101 Ways to Die: Splatts of Gore-Filled Booby-Traps
Company: Vision Games Publishing Limited
Developer Four Door Lemon is preparing to release its new title, 101 Ways to Die, on multiple platforms, including Steam, Xbox One, and PS4. While this may sound like a miniature version of the long-running Spike TV show of a similar name (1000 Ways to Die), 101 Ways to Die appears to actually be a clever take on a beloved franchise of yesteryear called Lemmings, with the added twist of being a bit demented. At the center of all of this is Professor Ernst Splattunfuder, a mad scientist fixated on learning how to best dispatch his enemies with as many deadly booby-traps as he can devise. Your job is to help him realize his dream.
To accomplish this, Professor Splattunfuder has diabolically created a bunch of evil henchmen, known as Splatts, which are merely there to serve one heinous purpose… to die incredibly painful deaths in a number of stylish ways. You see, the purpose of 101 Ways to Die is quite simple indeed. It is your job to guide the Splatts to meet their demise by leading them into monstrous deaths, whether it be by impalement, crushing, burning, or a number of other untimely circumstances. At the end of the day, points will be earned for timing and the epic-ness of the deaths, including specific combos that ambush the Splatts as they work their way to safety.
Think of 101 Ways to Die as the complete opposite mission to what Lemmings accomplished in the 1990's. While the latter were cute little guys that were worthy of saving, the former focuses on the Splatts, the real stars of the game, who are meant to be led to the slaughter. Each level contains somewhat unique challenges, and tends to build upon the previous by adding new tricks for luring the henchmen into precarious situations. When successful, all goals of the level are earned and the next level unlocks. Along the way, players are treated with nice lighting and enough detail in the graphics to make playing the game visually enjoyable. The background music and sound fx also work well, providing a creepy atmosphere that helps drive the visuals, yet doesn’t get annoying.
101 Ways to Die borrows a little bit from games of today to put a twist on a game of the past. For those of you old enough to appreciate Lemmings, you may also get a kick out of 101 Ways to Die… providing your mind is in a completely different place. With animated blood and guts abounding, this one may turn out to be a fun time killer for anyone who likes physics-based puzzle games with a gruesome twist.
-Woody, GameVortex Communications AKA Shane Wodele
Related Links: Official Website of 101 Ways to Die Game Vortex's Review of Lemmings on PSP
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