Puz: Downfall 2 [by Norbyte]

Game Review: Downfall 2
Release: May 26, 2003
Genre: Puzzle
Developer: Norbyte
System Requirements: 400+MHz CPU, OpenGL compatible graphics card
Price: US $14.95

Many in the shareware community (mostly the developers) like to equate the label of “shareware” with “innovation”. This sentiment always smacks of self-importance and is easily disproved by even a cursory glance at the latest shareware titles. So, after seeing recent thinly disguised press releases posing as “news” extolling the “shareware revolution” you can imagine how my heart sank when I saw I would be reviewing a falling-block game.

The developers of Downfall have decided, much like the case of Break Ball 2 (which I reviewed previously), not to mess with classic game play but to instead pack their game with every feature and variation common to the genre. The end result is a game that doesn’t really offer anything new but serves as a one-stop shopping opportunity for fans of this genre.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past decade you are probably familiar with Downfall’s gameplay. Line up 3 or more blocks of the same color in a row - horizontally, vertically or diagonally - to make them disappear while new blocks continuously fall into play. The goal is to keep clearing pieces for as long as you can until the play area fills up with unmatched blocks and the game is over.

The levels in Downfall are divided into 5 categories (classic, sub-zero, volcano, demolition and abstract) that have their own unique strategies and properties. This makes Downfall more like a collection of 5 similar games and ensures plenty of variety even for such a limited game style.

Graphics: 5
The animations for the interface and game objects are all silky smooth - but then they should be considering everything seems to be made out of 3D primitives. The resulting feel is bright and colorful yet some how lacking visual punch or personality. On the whole, the 3D graphics do the job but don’t add anything to the game. Presented in 2D, Downfall would play exactly the same.

When blocks are eliminated they fly out and when slammed into place at the bottom the whole play area will dip. For the most part this is an amusing touch but occasionally gets annoying when it causes you to be distracted or obscures the play area.

Sound: 3
Sound effects are low quality, extremely sparse and there is no in-game music. I can’t say the lack of sound detracts from the game, as there aren’t many opportunities for sound design in this style of product. But it also doesn’t add anything. Better sound would have given the game more personality.

Game play: 8
I’m giving the game play a good score with the caveat that it’s good for this type of game. While there is nothing particularly new or innovative here, Downfall is a solid game with no bugs or performance flaws that I could find. If you aren’t a fan of Tetris or Columns then Downfall certainly won’t win you over but existing loyalists won’t be disappointed.

Options: 6
Standard game play options for any game of this style. The ability to share high scores with your friends is a unique (albeit superfluous) feature and deserves to be mentioned.

Concept: 5
Recognizing classic game play and offering a complete package for fans is admirable but the time is drawing quickly where developers are going to have to offer something new to the Tetris / Columns formula beyond adding different “special blocks”. I like Downfall and had fun playing it, at the same time I can’t find anything that really makes it stand out in this already overcrowded genre.

Fun: 7
For fans of the genre, it’s more of the same. Smooth 3D animation, multiple game styles and the ability to share high score tables with your friends for bragging rights are all welcome additions. Of course, if this game style weren’t fun there wouldn’t already be thousands of clones of it.

Overall: 6
Downfall achieves its goal of recreating the classic gameplay of the products that inspired it. It’s unfortunate that the $15 price tag might doom this game to be lost in the overwhelming number of cheap or free Tetris / Columns games already polluting the net.

I have to concede that Downfall is the victim of unfortunate timing. Had I reviewed this game before the recent “indie development” publicity push I may have seen it in a more favorable light, although it would still only rate as an “average” game.

I’m not going to rip on Downfall’s developers for the shortcomings of the shareware community at large. Falling block games were once very amusing but we need to move past that and maybe actually show a little innovation instead of just writing press releases about it.

Added: August 13th 2003
Reviewer: Kyle Nau
Score:
Related Link: Norbyte Website
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