An Untitled Story
Platform: Download (Windows)
Yes, I know. We already included An Untitled Story in a Weekend Download last year. But there are three good reasons to take another look at developer Matt Thorson's (a.k.a. YMM) magnum opus. First, popular demand. Second, it has been re-released as Freeware, which means it's a whole one dollar cheaper. Those of you who paid for the full game after playing the demo the first time around can still sleep well, knowing that you supplied a hard-working game maker with four packets of Ramen. Third, it is the best freeware platform game I have ever played (If you just had the urge to babble furiously about bunny-people and amnesiac androids, you can relax. I like Cave Story, too.)
Now, Best Freeware Platformer is quite a lofty title for a game that looks like a drawing your five-year-old cousin stuck up on the fridge, but I'm just being honest about my feelings, here. An Untitled Story is a perfect blend of tough platforming challenges, intimidating boss fights, and cunning secrets, all wrapped up in a layer of childlike mysticism and rough-shorn beauty.
But An Untitled Story requires a certain mindset to appreciate, because it is very different in tone from YMM's other work (he is the author of the ridiculously hardcore Jumper series and recently, the even more ridiculous FLail), and indeed from other explorational platformers. "If this is a chilled-out wonderland of discovery like Seiklus," the peanut gallery cries, "then why is it killing me with spikes? If this is a hardcore action game like Jumper, then why won't it tell me where the next boss is, already?"
And the answer is simple: this isn't any of those other games. An Untitled Story is a chilled-out hardcore wonderland of action discovery, plus an unidentifiable je ne sais quoi that just makes you want to drink it down in one gulp and then spit out a rainbow.
You start out as a lonely egg in a nest. You can jump right away, but all of your other abilities must be discovered and earned. But there is no clear path to your goals, and indeed no clear goals. You will spend your time upgrading your abilities by locating blue orbs, upgrading your health meter by finding hearts, and defeating bosses by jumping on their heads when they are vulnerable. Over time, you will uncover the shattered fragments of a plot-line, find avian love, and even reveal the dark secrets of your world.
Analysis: It's hard to describe just what makes An Untitled Story work so well, and I suspect that it won't hit everyone the same way. It can be a very difficult and frustrating experience for some. Time after time, you will encounter obstacles that are impassable, either because you haven't found the appropriate ability, or because you don't yet have enough skill. But for a certain type of gamer, who is perfectly happy to turn around and work on some other area of the game, rather than butt heads with a challenge beyond his abilities, this is Nirvana.
YMM has structured An Untitled Story so that there are always three or four different regions to explore at any given time. All paths lead to a reward of some kind, and your practice in beating one area will help you with the other one, the one that initially seemed impossible. This is a game that teaches you how to play—not by forcing tutorials on you or by dumbing down the gameplay until you can cope, but by evolving organically and inviting you to grow along with it.
But what really brings it all together is the layer of mystery and purity over everything. Other than the initial keyboard instructions, you have to discover how everything works yourself. The thick outlines and sketchy style of the artwork (inspired by Matt's friend Tom Sennett at coolmoose.net) give the game an ancient, epic feeling; like it has been etched into stone rather than programmed on a computer. The guitar-driven soundtrack is amateurish, by YMM's own admission, yet it succeeds at setting an appropriate mood for a wide variety of different locations. It's a sublime thing, this game, an excellent example of how clarity of purpose can unify a game and make it memorable, more than any of its individual parts could do.
Despite the essential goodness of An Untitled Story's design, there are a few things that trip up newcomers all the time, so I'm including a few hints here to keep you from getting frustrated. Don't read these if you'd rather take the journey unaided.
Hatching:
You can't talk as an egg. You will reach a point where you must be able to communicate in order to pass certain gates. Here are three hints for discovering how to hatch.
- You need to obtain an ability that, at first, seems useless.
- You need to use that ability in a place that looks like it should be important.
- There is a cave drawing somewhere that tells you what to do.
Heart Doors:
- You can only pass through these when you are at full health. Usually that means you have to traverse some particularly tricky obstacle course without taking damage in order to get the prize behind the Heart Door. Keep in mind that all such prizes are optional. You can beat the game without passing a single Heart Door.
Shop:
- None of the orbs in the shop are necessary to beat the game except the very cheapest one. Feel free to spend money on things when you have it, but if you are stuck, you never need to go around destroying pots and killing things to advance. You will naturally collect all the money you need during the course of your travels.
Finally, if you have a gamepad for your computer, use it. The game is perfectly playable with keyboard controls, but it definitely feels better with a directional thumb-pad.
Windows:
Download the free game
Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.
How do you save?
1st comment? wow.
Considering that Untitled Story is my favorite casual game ever, I was waiting for it to get its own entry. Definitely give this one a download if you like platformers, especially Metroidvanias.
Another good game along the same lines is Albero and the Great Blue Emblem, although there are some incredibly frustrating bugs which ruin your gamesave.
Arguably one of the greatest freeware platformers ever, and it's not nearly as difficult as Jumper, FLaiL, and company. (Unless you want it to be.) The sheer variety of obstacles and high amount of non-linearity is astounding. If you enjoy exploration, platforming, and/or quality gameplay, download and play immediately.
(And if you liked it, consider donating!)
I love Psychotronics reviews.
Saving:
There's a gray sculpture between two torches, below the nest where you start. That's a save point. Press [down] in front of it.
I'm stuck in Nightclimb, right after
you kill the rock boss who gives you the ceiling stick ability
I'm in the second screen up, with the floating blue enemies surrounded by spikes.
Thanks!
I like it. A bit stuck in what seems to be all the possible routes at the moment (YMM's games have a habit of doing that to me), but it's fun nonetheless.
You'd be forgiven in thinking that this was Nifflas' latest outing - very in tune with Knytt (though I'm not sure which came first), a style of game I very much enjoy.
I can't get past the area with the cannons and the "thwomps" because the bottom area of the tree where you get your firing power has a guy that gets me down to like 20 health...
Does anyone have any tips
Hmm, doesn't run very well under wine. I saw a loading screen, and then it went black, and that's it. Oh well.
I wonder if there's any chance the author will release the source so that it could be ported to Linux, etc?
On that note, there have been way too many windows-only games lately. Surely there must be some new flash games?
Weekends are for downloads. We'll have Flash games coming up for the new (work) week. ;)
I'm stuck in the part where the character falls and have to doge spikes and use the creeps and boosters to jump away free. It's quite annoying to repeat the screen, since I have to get there every time.
Besides being angry about this, the game is good.
Hey i'm stuck on the treasure chest puzzle at farfall. can anyone help?
Hint for treasure puzzle
there are three boxes. send one to the floor and put another on top of it to get the first box on the x.
This is a lovely game, just wish the jumping were a bit more forgiving for the truly "casual" among us. Jumping from platform to platform is fine, but the ones where you have to boost off an enemy or a spark are painful.
I'm stuck, and haven't even gotten to play! :(
At the title screen, the only directional key I can use is the down arrow; none of the others respond, so I can't start a new game. On the one game I started, I switched to using my gamepad and couldn't navigate the menu -- and when I exited it, my little egg just moved to the left, got stuck, and wouldn't respond to any controls.
Can anyone help?
i need a walkthrough for the frist puzzle box
i cant get the blue powerup in coldkeep i need help
where do i get the power up for hatching
cheese:
Go to the top half of the inside of the tree, and look at the walls carefully.
How big is the file-size?
Linkzcap, the folder is 18.2 MB in my computer after I unzip it.
in sky town what does the big glowy thing do?
I think its just decoration.
help im stuck i cant find the powerup for hatching the egg
This is a really excellent game. As in: I'm extremely impressed and surprised that it fell under my radar until now. I remember seeing small articles about it on different sites but I never tried it out because no one seemed very excited about it. However, this game is amazing.
About hatching the egg:
Psychotronic posted some very helpful hints at the bottom of the review, and I suggest you peek at them first. But if you still need help:
The ability Psychotronic is referring to is the ability to duck. Also, the cave drawing is, naturally, hidden in a cave. What cave-like area have you visited?
I'm having trouble with the Boost ability. I can get a little bounce off of one of the floating orbs, but not far enough to get to the next one, even when I try to jump when I hit it! am I doing something wrong?
It says it can't find ddraw.dll when I try to open it...
Yay, finally Untitled Story gets a treatment it deserves. Wonderful, wonderful game.
One thing that the review fails to mention is that this game is a little bit tougher then your average run-of-the-mill platformer. Don't be surprised if you started on "Regular" and realized you are having a pretty hard time - "Simple" difficulty, as wimpy as it sounds, is a good place to start if you aren't a true-and-true Super Mario veteran.
As for the hardcore platformers, I highly recommend the "Masterful" setting - it's a nice, but possible challenge (except the Black Castle which will make you pull out your hair in frustration).
@Octochan,
If you want to maximize your height, you must HOLD the up-key while you're passing through (or falling on) the booster. This little trick seems difficult at first (especially when you try to chain the double jump with the vertically lined-up boosters) but soon it will become second nature.
Also, bear in mind that
There's more then one blue gem that will help your jumps. :)
Has anyone achieved the max score in the Astrocrash minigame? Do you get anything for it?
@Hyudra:
let me just say that playing those mini games is worth your while, if you are a completist.
Having a great time with this game so far.
Thanks!
@Ben: Save by pressing down on the save nodes (such as the one below the original branch)
could anyone tell me how to beat the rock boss?the big one that throws little rocks at you?I've tried shoting it.but it does'nt do anything!and i've tried jumping on its head when it lands,but that does'nt work either!please help!also,great game so far!;)
Try harder. :)
Where do i get this 'duck' ability?
Soooo I'm currently stuck. Here is what i have so far
Jump Upgrades 1-3
Energy Jump 1
Double Jump
Double Jump Upgrade 1
Sticking
Teleport
Dive Bomb
Shoot Fire
Long Shots
I have tried to do that free fall through the spikes to get through the heart gate many times but always seem to fail. Is there someplace else i need to look?
also i have this glich where i cant close the game with out going into windows task maniger
Westim:
You're doing well so far. It seems that the top of NightClimb should be your next destination.
The blue orb behind the FarFall heart door is not necessary, but is helpful. It
increases the amount of crystals found in pots.
duma kiki, I'm assuming you're talking about the StoneCastle boss.
Jump on him when he lands. That should hurt him.
To hrm, and anyone else looking for one of the essential early-game abilities, here are the areas in which each is located:
Jump upgrades:
Nightwalk, ColdKeep, and StoneCastle
Double Jump upgrades:
Grotto, SkyTown
Fire Shot:
DeepTower
Sticking:
ColdKeep
Pounding:
StoneCastle
Red Boosts:
SkyTown
Ducking:
NightClimb
thanks,i tried it again,and after a great amount of deaths,i FINALLY beat it!also,cheese,i have the same problem too,and after i get out of it,if i try to get back in,it says,"the backround does not exist" or something annoying like that,and i have gotten really far in the game,and having to restart everytime almost makes me want to stop,but i'm not gonna,cuz it's such a great game!but if anyone could halp me out with this problem also,it would make my day.;)
-Duma ki-ki
I seem to be a bit slow. I can't find this cave drawing you guys are talking about, even after checking through every cave environment I've been in. Here's hoping I'll find it right after I post. If not, can someone help me?
Aha!
where is nightclimb?
I'm stuck in both the water and fire areas, but I feel like if I had all the jump upgrades I could complete them.
I've got the 1st and 3rd one, but I'm missing the one that is, if I'm reading this right,
below the boss in Coldkeep
How do I get it?
And what do yellow orbs/sparkles do?
Where is the second jump upgrade? I can see a blue upgrade sitting well beyond my reach in Coldkeep and don't know how to jump off the yellow sparks in Stonecastle.
Thanks Oddity. Thats what I needed indeed :)
For those with difficulty quitting the game, have you tried using the pause menu? Hit space to pause, then move to the options panel to quit, although make sure to save the game first! (This is quite easy to overlook.)
ColdKeep jump upgrade:
Investigate DeepTower thoroughly. You'll be pointed in the right direction. (But not the right direction, mind you.)
cheese, re: NightClimb location:
Remember where ColdKeep's boss was? One screen to the left, there's a lone cannon shooting at blue energy to turn it into a platform. Perhaps the cannon is trying to show you something...
About those yellow orbs:
They don't grant abilities or health, but are certainly worth collecting. Later in the game, you'll learn what they do.
I cant get to the blue orb and save point in skysand... help?
Arg.
Could someone just post a more direct way to get Jump 2? I've, apparently, been bashing my head against the wall for a good 3 hours and I should have had that long ago. Maybe that's why I'm so annoyed at this game.
Very well. Jump 2's exact location:
Jump into a secret passage found on the same screen as the DeepTower boss room. Here's a picture.
About SkySand's save point:
Since you've seen the save point, you can get there. (But not directly. You'll need to use a certain ability.)
Thanks oddity. That's what I was stuck on (getting jump 2 that is).
Curiously, my link to the picture of the Jump 2 location isn't cooperating with me. In case anyone else has this problem...here's the exact URL.
http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/8058/jump2pathlx4.png
Having trouble with the water dragon, normal mode.
I think I know how to beat him, the trouble is...
I can jump over his head & hit his weak spot, but when I do, I can't get back over his head afterwards. I wind up taking 60-180 damage from his spikes.
Any way to rack up the jump height for that?
@Hyudray
Hold jump while divebombing the weak link. You'll bounce up MUCH higher.
Hyudray:
You have to hold jump after bouncing off things to get more height. What I did was, after double jumping over it, hold jump while pressing down to slam. After bouncing you can double jump again too. This technique is useful in many places but this is, I think, the only place where you need it.
Thanks, Maximillian & Smops.
Finally beat him, probably had more trouble with him than just about any boss thus far, even after that tip.
Where is the second double jump upgrade?
How do you get past the yellow doors? I have gotten to all the places I possibly can, but am blocked in three places, one band of fire in a desert building, and 2 yellow doors.
Also, while I'm at it (sorry for double posting, but you can't edit your posts), what does the casual game play guy by my name mean? New user?
Second double jump upgrade:
The first double jump upgrade is in SkyTown; the second is in FireCage. Bring crystals for the latter.
Yellow doors:
If you could talk to those birds by the doors, maybe they could help. (For a price, of course.) Eggs can't talk, but birds can, so try to find a way to hatch your egg. As for that wall of fire, you'll be able to shatter it soon enough.
Fuzzyevil, the icons tell how that post was made. To be more specific:
The little JIGman (that's what he was called in one of the site's design competitions, if I remember correctly) means that you're posting from an account that you've created on jayisgames.com. A little key means that the user is posting with a Typekey identity, which can be used to post here and on various other sites/blogs/what-have-you, but is missing some JIG-specific features. Users with no icon didn't use an account: they just typed their name and comment into the boxes at the bottom then posted it, although these comments must be manually approved by staff before they appear.
thanks oddity
i cant figure out the second boss in the grotto i need help
also how do i get pass the wall of fire in sky sand?
There are only two parts I am really having difficulty with. One is the "mountain side" level and one is getting to the sand place's save point
I can't teleport, so I don't know what to do
Can't teleport to the sky sand save point, that is.
I'm still not sure how to get to the save point in skysand.
i got there from jumping off of nightclimb, so i'm not sure if i have the right ability to get to it. what is it?
MountSide is completely optional, but has a useful upgrade if you reach the end without taking damage. Also, the yellow rotating launcher-balls will appear later in the game, so getting used to using them is a good idea.
cheese, about the second Grotto boss:
Every so often, the boss's eye will turn yellow. Shortly afterward, it'll jump. While it's in the air, pound its eye. (Just bouncing on it isn't enough.) After three hits, the eye leaves its socket, so wait for it to turn yellow then pound it again to win. You can continue exploring from that point to find the upgrade that will allow you to access SkySand.
SkySand save point and upgrade:
There's only one entrance to SkySand. Jump off the top of NightClimb to get there, and find a way to get past the wall of fire blocking your path. Reach the screen with the save point and blue orb. You can't get to those chambers directly. However, since you have seen the SkySand save point, you can now teleport to it from any other save point, get the upgrade, and continue onward. (If you still aren't able to teleport between save points, you can get the upgrade by jumping down to the bottom of that large pit separating SkyTown and ColdKeep.)
yeah i know i post quite a bit, but i keep running into trouble.
When you have to dive bomb of the thief in firecage, i cant get up high enough. do i not have the right powerups, or am i not doing it right?
The best way to jump of the "thief" is to HOLD JUMP all the time while dive-bombing him. Yes, that means having the UP key and DOWN key pressed together at the same time, weird, I know... :)
Have the same problem as HeroForce :( The only working key is "down", and i cannot even start the game.
I am stuck on the 2nd screen of fire cage. I have no idea how to get to 2nd conveyer.
I have jump upgrade 1-3 ; Energy Jump 1 ; Douple Jump Upgrade 1 ; Stick Slide ; Shoot ice ; +others
@ ieronim
I've had similar trouble with various games, including many game maker games.
In this game, I couldn't press up in the menus, but going down to 'begin game' & pressing (I think) x, I managed to start.
I am stuck in the curtain! Is it possible to jump on the mid platform (the one with the pot) with enough upgrades? Or need to use the yellow dot on the right?
I have jump upgrade 1,2,3 ; Energy Jump 1 ; Double Jump +Upgrade 1,2 ; Ducking ; Sticking ; Stick Slide ; Energy Jump 2 ; +others
All the money you'll ever need...
If you have hatched and have at least 100 crystals, go to the SkyTown save point. Save your game.
Go to the underground living area of SkyTown (one screen left and one screen down).
Find the bird sitting behind the desk.
Talk to him to play a version of "21".
Bet 100 and keep hitting till you get as close to 21 as possible without going over.
If you hit 21 exactly, you automatically win. If you get to 18, 19, or 20, the dealer will usually bust.
When you win, go back upstairs and save again. If you lose, quit and restart the game.
I've already cleaned out the item shop in SkyTown, as well as purchased a home and lots of furniture.
@Vince:
I have tried that before, but every time I spend or lose money it is automatically "save." I went in with $500 and lost it all, when I went to load it, it was still all gone.
I'm in FireCage. I can get quite far in the level, but then I get to
a room with three wavy lines, two of which are moving. I can get to the bottom and right and touch the ceiling, but the ceiling isn't the one-way platform I was expecting.
What am I missing here?
@ Stoned Gamer:
Sorry, I should have clarified.
When betting, as soon as I lose, I quit the game by right clicking on the game on the task bar and selecting "Close", then when the "End Progam" dialog pops up, I click "End Now".
I don't even quit out of the betting game screen.
Also, in my experience, you need to at least hit 18 to win. Any time I've ever stayed on 17, the dealer beats me, but if I stay on 18, 19, or 20, the dealer usually busts.
I hope this helps.
@Thumper
You mean the one where the stationary one is blue on a part of it? You should be able to jump through the ceiling. The yellow/black part, at least
When I saw that it kept track of every time you lost, I was instantly put in mind of I Wanna Be The Guy, assuming it did that because the game would trick you; I was pleasantly surprised to find a lack of focus on trial-and-error or split second reflexes.
My only problem was with the
heart door after that long, spike-ridden free-fall. I feel like I'm missing a jump upgrade or something.
I know it isn't necessary, but that's what makes me a completionist.
@Fuzzyevil:
Thanks for the help.
I guess I need a jump or double jump upgrade. I'm pretty much at a dead end. I can't jump high enough to go anywhere else underwater or to get on top of the yellow/black ceiling in FireCage.
A note: if you intentionally skip the teleport upgrade, you can get permanently stuck in some later areas. (Don't worry about missing the upgrade, though. You'll literally have to walk right under it twice before you can possibly put yourself in an unwinnable position.)
Luk:
The trick to the Curtain is sliding off ceilings then double-jumping to get above them. Of course, you can only double-jump once, then you have to touch the ground or a yellow dot.
nelly:
You have all the upgrades that you need. You'll be using a combination of jumping and sticking to clear that room.
I'm having trouble bouncing off the top of the floating blue creatures with wings. I never get high enough to reach my goal. What am I doing wrong?
I can't seem to hurt the Deepdive boss, the one next to the sunken ship. All my attacks (only ice) just bounce off, am I missing something?
@Gwen
When bouncing off of enemies you can hold up to get a higher bounce, and then you can release and hold up again for a double jump. If that's still not enough height, you need more jump upgrades.
I can't believe that I spent an hour free falling through the spikes to pass the heart door with full life just to be told that I can now get more $ from pots.... I already had enough money from playing 21. Damn.
@ XFire:
The DeepDive boss (DeepDragon) is made of of seperate sections, after he fires off a volley of shots, one of the sections becomes vulnerable. Jump over his head and dive bomb the vulnerable section. Bounce back over his head and wait for the next volley to pass. At one point, he fires a beam which is hard to avoid, but I'm sure is possible. I usually just let it hit me and go from there. Hope this helps!
can someone post a complete walkthrough please?
A note: if you intentionally skip the teleport upgrade, you can get permanently stuck in some later areas.
Are you sure? I've intentionally missed the upgrade to see what happens. The upgrade always appears at the place where I would be stuck. Did the programmer miss a spot?
hey, i'm having reeal trouble downloading this :S which is doubly annoying as i completed as much as i could of the demo version, i just never had a paypal account or any way of getting the shareware.
anyway, it downloads at horribly slow rate and then usually just comes to a standstill. i can download other stuff just fine, anyone got any ideas what it might be?
help please!!!
how can i access skysand???
How do you activate the yellow jump boost?
According the save I have completed over 40% of the game I think I have the necessary abilities except energy jump 2
Are you sure? I've intentionally missed the upgrade to see what happens. The upgrade always appears at the place where I would be stuck. Did the programmer miss a spot?
The teleport upgrade will appear at dead ends in the early game, including the SkyTown pit, the StoneCastle entrance (which can be a dead end without a certain upgrade), and the end of the spike-lined FarFall pit.
However, with a bit of thought, it is possible to continue into the mid-game areas without teleporting:
Don't jump down into StoneCastle and FarFall until you've hatched. Clear StoneCastle for the pound upgrade (while ignoring the teleport-granting orb), then pass the yellow door in FarFall. Beat the FarFall boss and get the gold orb; a portal will appear to take you back to NightWalk. With your ground pound, you can now enter Dark Grotto, FireCage, and DeepDive (and possibly BlancLand). However, entering Dark Grotto or FireCage will eventually force you into an area in which a save point is the only means of escape. But if you can't teleport, the upgrade won't appear at that point, leaving you stuck.
Accessing SkySand:
Jump off the top of NightClimb and fall to your left. You'll need another upgrade to enter SkySand itself, however.
Energy Jump 2 (yellow energy) can be found in
FireCage.
@Gar:
I ran into that trouble too.
Basically, get the maximum height possible by holding up as you hit the red stars or blue birds. There's no real rush or necessity to do it - you might even want to wait until you have the ability to boost off of yellow stars.
I completed that really early in the game, but you can wait until you have a few more upgrades if you want.
@jesop
I got the yellow jump boost after reaching the 50% mark. I wouldn't stress too much over it.
If you really want it spoiled, I believe the yellow jump boost is found...
In the room after you beat the fire cage boss.
ok, I know it's not necessary but where is the most top right yellow orb found?
Below is a list of the locations of the golden orbs and the remaining major upgrades.
Ice Shots:
DeepDive
Air Upgrades:
Both are in DeepDive.
Stick Slide:
SkySand
Yellow Boosts:
FireCage
Golden Orbs:
SkyTown (in the shop)
FarFall
DeepDive
SkySand
Dark Grotto
The Curtain
IceCastle
StoneCastle
BlancLand
CloudRun
hmm, I'm having problems with
getting out of the room in firecage where you get the energy jump 2 upgrade. I can't seem to reach the second yellow energy ball even though I have all of the jump upgrades, double jump, etc.
Any help?
Dang, nevermind, of course I try for 10 minutes and finally get it right after posting...
I am currently stuck at stone castle's boss
the one that
throws small little rocks at me while having a bigger rock fly around
i heard that to kill it u haf to
jump on it while it's falling down
but it's not working because
It falls faster than i can fall and I would usually end up taking damage.
any help here?
jinzo, about the first StoneCastle boss:
You do have to jump on it, but you can wait until it hits the ground. It'll stay down for a moment so that you can hit it.
I need help please.
I'm stuck in the Curtain, in the screen that has the ghost looking enemy (2 screens up from the first save point in the Curtain). I can't jump high enough to stick to the ceiling. Any tip on how to reach it? Do I have to jump into the ghost? I've been trying for days now and can`t figure it out.
Thank you.
Maya
Maya,
You need to ceiling stick, then jump around the corner to the next higher level. Just make sure you settle after each jump, this way your double jump will be charged for the next 'round the corner' manuver. I shot the ghost to the far left of the screen so he'd leave me alone.
If anybody can help me out, I'm stuck in The Curtain where the
five moving platforms are directly underneath where The Curtain's boss is located
Also, in Cloudrun
how do you get past those little blue energy things? I jumped on them, but got no boost. What am I missing? Rrr...
This game is mad hard..! In fact, it's SO hard that if I had bought it, I'd be steamed..! >:|
Dave,
Thank you so much. I made it finally, thanks to your advice.
Still suffering in the Curtain though.
Very nice game.
Dave,
You have to shoot the blue sparkles with fire to turn them into platforms that you can jump onto.
I am stuck on the cloud run boss myself, I can't even damage it. Any help?
Thanks Indrevield!
Here's a good 'guide', although it only gives the bare essentials:
http://www.indiefaqs.com/index.php/Targeted_Untitled
Warning: Spoilers on all boss fights, heart locations, etc. Kind of thin on getting past obstacles IMO.
If anyone can tell me how to get through to the boss in The Curtain, I'm still stuck where
the five moving platforms are directly underneath where The Curtain's boss is located
Might have to give up on this one. Doesn't look like it's going to get easier from here out... Talk about re-defining Mad Hard.
Oh I got the cloudrun boss
you can jump on the missiles
now, what do you do with the ten gold orbs?
Okay so I am stuck in cloudrun,
One screen to the right of the second save point. I'm on easy. And this seems impossible. I have every powerup except for one, and I'm pretty sure it's a "you feel tougher" one.
Any help?
Dave and Maya,
The Curtain has some pretty nasty jumping sections. Once you know about ceilings and double-jumping, getting through is basically a matter of skill. That said, I have a bit of advice:
The floating cannon can be destroyed with a well-timed ice shot. Whether you want to do that or just rush up the ledges is up to you, but once you reach the top, pound a suspicious piece of ground for a Heart.
The two screens with floating platforms are tough, especially the second one. I'm most successful when I keep moving instead of stopping to try to knock away ghosts with fire. Get up those platforms and off the screen as quickly as possible! (On the second screen, I generally jump off the bottom ledge as soon as the platforms reverse direction and start moving away. If I move fast enough, I usually end up in the right spot to reach the ledge on the screen above.)
Also note that leaving the screen and coming back, even for a fleeting moment, resets the platforms, energy clusters, and ghosts. This can be useful if the ghosts are breathing down your neck.
If all else fails, clearing The Curtain is not necessary on Simple or Normal. However, you'll miss ten or so Hearts and two entire areas, so discretion is advised.
Banana Man:
As you might've guessed, you'll ride the platforms down, then jump onto the next one. I generally jump when there's a three-tile vertical gap between my platform and the bottom of the next barrier. You'll still be able to board the next platform, and it'll be easier to keep from hitting your head.
Also, clearing CloudRun is not necessary on Simple. (Or Normal or Difficult.) You'll only miss a couple of items (and no upgrades), which isn't a terrible thing unless you're aiming for 100%.
Thanks Oddity,
But
I still can't figure out what I'm supposed to do after I reach the top of the second set of platforms at The Curtain. I jump to the top, but then what? Jump left? Try and nudge the platforms right to get to the ceiling? (pretty sure that's a bug though).
Sorry to ask for specifics, but it's way too much work reaching that point w/o being able to save w/o even a clue as to what to do next...
@Dave
After reaching the top of the moving platforms, wait until they are far to the right, and jump up into the next screen wile going right. There should be a ledge to stand on. Now just (carefully) make your way across the ceiling, and you're home free, until you get to the boss.
Indrevield:
If you've got all the orbs, return to LongBeach. Speak to the bird there if you haven't yet, then go back to the left. The way forward should present itself.
The controlled falling turned out to be easier than the parts with the rotating arrows. Instead of turning the right amount, you have to jump, and sometimes double-jump at exactly the right time, which is different for each rotating arrow. As tricky as they are, it's a good thing they happen right near save points. I'm glad it only comes up in optional areas.
Though the minimum number of yellow orbs is seven, is there anything special for when you get all ten?
Gar:
No. Gathering more than the required number (5, 7, 9, or 10 depending on difficulty) merely contributes to your completion percentage.
Thanks Fuzzyevil!
...This game would be awesome if it had MORE SAVE POINTS... RRrr...
For the life of me, I can't get to Cloudrun. I have all the necessary upgrades/abilities but can't manage to get to the second, requisite balloon at the access point in Farfall. What's the trick?
Getting to Cloudrun:
If you have Stick Slide and all jump upgrades, you can get to CloudRun. After you Stick Slide under the ceiling and jump up the balloons, hold Right as you fall. You'll bounce off an invisible barrier for a while but will eventually fall into CloudRun.
This is for interested parties and anyone having trouble with energy cluster jumps. It's just what I picked up from playing but here you go.
When you bounce, the amount of lift you get is basically the amount of your base jump minus your downward momentum.
This means two things: The more jump upgrades you have the higher you will bounce, and that the best way to approach energy clusters is from below, while heading upwards.
The best example for this is in the Fire Cage.
Kind of a
: After the save point, in the room where you need to ride the ceiling conveyors, bounce off the enemy and 3 red energy clusters. The middle and bottom clusters are closer together than the top and middle clusters, and if you try to skip the bottom one and bounce directly off the middle one you will always fall short. The trick is to aim for the bottom one to stop your fall, then travel up through the middle one for a big enough boost to reach the top.
If you have been playing for a while you probably already figured it out, but it is still handy to know.
I'm unable to reach the boss of the curtain. I've passed all the moving platforms and am at the two screens where one must alternate between sticking to the ceiling and hitting the yellow jump boosters. For whatever reason, however, the final boost (and my subsequent double jump) is never enough to get me up onto the platform. Do I need to hit the final yellow thing with speed or what? If only I didn't have to traverse multiple screens just to get to this one spot. Grrr.
I'm having trouble in Stonecastle at the part with
the maze containing all those tall, pacing columns. How do I get past them?
Thanks!
Ignore my question, I'm being ridiculous.
@bsc
Are you holding up as you touch the boost? Do you have all jump upgrades? If yes to both, than you should be able to do it. Remember to wait until you are at the peak of your first jump do do the second one.
Do you know of a place called the bottom??? i mean, come on. isn't this where I was supposed to find cloudrun???
Please help
You need to stick slide over to a balloon to get to the Bottom, and do further stick-sliding to get to Cloud Run.
Was I just cryptic enough not to warrant spoiler tags?
CSr:
CloudRun is one screen above and to the right of The Bottom. Keep holding right as you descend from FarFall.
after the first save point in the curtain. I can't jump up the first cealing...
what's the trick???
Ceilings in The Curtain:
Use the yellow cluster to the left to reach the ceiling. Slide to the right, then slide off the ceiling. As you start falling, double-jump onto the platform above. You'll need to use this technique a few more times up ahead.
For the cloudrun boss:
There are some clues in the Library
Oh, so many questions! Where do I find the stick slide ability?
How do I get through the fire wall in skysand?
how do I bounce off the blue enemies with spikes and wings (and is this how I get to dark grotto?)
Thanks for the help; the comments have gotten me past a bunch of stuck points already.
hi there,
can anybody tell me how to beat that boss in dark grotto? didn't figure out how to hurt him... thx a lot
Andreas- how did you GET to dark grotto? Thanks!
-Gwen
Gwen and Andrea
To get top the dark grotto:
it's 2 screens to the right and 2 screens up from the first Grotto. To get there you'll have to use your shoot ice ability to freeze the blue spiky enemy and use it as a platform
Can someone please give me some tips for MountSide? I'm going out of my skull!
I can get the first two screens ok, but just can't seem to time the ones with two yellow orbs? Are they in synch or out of synch (I can't tell) and no matter how hard i try, if the first one launches me in the right direction, then the second seems perfectly timed to shoot me down, not up !?!
Please help to keep the hair on my head ('cause otherwise I'm gonna tear it all out).
The llama
Poor Mad Llama... Fortunately, MountSide, if I remember correctly, is optional. Then again, it is on Medium difficulty.
Those rotating bouncy arrow circles are hard to time correctly, but it's always a rule of thumb to jump before whatever you're jumping at is in position; the faster the arrow circle rotates, the farther away the arrow has to point before you jump.
If one of those launches you at another, but the second one always faces the wrong way, that's where double-jumping comes in handy. Either tap up or hold it, but the important thing to remember is that if you're experimenting with the timing, it doesn't matter how often you die... mainly because you're gonna.
I don't know what to do after
getting the ability to bounce on yellow sparks
Help please?
How do you unlock the last 6 heist stages?
LFK:
If you mean getting out of FireCage, then there is a hidden gap in the wall to escape from. If you've gotton out of firecage and wondering what to do next, theres a couple of options. You could go to climb highlands for example.
I'm at the Black Castle now, from the Longbeach warp thing. Any tips.?
You need to collect a certain amount of gold orbs to get in there properly which I think the amount depends on difficulty. These are scattered throughout the game world usually after bosses such as in skysand, cloudrun and icecastle, theres also one for sale in the skytown shop. If you've gotten past the goldorb thing, its mainly about personal jumping skills.
wat do i do after the stonehead?!
I can't get past the screen with the first save point of the curtain... I try to slide on the wall and then double jump up, but I just fall back down.
each time i try to load the menu, it comes up with an error message saying 'trying to draw a non-existing background' how do i stop this? ignoring it doesn't work.
no-one, you're getting that message because the game's looking for its maps and it can't find them.
You need to make sure that the "BGs" folder that came with the game is in the same folder as the game application is.
But there is nothing in the BGs folder!
the file size says it is 11MB, but everything inside it is either not there or invisible
I love this game a lot but since firecage it became frustrating. By luck I killed the fire laser boss but now I can't beat the eye boss in stone castle since nearly all of my life points are gone because of the -100 spikes. I have a total of 360 life points. Do I need more? Is the heart in the second save point in firecage reachable? Is there a way to get to the boss without getting hit by the spikes like the narrow entry with spikes at the bottom? I think the only way to pass it is to stick to the ceiling but it doesn't work. Thank you
Nevermind my previous post! I beat that purple eye with only 70 life points (without getting hit)-again by luck to understand that the prize was only a yellow orb. I was seriously thinking to play the game at the easiest mode but then I would feel weak and beaten so with my stubbornness. Thanks for your attention.
How Can I get To DeepDive For the ice shoot??
how do you save? i go to the save spots and press x or whatever and nothing happens.
how do i use yellow energy?
also, how do i get past this room in skysand? direct link below:
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd138/woobidoobi/Picture1.png?t=1213867326
Ruby-
you need to get a certain powerup, which will allow you to walk left and right while sticking to a ceiling.
I am having trouble reaching NightClimb. I tried jumping from the edge of NightWalk, but I can't seem to make it. I have three jump upgrades and two double-jump upgrades. What am I doing wrong?
thanks JacobX891, i know that i have to get stick slide, which i believe is in skysand.....but where? Another guide said: *Stick Slide: Skysand
Right next to the first save point in Skysand. To access this save point, first visit the screen, then go to another save point and teleport there.
But where is that? please help!
Ruby
Sloper:
This will explain everything:
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd138/woobidoobi/togetherrrr.png
(Hope you can shoot fire!!!)
Ruby
Ruby-
Here is a picture which may help you.
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/782/ausskysandle4.png
you just have to go to that screen, and, if you have the warping ability, it will appear on your map and you can teleport there from another save. then you just have to grab the ability! (that is, if you have the 'grab red clusters' ability)
Thanks Ruby. I have a new challenge now.
don't know what constitutes a spoiler, so I'll just ask my question under a spoiler tag
If I wasted all my money on the blue powerups and hearts in the first store instead of the yellow thing, am I stuck until I can scrounge up 400 crystals?
Londonbrig0:
You aren't stuck.....at least not yet.
you will eventually make your way to BlackCastle and have to cough up a few gold orbs to pass.
But until then, your safe!
Ruby
what is the BGs folder for? What do you do for it and with it?
Bryan:
The BGs folder is full to the brim with hidden pictures! You don't do anything with it, the game uses it every time you play. Inside the BGs folder, there are backgrounds, which are the screens that you walk on, basicly, the gameplay screens. You can't edit them or do anything with them. When the game starts up, it says to itself, "Oh! I need the game's backgrounds!" and it automatically knows from when you installed it that they are in the BGs folder, so it goes there and gets them for the game to run. If the BGs folder is moved from the main folder, the game doesn't know where you've put them and freaks out, meaning it doesn't run!
wow long explaination.
Ruby
Just to correct: heu, sry but, Flail isn't at all, but seriously, AT ALL harder than the jumpers games Oo
Can anbody help me with the treasure chest puzzle one square above the coldkeep boss?
Wait I did that. Where can I find cloudrun and darkgrotto and how do i get past the first screen of the curtain?
Lemeza:
Firstly, have all jump upgrades, second, stickslide to the yellow star, then single jump back to the roof, allowing you to jump over the ledge.
How do I pass the curtain screen after youve clinbed for a while then you ceiling stick along and there are some dents in the ceiling?
Can somebody PLEASE tell me how to get to StoneCastle??
wow. no one's posted here in a while so there's no telling when i'll get a response. =/ but i'm very stuck when i'm getting through NightClimb.
after i pass the first screen with the save point, i'm brought to the second screen where i then pass the maze of cannons. and then i can't seem to get past there. like, i can't reach the ledge even after jumping on the blue flying thing.
gosh. i hope someone looks at this soon.
Strayerrrr: You need to go right before you can go left. you should fight a boss and get a double jump upgrade before trying to go to the left.
Hope that helps :D
~Kero.
(This message has been brought to you by the JayisGames Helpsquad. Also the letter Z)
I got it now.
Well.. I had it, but then the game went nuts on me and said there was an error. So it closed. When I opened it back up using WinRar, my file was gone! So now I have to start all over again.
Hmm....apparently I have found something wrong with the game.
I tried to load a game, but I went back to the beginning (all the way back to the nest)however, upon first finding the game I see;
Sky Town
10%
Health: 150
Regular
If I did overwrite the file, the message most probably would not still be there.
Ah. I made a new game and can now play that one insted :)
But I have a new problem: The dark grotto is completly black. Waaaay to dark to see by. Anyone else getting this or just me?
SahBeh-
that's why it's called the *Dark* grotto. But you have fire, which will help up to a point
Now, can anyone help me? There's a heart
one screen to the right of the very first boss, in the room with the cave paintings which you see as you dive down from the Grotto
Allegedly you can reach this one via a secret passage and double-jumping, but it's just out of reach. How do I get to it? I've got a full set of abilities (barring one irrelevant one).
How do you get to Blancland?
I love this game! It's like a longer, downloadable version of Pieces!
Now, to the point. I'm not *that* far into the game, I've just about defeated the second boss in Grotto,
I have 1-3 jump upgrades, energy jump 1, double jump 1-2, Ducking, Sticking, dive bomb, shoot fire and long shots, hatch and shoot ice.
Now, I'm not sure where to go, I've just been exploring recently, I found the
lava area, underwater area, and just got into skysand,
so I'm kinda stumped.
Any tips?
-Veloxio
Veloxio: Exploring any of those areas will let you make progress. You might also look back at some of the earlier areas to see if your abilities will let you find anything new. My advice is to
try and beat the lava area next, but defeating the water boss or the Skysand boss will also open up new places.
If anyone else is struggling through masterful, I "heartily" recommend getting the, uh, hearts. Any that are available you should have. The difference between taking 3 and 4 hits is amazing.
Currently working on Deepdive boss, but I expect him to drop soon as I get my patented
Laser-Avoidance-Double-Jump
timing down.
Great fun so far. I've put 16 hours in, 74% done. Totally plan on finishing through this (or doing everything but Cloud Run...jeez).
How do I get past the flamethrower thing in the place above the bird village? (Sorry, I'm not good with names >_>)
How exactly is the bird supposed to get the heart in BlancLand? It is on the bottom left of the area. The red energy would appear to be useful, but I do not see how they are supposed to help.
noctis skytower-
use your ice shoot to freeze the triangle enemies.
I have 950 health and i am using oracle to get the rest. One hint is to find the king's tomb and then go to the left. Plz help.
Anybody have any tips for getting the Ghostly Flower by the Longbeach save point? I can't seem to get it.
Well, I finished it and now I can say this is my favorite game of the last ten years, and maybe more.
Nonetheless,
I'm a bit disapointed that the most important upgrades come very soon in the game and the caracter will hardly improve during half of the game. I love games where you get an ultimate upgrade/weapon at the end to beat the final boss. Here I would have really enjoyed finishing the game with the ability to fly :)
The game is now freeware, so I made a donation. I'm looking forward to new adventures games from Matt.
Youpla (excuse my english)
I am currently stuck on 'the Curtain'. I am stuck at the bit where there is the ledge you have to jump to the top of, where the boss fight is directly above you. (Sorry I'm not that good at explaining)and you have to get to the top via the yellow energy clusters. Unfourtunatly, I cannot reach the last due to the fact the last yellow energy cluster does not get me far enough with my double jump. Am I missing something? A jump upgrade? I have all upgrades exept for one, and have been to all places, I think, ( including cloudrun and the castle place) and finished. Am I supposed to jump underneath the clusters to get an extra boost? Please help me. Thank you so much.
Sorry! I got it after I posted.
Can anyone tell me where to get the last upgrade?
Also I have picked up a couple of bugs...
1. In the curtain, at the top where the four torches are, this place is reffered to a 'boss fight' on the map. When you pass this room, it informs you that you have killed the boss. There is no boss fight here.
2. In the Grotto, it is repeatedly to dark to see. By this, I mean that it is completly dark, no light is formed around the bird, and none is shed via fire upgrade. When I loaded the game again it came back on but it is recurring.
Update