An Untitled Story
Platform: 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 full version
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?
What happens at the end of the game?
I beat the highscore in jumpbox but no heart appeared :( Do you have to get to a certain level instead of just getting the high score?
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