explain itself, there�€™s hours upon hours of content in this game. First, let me run you through the basics of how the game is played:

First a couple of teams need to be created so they can be assigned to either player one or player two. Once a stage is selected and the game is started, it�€™s time to duke it out on the battle field against another player or against the CPU. More stages can be unlocked as you complete them. Instead of this just being a deathmatch, though, players must defeat their opponent by obtaining power-cubes. You can still defeat your opponents by simply shooting them till their gib litters the entire play area. However, attaining power-cubes that fall from the sky onto random parts of the arena is the best way to defeat opponents. Preventing foes from picking up and taking the power-cubes back to their base usually works better than trying to frag them into defeat. The real gimmick, is that once you lose power, you lose. The power bar is constantly counting down, and that�€™s why players must bring back power-cubes to keep their power-station activated.

There�€™s 27 battle arenas, each with their own dynamic look, and some, featuring deadly hazards. The arenas play a big role in making or breaking your success in a duel. From battling on fast moving trains, to trading gunfire over hazardous lava pits, this game marks a milestone on arena features. Players will also traverse the likes of mine-fields, where every step could set off the land mines. There�€™s an ice cavern with dangerously icy platforms. Jungles are present, with monkeys that hop down and grab up power-cubes. In one stage, natives will nab up items if they get too close. Gas pits, and space stations are also part of the mix. The space station�€™s force fields and low gravity change a lot of how the duel will pan out. A really neat stage was a dance club where the dueling clones could use the party-goers as human shields. Running and sliding on the floor like in a John Woo film and shooting in the crowded club was tons of fun.

The weapons and power-ups also play a large part in Dan Marshall�€™s, Gibbage: Laser zappers, plasma rifles, homing missiles, step-mines, and rapid fire machine guns are among the discoverable weapons. Other power-ups include bullet-time, a feature that slows your opponent so they move as if they�€™re in bullet-time. There was also the dispersal of your opponent�€™s arms. It�€™s as insane as it seems. Literally, the power-up takes their arms away, and they can�€™t shoot or pick things up. Another power-up included magnetic charges that sucked power-cubes closer to the player, and there was also a 1-hit kill special. Among the power-ups, weapons, and stage hazards, players can also execute various jumping, sliding, and dodging techniques to help avoid an otherwise immediate death.

Graphics:
At first, I wasn�€™t sure what to make of the game graphically. But after experiencing more of the battle arenas, seeing the power-ups in action, and tossing a couple of mines around, I realized exactly how the game was being presented. For those of you out there who ever played Epic�€™s Jetpack games, you might have an idea of how this game might look. Only, Gibbage is done in a much bigger way; more animations, explosions, and action litter the screen. The cartoon backgrounds and rich colors paid off well for this game.

Sound:
The audio aspects of Gibbage are probably one of the most impressive elements of the game. The music is exceptionally well composed. The fast-paced and hard hitting soundtrack was done in a way to keep the action on-screen well motivated. The theme song is great and the rest of the soundtrack comes off with superb professionalism. The gun sounds, the power-up effects, and even the arena audio is well placed and adds to the pulse-pounding action.

Gameplay:
Running from one end of an arena to the other while the ground explodes, rock music is blaring, and your opponent is helpless with no arms, is nothing short of exhilarating. The inclusion of unforeseen obstacles like exploding barrels or monkeys who snag power-cubes only adds to the fray. The later stages really get wild and will be sure to keep duels against humans or the CPU, exciting and fun.

Concept:
Loderunner and Megman: The Power Battles might come to mind based on the description of this game. However, this game is neither of those games. The one-on-one bouts don�€™t pit players against anyone else, except for maybe the stage related hazards. There are no puzzle elements involved, other than running around and collecting power-cubes. That�€™s not to mention, the massive amounts of gib that litters the arenas. I can only imagine that the name was coined from the massive Gibbage that dynamically spills across the arenas. In various arenas with altered physics, the gib rolls, splats, and spews accordingly. It�€™s real nice.

Value:
Whether it�€™s replay or price, this game falls into a category that very few other games dare to follow. Why? I don�€™t know. But Dan Marshall�€™s Gibbage is a relentless take on dueling death matching with a great sense of what makes battling a friend, fun.

Recommendation:
If any of the previous reasons don�€™t incline you to want this game, I can�€™t imagine what would. For quick duels and fast-paced action, gibbage is a game that�€™ll occupy many of your waking hours.

By: William Usher
Posted: Tuesday July 04, 2006