(Review) Spoiler Alert

When I first saw Spoiler Alert, the book was judged by it’s cover. At this point in life I should be over that by now, but what are you going to do. As the name implies, you start Spoiler Alert at the end of the game. It’s a counter intuitive romp filled with unkilling baddies and uncollecting coins. You start by defeating an evil looking bunny and get to the princess! That’s when the real game starts.

While this looks like a lot of levels, each is only about eight to ten seconds long. While that can save you some frustration of playing for three minutes and then messing up at the end, it makes every level feel too short no matter how convenient it is.
While this looks like a lot of levels, each stage is only about eight to ten seconds long (when done well). While that can save you some frustration of playing for three minutes and then messing up at the end, it makes every level feel too short no matter how convenient it is.

What ensues is a basic platforming game with nothing super special until you reach the end. I know that seems a bit harsh, but other than the quirky artwork and the fact that you are a chili pepper, there isn’t anything much different other than the main draw of constantly running backwards. That is a different approach to how I’ve been playing platformers my whole life. However, that backwards challenge is conquered after the first half of the the third world (which is the first world you play). The rest of Spoiler Alert felt more like a practice run for the end game.

This is where the magic happens folks!
This is where the magic happens folks!

After you’ve unbeaten Spoiler Alert, a few more options open up to you. You unlock an extra world called Mariachiworld and Speed Runner Mode. Mariachiworld is a set of ten levels that are tougher than the original worlds (thirty levels each, why only ten here?). They did have at least one level that took me more tries than the norm to get gold (unsurprisingly the last level).

Speed Runner Mode is a different beast entirely. While the other levels can be tried and retried again and again fairly easily, you won’t be grabbing gold that easily this time. You’ve got to make it through the entire 90 levels without making a single mistake to achieve gold. After one mistake you’re down to silver and so on. It’s tough for me to decide if I’m just going to restart and try for gold or just finish to get practice with the rest of the game. So far, I’ve just restarted, but I’m fairly sure I’m going to try to get gold one of these days.

One chili pepper, many hats!
One chili pepper, many hats!

tinyBuild Games also allows you to build and share your own levels. Think you’ve got what it takes to make the cruelest level out there? Well, this definitely gives you a chance. You’ve got all of the tools and toys in the game at your disposal. It’s pretty simple to use, but I’m sure if you don’t want your level to be just another shovelware level, it will take some practice to get that perfect level out of your head and onto the drawing board.

While I may not appreciate the bulk of this game. If I view the first three worlds you encounter as a “prolonged” tutorial for the end game of Speed Runner Mode and the ability to create your own levels to share and torture other people over the net with, it's a very fun game. I may have appreciated the main game more if the levels were longer, but they are all mostly eight to ten seconds long. It's neat in concept when you mess up and don't have far to go, but it makes for a shallow experience. Still, the hand-drawn effects are nice, the music is fun and the experience runs smoothly. If you're looking for some easy achievements, here you go. If you're looking for a challenge that barely anyone you know on Steam will ever get, look no further. Speed Runner Mode will be the toughest thing to do in this game hands down. You could get it with tons of practice, but do you have what it takes to stick it out?
I don’t fully appreciate the bulk of this game. However, if I view the first three worlds you encounter as a “prolonged” tutorial for the end game of Speed Runner Mode and the ability to create your own levels to share and torture other people over the net with, Spoiler Alert is a fun game. I may have appreciated the main game more if the levels were longer, but they are all mostly eight to ten seconds long as stated above. It’s neat in concept when you mess up and don’t have that far back to go, but it makes for a shallow experience. Still, the hand-drawn effects are nice, the music is fun and the mechanics are smooth. If you’re looking for some easy achievements, here you go. If you’re looking for a challenge that barely anyone you know on Steam will ever get, look no further. Speed Runner Mode will be the toughest thing to do in this game hands down. You’ll could get it with tons of practice, but do you have the determination to stick it out?

Jonathan Amarelo Sig

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