VVVVVV Review

So, I like it hard. And VVVVVV delivers. Developed by independent game guru Terry “distractionware” Cavanagh, maker of such titles as Don’t Look Back and Game Central’s favorite, Judith, VVVVVV is a hearken back to gaming past. Featuring a graphical palette reminiscent to gaming of the ’80s, VVVVVV delivers a platforming experience that throws a wrench into the platform game machine, and churns out something that won’t be forgotten in the indie realm any time soon.

First, let me say: Terry Cavanagh, screw you. Also, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Games like VVVVVV make me proud to be a PC gamer – no boundaries or restrictions, no commitments or forced appeasement. Just a title soaked in pure passion for the design. And with that, let us venture forth into the dimension of VVVVVV.

If you’re not quick with your fingers, you will be dying a lot.

VVVVVV is a platformer focused on what the genre does best: jumping. But instead of the traditional “jump-on-the-enemy” nuance, it instead takes into account the mechanic of altering gravity. For instance, if the player jumps into a ceiling, the character will stay attached to that ceiling until they hit the down button. It’s a simple, yet incredibly flexible design mechanic that opens up a world of possibilities for the game experience. Controlling the character in the game is as simple it looks: your fingers will stay glued to the arrow keys throughout the journey. But don’t let the tactile simplicity fool you; VVVVVV is a hard game. The world that Cavanagh created is filled with the most brutal platform tricks you’ve seen this side of the NES era, and is by no means lenient in its execution. You will die a lot. And I do mean a lot. In my initial play-through, I had over 1,400 deaths in three hours of playtime.

The story is a minor presence, but it appropriately complements the gameplay.

Don’t expect the presentation of the story to be along the same lines as Cavanagh’s earlier works, the gameplay takes front seat on this ride while the narrative sits in a very worthy shotgun. You play as a ship captain exploring the endless void of space when, all of a sudden, he gets transported with his crew to the strange dimension of VVVVVV. Upon warp, the crew gets scattered around the strange new area and it’s up to you as captain to rescue them. Around the world are computer terminals that offer small amounts of back-story to the universe, but in the end it doesn’t really matter. The story’s good, it works, and that’s all the game needs of it to succeed.

There are eight linear levels, while the rest of the world is open.

VVVVVV consists of a large open world with a handful of linear levels, wherein the shipmates are stranded. This is where you find the large majority of the game’s platforming puzzles. Puzzles in VVVVVV are the standard insta-death spikes and other various moving obstacles. This is where the independent gaming aura emanates the most. Each section of the linear levels has a clever name (“I Love You,” followed by, “That’s Why I Have to Kill You.”), all of which gave me a smirk amidst all of my dying sessions. You won’t be jumping over aliens or lasers… but instead, words, letters, and other various oddities. In one level, an object resembling a television shoots out “LIES,” which you must avoid to survive. Even independent games can have social commentary, my friends.

The game is heavily reliant on trial-and-error. Most of the time VVVVVV will thrust you into a new level with no previous experience of a similarly designed level. Your initial attempt will most likely end in death. Then, when you try again, you’ll die a second time. And again and again, until you get it right. But the real beauty about this process is the fact there are no consequences of death. You simply respawn at the last reached checkpoint in a matter of seconds, ala Trine. There are several sections that switch up the gameplay a bit, including one where you control the movement of two characters at once, and another where you’re constantly bouncing back and forth vertically, all the while dodging objects.

Shiny trinkets put the game on a higher pedestal.

For all the treasure hunters out there, bonus “shiny trinket” items are scattered across the realm of VVVVVV. The items aren’t easily obtainable; they’re all mainly in their own “mini-levels,” which are harder than the other levels. I found this concept to be very well done by the fact that the treasure is completely optional, so it’s necessarily the player’s own fault if they get angry at the inevitable constant slew of deaths. In addition are several game modes such as Flip Mode, which vertically turns the world around, and Time Trials, where you race the clock to finish levels in time.

Oh, and the music. Oh the music. The music! This stuff is fabulous. Nowadays, music is mostly overlooked by developers. Not indie developers though! The chiptune soundtrack by Magnus Pålsson is simply superb. The emotion it provokes is one that will keep you in a happy mood for the entirety of the game, all the while tapping your feet to the beat.

VVVVVV is a pinnacle example of a game that needs a level editor release. I envision a vibrant community of level makers creating a million “Veni, Vidi, Vici” levels (you’ll see) over and over. But as it stands, the game is just fine. It’s the first major independent game of the year, and Terry Cavanagh’s first journey into paid product territory. Do him a favor and buy VVVVVV. While the game’s rough length is estimated around three hours, the ideas brought forth are wholly interesting and a blast to play with.