Old Tunnel

The game is extremely repetitive with no variety. (Shoot 2 times, shield. You've completed the game.) Only buy this game if you want to play a game that looks like it's a mobile game or an easy %100. (completed it in 3 hours, could've done it in 2 if I played more efficiently.)

[i] Old Tunnel [/i] is a linear roguelike in an adorable pixel graphic style. [list] [*] It features a peculiar game mechanic: Depending on whether you're facing traps or enemies at the moment, controls change function. i.e. the same key does a different task. When hurdling traps: A = jump  S = dodge D = bash with shield When battling enemies: A = shoot (and reload when your clip is empty) S = shield  D = health item F = use knife G = throw explosive [*] This is taken a step further because with certain enemies, tasks are shuffled on the fly mid battle for a few seconds. So for example, A will be for throwing a knife instead of shooting, D will be for shooting instead of using a health item, and so on.   [*] You're always auto-moving towards your right, maneuvering through traps and clearing monsters as you go.  [*] No mouse is required. You hit keys on your keyboard corresponding to the actions you need to take. [*] There's a shop for weapons and items; and a weapon's bench for upgrading and switching weapons. [/list] [b]What I liked: [/b] [olist] [*] This fresh and simple take on roguelikes. It's a nice change. [*] Cute visual style + nice music.  [*] Using the kb only. This brings back fond memories of older games!   [*] It's a comfort game of sorts. No stress whatsoever. First off, it's easy. You can complete it on Normal difficulty in a few hours (except for that darn last boss ugh). Also, when you die, you respawn at the same area with your last weapon and all your coins intact; as opposed to starting from scratch.    [/olist] [b] Things I'd like added: [/b] [olist] [*] The ability to redefine controls. I'd like to tweak them to a setting more comfortable for both hands on the keyboard as opposed to using my left only. [*] The ingame objectives (called Quests) are a nice touch but they need to appear onscreen as a popup when completed. What we get instead is a popup that says Quest Completed. Read more in Pause. Pausing the game to do this breaks the fluidity of your run. [*] The quests also don't seem to serve a function other than perhaps familiarizing the player with the basic mechanics. It would be much better if they served an actual purpose. [*] This is nitpicking but a certain something (no spoilers!) doesn't seem to be affected by the same traps that kill you. Maybe adding a maneuvering animation for that something would make for a more realistic look and help with immersion. [*] Create a mechanic to deal with the coins we get. I have over 7,000 coins and already bought everything the shop has to offer, including new weapons and fully upgrading them. I'd show you a screenshot but .. read further down.  [/olist] [b] Cons: [/b] [olist] [*] The Settings are accessible only from the start Menu. If you want to change a setting during your run, you need to quit to the main Menu to do so. This needs to be fixed. [*] The game remains fair on Normal till the final boss (area 5) when the shifting keys mechanic becomes erratic rather than following a rhythm, changing at the moment you need to press the 'already new' shield key only to find it has shifted again at the last possible second leaving you pressing on shoot instead :/ This becomes increasingly irritating especially that you face this final boss only after clearing the entirety of area 5 first. [*] Ingame screenshots are disabled somehow. It seems to not work for some reason. I tried changing the shortcut to a different key but it still didn't work. It works fine in my other games. I even checked the Screenshots in the Community section. There are none.  https://steamcommunity.com/app/2075370/screenshots/?p=1&browsefilter=toprated [*] Some of the achievements require you to run xxx meters. I don't believe these are counted correctly for the Long Distance and Marathon Distance ones (Run 1,000 and 2,500 meters, respectively). To put things in perspective, the Average distance achievement (Run 500 meters) unlocked for me in less than 2 hours of game time and before reaching area 3. Now after 5 hours I'm in area 5 for the 6th run but the 1,000 meters achievement remains locked. https://steamcommunity.com/id/VolcanicPM/stats/2075370/achievements/   [/olist] [b] Conclusion: [/b] I wish there was a Neutral choice when it comes to recommendations. As much as the game is fun and introduces a fresh take on an established genre, I couldn't in good conscience recommend it in the state it's in at the moment. Feel free to try it with the stipulation that the game remains within the <$3 bracket, knowing that this is still a work in progress, lacks final polish and is quite a short game. Better yet, get it on sale. I would be happy to change this to a Thumbs Up! once the issues I raised are fixed because they're imho quite serious.

This is a “mobile game”, and it probably would have worked better as such rather than a PC game. Old Tunnel offers a relaxed experience that can be completed in a single sitting or revisited whenever you're not in the mood for something more extensive or complex. Or so I believed, at least, before getting this game. The game can present a challenge, especially on hard difficulty levels, particularly when bosses and smaller monsters start messing with your controls. However, once you get the hang of it – which happens rather quickly – it loses its initial difficulty and transforms into nothing more than a baby game for any seasoned gamer. This duality, while not necessarily a bad thing, may leave you craving a bit more variety. Personally, I entered this game with clear expectations: a small, mildly challenging game to unwind and destress. What I didn't anticipate, though, was how quickly it became easier once I mastered the traps and controls, which made the gameplay feel somewhat repetitive. Consequently, I don't see myself returning to it after completing it 100%. Nevertheless, it isn't a bad game; I would even say it's decent, but it needs a lot of polishing and bug fixing to be even considered worth playing.