14 DAY TRIAL // Steam’s new Greenlight system has already helped quite a few independent games appear on the popular digital distribution service, including Fly’N, a puzzle platformer from Ankama.
With the promise of delightful cartoonish graphics, lush environments, and an emphasis on speed, skill, and precision, Fly’N might just be one of the next big indie platforms, like Limbo, Braid, and many others.
Does it succeed in delivering a captivating experience or should it fly away to another place? Let’s have a quick look.
Fly’N begins with a visually gorgeous and quite complex presentation of its beautiful world and how it was transformed into a not-so-great environment by an evil … hairdryer, named Dryer.
In order to save the world from the diabolical appliance, players control four Buds that need to save the special World-Trees from getting sucked into Dryer’s flying machine.
As you can imagine, their rescue mission consists of travelling through the game’s world, collecting currency and using special powers to get to the end of the level.
You start off by controlling Fly’N, a little Bud that can travel through the environment and use his singing to unlock new paths.
Besides performing this little trick, Fly’N and his fellow buds can also enable special vision modes, called Innate and Subtle, which allows them to walk on certain things and use drafts of air to reach special zones.
Sadly, the actual platforming mechanics don’t work that well, as Fly’N spends some time walking regularly and then quickly accelerates to higher speeds. What’s more, the double jump mechanic is also quite annoying, as it doesn’t always record the second jump right when you want it.
Trying to control the game with a mouse and keyboard also doesn’t work that well, so you’re practically forced to use an Xbox 360 controller for Windows.
While visually pleasing, Fly’N doesn’t deliver that great of a puzzle platforming experience. If you really want some side-scrolling action and have an Xbox 360 controller, then you might at least try out its demo on Steam.
You can check out the game in action in the video above.
Worth a full Softpedia review? No.