PixlBit

With hundreds of new indie games spilling onto the scene each month, it's easy to overlook some of the more deserving but obscure titles. Thus, this blog.

 

Noyd--Xbox Live Indie Marketplace--Bog Turtle Games LLC

Gaming is a remarkably fluid medium—despite naysayer claims that the pastime is becoming creatively bankrupt, new ideas and experimental genres are emerging all the time. Especially popular is what I term the “compulsion genre”—games that are so brutally difficult, gamers are compelled to play them anyway, whether for bragging rights or personal satisfaction. And Noyd, a game designed to be as maddeningly challenging as possible, reflects this philosophy perfectly.

But perhaps “obnoxiously challenging” is a more adequate descriptor, as the game is not difficult in the same manner Spelunky or Super Meat Boy humble their players; while those titles are tough but arguably fair, Noyd revels in the outright sabotaging of the player whenever possible. This is accomplished through the devious “Noyd” himself—a wisecracking, maniacal emoticon intent on winning at all costs. And win he will; across a collection of retro-style challenges, he will constantly tamper with the mechanics of the game to give himself the advantage. Think of him as the anti-Game Genie. Instead of increasing one’s chances at success, he steals them away.

Thwarting Noyd unlocks more games, but most gamers will probably resort to using the "unlock everything" option.

Not following? Take Noyd’s version of Pong (or “Bink Versus Bonk” as he calls it). Should the player dare score, Noyd then adjusts the physics of the ball, causing it to behave less predictably. Score again and Noyd begins spinning the player’s paddle. Win yet another, and Noyd retaliates by spinning the entire playfield—all the while he jeers and taunts in his droning, synthesized voice.

And that’s one of the easier challenges. In “Asteroids,” Noyd constantly regurgitates more objects onto the screen, making advancing almost impossible. In “Snake,” he reverses the controls, leading to sudden, untimely ends. In Hangman, he begins using obtuse, almost impossible to recognize acronyms. And in a last ditch effort to stop your efforts in “Pac-Man,” he grants the “ghosts” a speed boost that would rival a Formula 1 racer.

Less fun and more frustrating than the original, you'll play it anyway--over and over again.

Fortunately, it’s all in good fun, and no gamer—especially the retro enthusiast—will be able to resist the game’s charms and humor, the huge assortment of (distorted) classic games, or just the sheer whimsy of the entire package. And like that arrogant jock who always deserved a dose of humility in high school, the struggle to put Noyd in his place quickly becomes an irresistible pursuit. But be forewarned, the games really are difficult—so much so in some cases, the fun fades long before victory ever comes. And though playing new, twisted versions of Desktop Tower Defense or Space Invaders is undoubtedly entertaining, games like Hangman, Battleship and Tic-tac-toe don’t exactly hold the same thrills. Others, like the Tetris and Minesweeper clones, are simply boring.

Nevertheless, Noyd is both a humorous homage to the past and a worthwhile release in its own right. And priced at a mere dollar, the value is undeniable. Just go get it already.

 

Thanks to www.xboxindies.com for the images.