There is a category of games for which only one definition is suitable: pleasant. Here, not good, not bad, namely pleasant. Well, maybe still cute. Because it is impossible to seriously evaluate from the point of view of the quality of gameplay, graphics and other “adult” parameters something as simple and even unpretentious as quest -like Axel & Pixel.
Indeed, what “porridge” can be boiled on the explosive mixture of a distinguished art of deliberate two -dimensionality, funny, unusual tasks and an almost complete absence of a meaningful plot? Oh yes, they almost forgot about psychedelic fantasies as the main ingredient – for special aftertaste.
Who is all these mushrooms? And where is my things?
Axel & Pixel – casual adventure, slightly infected with an arcade spirit. If she could be proud of something, she would be proud of her ostentatious casuality. It is not surprising that instead of the script, the developers slipped us something very unintelligible.
Artist Axel and a thin-legged orange pixel dog fall into the world of either fantasies or dreams of Axel (but we know that substances are to blame for everything). To get out of there, you need to take possession of the golden key, which is stored by a nasty pink-multe rat. The rodent is constantly running away, and our heroes catch up with the enemy, simultaneously overcoming various fantastic obstacles. Actually, the plot ends on this. Hallucinogenic paintings of accele dreams are interconnected very conditionally.
However, a project of this type of lack of a clear storyline does not spoil at all. On the contrary: suddenly falling on our heads, the story would only take off the wonderful, air line of adventure. In a psychedelic quest, the main thing is that? To be “all worse and stranger”. With this just in Axel & Pixel Everything is fine.
And I’m so small
Only one two -dimensional screen is assigned to each level. Interacting with objects and phenomena of the fantastic world, we must provide Axel and Pixel with a free passage, flying or sailing. It is not known whether the artist tried Carolovsky pies and bottles with various bad entertaining inscriptions. Only the result is obvious: our characters are very small compared to the surrounding reality. A variety of insects are approximately equal to the axel in height, and the turtle next to it looks just a tank. It is no coincidence that a tank caterpillar was accidentally attached to her paw.
At first, the player can mislead the simple way to solve problems. Some actions can be performed by the main character himself, something can be entrusted to his four-legged friend. We have to do many things on our own, with our divine will and a yellow finger -shaped cursor, changing circumstances. It is very few objects for use on the road. Moreover, all selected sticks, leaves, glass fragments and other necessary things are used automatically, you just
have to click on the right place. It would seem that here it is – the dream of a casual.
In fact, it turns out that not everything is so simple. Elementary separately and at first the solutions tend to unite in amazing long chains. The closer to the finale, the more difficult the quests become, sometimes turning into real puzzles. So, for example, the task with fragments of glass, with which you need to catch sunlight, makes you seriously strain the only gyrus than saves it from complete leveling. And the sequence like “grow strawberries on the bush – put in a nutty shell – crush – pour a strange creature with strawberry juice to pick up a wheel for a complex mechanism moving wood cone” combines the simplicity of each individual action and the sophistication of the execution in general.
Of course, it is impossible in connection with Axel & Pixel Do not recall the glorious Adventure Samorost from Yakuba Dvorski. These two games really have a lot in common: starting with gameplay – and ending with art.
Subtleties of landing
Is it true, Axel & Pixel Still, there will be more-both in volume and in diversity of the gameplay. In addition to many puzzles, we are treated with arcade mini-players, also not highlighted. For example, we need to draw a balloon on a narrow underground ditch without clinging the walls. At the same time, we cannot directly control the flight. Only indirect methods are available to us: to give gas so that the aircraft rushes upward or, on the contrary, reduce the pressure so that the heroes decrease a little. On a similar principle, a racing mini-archda is arranged, which suddenly discovers good physics. A small yellow SUV quite believably accelerates, slows down and turns from strong blows to the ground.
Actually Axel & Pixel – Novelty only for the computer territory. A year ago, Xbox 360 users have already managed to join this unusual game. For prefix realities, we note – doubly unusual, because, as a rule, modern casual projects are intended primarily for PC. What else can an office employee be brightened up, if not casual entertainment?
Among other things, Axel, being an artist, stops from time to time and sketches the next landscape seen. But not just like that, but with our help. In order for the maestro to take up the brush, we have to prepare a picturesque scene every time for him: “dissolve” flower buds and all that.
Eclecticism begins and wins
Well, how the developers themselves prepared for us their “painting” in locations? We will answer in one word: strange. The very first impression of art may be even sharply negative. Like, “what kind of cartoon figures are these on the background of photo collages, the twenty-first century in the yard, after all,”! A little later, having looked closely and penetrated, we begin to understand that it is such a deliberate discord of the ways of visual embodiment that creates a single and unique style in some ways Axel & Pixel, which, perhaps, costs many brilliant three -dimensional crafts.
Anticipating comments like “Again on Stopgame.ru, calls “amazing”!”, We inform: yes, we put it, put and we will put it until the casual games are equally organic, balanced and amazing as Axel & Pixel.
Pros: elegant sequences of actions;unusual mini-games;a kind of art;Harmonicity of all elements of the gameplay.
Cons: Not a mass product.