Osteya

Developer: Metalbear
Steam Release: Nov 2015
Hours Played: 1
Similar To: The End is Nigh / League of Evil / Offsping Fling
Rating: 1/5 Parsnips

GAMEPLAY
Once again we're talking 16-bit, pixel graphics here with old-school style gameplay. You control a tiny little man not unlike the character from Fez and run and jump your way to freedom around a screen which occasionally scrolls up or down. The playing area itself also seems mighty close to resembling the art-style of Fez (although it's a lot simpler, features just one colour scheme and sticks to a flat 2D formula). Very annoyingly placed tiny little stationery spikes combined with interfering tiny little enemies that glide around, impede your progress. Like most run and jump platform puzzlers you are portalled onto the screen and challenged to reach the exit. In this case you'll need to collect a number of white keys before the exit tunnel opens invitingly.      

BALANCE & PACE
To help achieve your task you are graced with the usual jump and double-jump ability. However, reaching those elusive keys also requires you to travel through walls so to assist you with this endeavour you are granted the power to activate the teleport abilty. Now, for me, using this teleport ability took a bit of getting used to because not only does it teleport you over a strange upside-down L-shaped distance but it takes momentum into account so familiarity is needed before becoming proficient at sailing through the levels. Thankfully restarting is instant and, as the game is a solid and zippy running and jumping platform puzzler, you will soon be hitting that restart button with alacrity.   
 

PRESENTATION & DESIGN
The art-work resembles Lego or Duplo blocks viewed from above and rendered in shades of brown. There are added splashes of white for spikes along with green and red for plants. It's a minimal design but let-down by the one poorly designed menu screen. For one, this doesn't quite fit on a screen so there is awkward scrolling as you click on one of the 40 squares. Secondly, it's unpredictable as you sometimes need two clicks to start. Thirdly when you hit Escape the game throws you out onto the desktop; quick and efficient maybe but surely a game needs a home-page. The music makes up for these flaws as a steady and stealthy spy-like ambient tune rolls out as you play.  
  

PROGRESS SYSTEM
The game gives you 40 levels altogether and does not allow you to skip any. If you are stuck on one, you cannot progress which effectively means you are locked out from the full content of the game which I'm never a big fan of. Completed levels are highlighted so it's clear how you are progressing. The game lends itself to speed-runs yet the developers have not gone down that route which is also a bit odd as it shouldn't be that much of a chore to implement. For me this lack of bells and whistles, along with the sub-standard level-select screen, just gives the feeling that the game is not fully developed to its full potential. 

CONCLUSION

Overall, Osteya is a sufficient run and jump romp for the casual gamer. You'll smash through the early levels, gradually work out and solve the middle levels and then very slowly complete the later levels - probably at the rate of about 1 or 2 per session. In these later levels, it'll take some time to work out the correct route and then, with a dash of trial and error, more time to actually carry out the jumps without impaling yourself on those spikes for the umpteenth time. If you're the patient sort of gamer who relishes the challenge of leaping and jumping through the same levels over and over again to finally crack it - then it might be worth giving this game a whirl while it's on sale.