Game developers will often provide players with tools that allow you to create your own level. In Level Editor, the new platform puzzler from Sigma Studios, they've decided to skip the pre-made levels and just let you get straight to the level-building fun.
You play a red hat-wearing stick man with an arsenal of building blocks and a craving for coins. Controls can be done via either the [WASD] or the [arrow] keys, and [space] can be used as an additional jump button. Your goal is to collect as many coins as you can and reach the door to the next level, all the while avoiding the spiky balls that seem to care about nothing but your immediate death. The problem you'll face along the way is that the levels are not designed to allow you to reach the end. That's where the blocks come in. You're given an assortment of blocks in each level, and you are free to place them however you like in order to reach the door. They come in 4 or 5 different varieties, most of which are fairly self-explanatory. Put down your blocks, collect coins, reach the exit, and repeat, across 40 levels of increasing difficulty.
Analysis: Level Editor's hat-wearing protagonist almost comes across as Fancy Pants Man's cowardly cousin, but that's part of what makes this game so much fun to play. After the first few introductory levels, you get the feeling that you're not so much trying to reach the goal, but that you're just trying to get away from your spiky tormentors. Not that this is a bad thing; the feeling that I was trying to get away from something probably kept playing a lot longer than I would have if you just had to casually make your way to the door at the end of each level. Controls are smooth, and the grid layout telling you where blocks can be places is a lifesaver. It's easily taken for granted, but it's nice to never have to restart a level because you placed a block a few pixels too low to make a jump.
The biggest flaw in Level Editor is that, even at the higher difficulty levels, it never provides too much of a challenge. There's a video walkthrough provided, but I was able to work through all 40 levels without having to use it once. The levels are fairly open-ended in regard to how you solve them, but most of the challenge comes from actually executing your plan. Still, it's fun while it lasts, and there's enough options to keep you going back to see if you can get a higher score by doing things just a bit differently. All in all, Level Editor makes for a solid platformer with enough freedom to keep you coming back. So sit back, put on your snazzy red hat, and start building!
This is a very enjoyable and addicting game!
Got to level 25 so far...
Fun game, and the difficulty is set just right. I hoped to make my own levels too, but ironically, Level Editor doesn't have a level editor. Go figure.
Also, has anyone noticed it plays exactly the same music from Haystax (the game from Link Dump Friday)? Now that's what I call a coincidence!
Nice one.
Am I evil for laughing uncontrollably every time he screams when he falls?
I'm not gonna lie - I didn't like this one. In games like this, I feel the puzzles should provide most of the challenge, not the platforming; definitely not the case here. All the puzzles were no-brainers. There were only a couple occasions where I had to use the blocks in a different order than they were given. Many levels (not just the beginning ones) didn't even need all the blocks.
Also, the building aspect is FAR more restrictive than advertised. This game would have been great with large-scale levels with lots and lots of placeable parts; there would have been at least some freedom then. Isn't that the whole point of a level editor?
In any case, if you liked this one even in concept, check out Castle of Elite (Google it). It's similar, but IMO a much more interesting take on this concept.
I keep dying on level seven. The character movement always chokes up for a split second, I can see myself stall on screen, the spike ball hits me and I die. This game isn't Linux-friendly if control issues keep Linux users from being able to complete the levels.
Note to game designers: adding a timer just to make things harder doesn't make your game more 'exciting.' It makes it more annoying
Agreed. Take out the timer, ramp the difficulty of the block placement and you have yourself a game. It has great potential, but after the first ten levels or so of the game I found myself wanting for more... The game designers have great potential... Just a little tweaking... I hope the feedback from us bodes them well...
The timer would be fine if the game could be paused. Normal level-editing is usually a more thoughtful process than platforming, so it's problematic to be asked to do both at once.
That said, this is actually the sort of problem that makes for a good game, and this game is good. But "Sasha's Game" froze time while the player placed their platforms, meaning the player could base the placement upon where their jumps took them, rather than the other way around.
Wow. I got through all of the levels except for the last one without knowing you can switch the order of the blocks that you put down. Not the sign of a good puzzler.
Multiplayer tip: have one person control the mouse and put down blocks and have the other person move the guy. Makes for some fun moments (especially with the 1 second blocks)
What is this "Sasha's Game" youre talking about?
The only bad thing is the difficulty. This game were way too easy! I got 3 stars on every level right now...
Anyways fun game, but the concept isn't too original. Your character really is Fancy Pants and Shift Guy combined!
i can't even start the game!!! it shows a sun, some clouds and a couple of trees. WHERE IS THE PERSON???????
The same thing happened to me. The game won't start. All i see is a sun, some moving clouds, trees and the background. What's wrong?
I'm having a really hard time seeing this game living up to its namesake. You're hardly editing more than 10% of the actual stage.
I completely agree with Lavos, Whyreallynow, Bumoftheums and Jayce...
This game only confirmed for me how much I dislike playing platformers. And you don't really get to edit the levels because you're told where to place each block, and the music loop...!! Gaaah!!
However, I like the relaxed holiday style graphics juxtaposed by screaming as stickman plunges into the spikes... heh :)
@ezrabbit:
no, you are not. I have the same problem--his scream is just TOO FUNNY!
Not @ezrabbit, but worth mentioning anyway:
I like this game, though it is very linear. Funny thing, most level editors that are part of a game that ISN'T based on the level editor are more free than this one. But still, I say 4/5 for ingenuity, platforming, and hilarious screaming! I still play it all the time! But I'm stuck on the level with the 4 red spikey dudes and 2 4-second blocks. Help, Please!!!
Nevermind, got it! For anyone who's stuck on 4 red balls 2 4-second blocks level:
Jump over the gap.
Get the coins.
Put the blocks against the lower 2 red balls, drop down.
Run to the left very quickly.
The balls will pair up and destroy each other.
Go to door, yay you win!!!
ugh! Sorry for the triple-post, but now I'm stuck on the level with 3 3-second blocks, a million green spike dudes, and 1 impossible-to-reach door. PLEASE HELP!!!!!
i'm stuck on level 9
Its hard HELP!!!!!
Boo
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