The following is a guest review by McPortugalem from IndieGamerTeam
There are certain games that grab one single, simple idea and run with it so well that other elements from it being simple or barely even accounted for don’t really matter all too much. Games like Journey or Portal both have one underlining and innovative idea that makes them standout and while the presentation and surrounding features are entertaining and well thought out the thing that most stands out about them is their innovation. Similarly there are games which mostly standout because of their style. They might not be polished and perfect experiences, especially in a pre-patch world but even if they have their issues the style over substance approach makes them an unique experience that often turns them into cult classics. One only has to take a look at one of my personal favorite video game series of all time Jet Set Radio to be aware of such a fact.
Ubermosh: Omega follows a similar path in that in it’s incredible simplicity and focused gameplay it has developed the kind of loyal audience that most Indie Developers only dream of, the history of Ubermosh is one of risks, of following dreams and of striking gold, and while the history is interesting it doesn’t take away from the series as a whole, as the games themselves hold merit and are, in my opinion extremely fun. But while I will soon get into the gameplay itself let me first talk briefly of how they came to be, it is a story often echoed throughout the ages of developers or artists leaving stability but that doesn’t mean it to be less inspiring. What Walter Machado has accomplished was not only hard, it deserves to be celebrated and that is what I hope to accomplish here. Anyone can tell you how great Ubermosh is (and it is, we’ll get to it) but perhaps because I speak Portuguese I am in a position where I have followed and am familiar with the story of Walter and his start in game development, something I hope to share.
See, Walter was a dentist. In fact, when I say he was a dentist that is a bit of a misnomer because he still holds the license and could return to that had his games series not been a success. That might make it seem like there was no risk associated with taking a big leap of faith with starting developing Indie games but in fact that couldn’t be farther from the truth.Smart, educated and with a steady position that allowed him to make a living Walter could have been content where he was. I will not make broad sweeping generalisations about Brazil and its state but Walter himself has admitted that he was better off than many people. It was a simple life, one that he enjoyed and while he has changed paths he admits that it came almost by accident.
Making games came almost by accident to Machado who picked up Gamemaker almost on a whim one day and started toying with it in his free time. Akin to any other creative experience, slowly starting to push boundaries and experiment he quickly came up with a prototype which he then improved. It is one of the things that Walter has often expressed, that what started as a fun hobby quickly grew into something more. Perhaps he was lucky, he counts himself so, because he didn’t have a hard time breaking in the industry. Working on his games and getting to add and reference everything he enjoys in his games.
Walter’s history is not one that is particularly uncommon as the internet has provided a wider access and audience to small indie developers who no longer have to rely on shareware floppy drives but it is still one that I admire. I had been a fan of his work since the first game, as they retailed for cheap and it was an impulse buy at the time, but in listening to interviews and reading his history I couldn’t help but be surprised and encouraged by it. Doing as I do my own fair share of creative projects the earnest way he talks about making games and his success really do inspire me.
But of course perhaps I would not have been so surprised had the Ubermosh games been bad, the truth however is that they’re not. Taking a similar approach to Doom in that they feature loud, pumping metal like songs and an immense of gore and blood (though not graphic as we have a bird eye view of the game) Ubermosh: Omega follows in the footsteps of other Ubermosh games by featuring tight design and the kind of fast, short gameplay that relies on replayability that made games like Super Meat Boy a hit.
The truth is that whenever one engages in a round of Ubermosh: Omega one can expect it to be done in less than two minutes, dodging guns and enemies while shooting them with overpowered weapons and raking up the kills to the thousands is an addictive process and there were many times where I finished a round only to start one not 5 seconds after because I felt I could do better. Dying isn’t a punishment in Ubermosh, it’s the expected and the whole game relies on quick, barely noticeable, reload times. It is a format that works well on a computer, with the loud and heavy music blasting through speakers but that is even better suited for a portable system. Ubermosh runs beautifully in handheld mode, something that I experienced when on the subway, or in short bus rides as I made my way through school. Coloring up the floor with dead enemies and blood splatters, so much that they seemed to hide other enemies could be frustrating but it was so fun and the game was so quick to restart that the upset didn’t last long.
In many ways Ubermosh: Omega is the perfect game to play while on the go and in short bursts. It reminds me very much of the kind of quick rounds that I’ve had in Speedrunners and even as I got other games it has remained at the ready for when I can eventually leave my house again. Just don’t turn on vibration, or the joycons will vibrate so often and so strongly they’ll likely slip out of your hands.
Disclaimer A review key was provided
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