Mute Crimson+

Developer: Iced Lizard Games

Steam Release: Aug 2015

Hours Played: 1.8

Similar To: Dustforce / Mos Speedrun 2 / Super Meat Boy / Walk in the Dark

Rating: 2/5 Parsnips

GAMEPLAY

Mute Crimson+ is a hard-as-nails. old-school style, side-scrolling action platformer that has you assuming the role of a ninja warrior who jumps, double-jumps and wall-jumps his way out of ever increasingly tricky levels. Armed with an additional melee attack to dispatch the odd enemy who stands in your way, you'll encounter all the bog-standard obstacles and jumping puzzles that you've come to know and love in these types of games. It's mainly about noting and anticipating patterns in the various missiles and obstacles, executing your plan to overcome them (dying a few times) and then moving onto the next area. This isn't one of those innovative games that will blow your mind but a fairly standard and pedestrian offering that uses the usual tried and tested formulas.
 

BALANCE & PACE

Like Super Meat Boy it's one of those games where you'll die over and over again and it's clearly meant to be one of those punishing games aimed at hardcore platforming fans. Yet rather than being boring or dull its challenging nature, like Gunman Clive, is one that draws you back in for that one more try. Thankfully, like games such as VVVVVV or indeed 140, regular checkpoints take you right back to the relevant point before you met your death to save you the burden of having to play through large chunks again. The game features seven acts (with about six or seven levels) and a final boss at the end of each. It chugs along at a good pace with things kicking in heavily at around the half way stage.  
 

PRESENTATION & DESIGN

Mute Crimson+ has the definite stamp of an indie game as it clearly looks like it's been programmed by a team of one or two individuals with little budget. Presentation is basic with a pixel-art aesthetic and a pretty bland chiptune soundtrack. It's all very much a throwback to the 1990s. Colours are limited to black, grey, red and white with yellow used for the bonus gold located at a hard-to-get-at spot in each level. Cut-scenes are added between each act with ridiculously bad grammar used in the captions. So bad, in fact, that it may have been intentional to bring a comical element to the game. Its simple design means that the menus are solid, stable and very easy to navigate through.
 

PROGRESS SYSTEM

Progress is recorded over the game's seven acts which are seven locations such as City, Forest, Cavern and Lab etc. The first act has just four levels but most have six or seven. At the end of a series of levels you end an act by defeating a tricky boss. The bosses are creatures such as squids or moths that all follow a certain pattern that get progressively more complicated to anticipate and counter. Huge dollops of patience is required and, as mentioned, you'll have to expect to die a lot. Finally, for the real dedicated hardcore folks out there, each level features an elusive gold-bar that you might want to collect as an extra challenge. 
 

CONCLUSION

Did I mention that Mute Crimson+ is not for the casual platformer fan or those that like to breeze through their games lightly? This will require dedication, determination and multiple efforts especially when you get to Act 4. Also, although checkpoints are placed at regular intervals, there are still plenty of hair-pulling moments where you will have to complete the same portions of the game over and over again just to get to and have an attempt at that trickier section. So for those who relish the chance of a challenge and don't mind the frustration of multiple attempts then feel free to pick this one up; otherwise something kinder like Paper Monsters: Recut or even Gunman Clive might be a wiser choice.