BADLAND3.2.0.98

I have ignored Badland for months because of its free game status. I honestly don't care for a game if its intertwined with a continuous shekel making scheme. Here's were my manly intuition has failed me (not surprisingly). Badland is in fact a complete premium game out of which the developers Frogmind have kindly made an upgrade-able free game for all to enjoy. And enjoying it I am! Badland doesn't seem completely original. It feels like a blend of Lemmings! and the less masterful but equally captivating(?) Flappy Bird. Also, since I'm happily throwing comparisons, I'd say, intentionally or not, the atmosphere of Badland is heavily influenced by the Oddworld games in both looks and sound.

The main protagonist of Badland is a chestnut-like creature with large eyes and two small appendages that propel it through the air. Your goal is to keep the 'badlander' advancing through an obstacle filled tunnel until it reaches deliverance through the sucking funnel. The only controls at your disposal is tapping to flap and keep the badlander airborne. It is not necessary to stay in the air all the time and you can also hit the ground, ceiling and walls as much as you like. In fact it can be quite amusing to see the little thing tumble and bounce, until you finally realize that the screen edge catches up with it and you loose.

Luckily, failure is not punished harshly either. There are multiple checkpoints within a level, which makes Badland much, much easier than it could have been otherwise. There are many hazards within a level that vary from crushing rocks to deadly rotor blades and even dangerously narrow passages. However, what Badland lacks in control it makes up in powerups. These are scattered throughout a level and are almost always essential for progression. These come into effect as soon as you pick them up, or rather get jumped by them. Some of the most impressive include increasing or decreasing one's size. These can sometimes be a hindrance but they help with fitting in small places or crushing impervious obstacles. Another awesome upgrade is the spawning blob. Once you encounter it, your badlander will get a company of clones that will fly along and respond to the same commands. These guys don't need to be saved, in fact they are sacrificed most often than not so that at least one can make it through.
Difficulty progresses steadily over the 'campaign' although it is sometimes punctuated by particularly difficult moments. Luckily, there's a checkpoint right where it should be.

I must say that love the fact that there are no stars to collect or points to score. I especially like that there are no gems to be bought if you get my drift. The only purchase you can ever make is to unlock the full game, which unlocks all of the levels, brings in the level editor and multiplayer mode. Yep, there's multiplayer. Cruising around with others should be as fun if not more than alone (including your clones). The main bonus however for purchasing the full package seems to be the disappearance of ads, as this is the most often encountered complain on the game's page. Which is a shame, as Frogmind did a wonderful gesture offering this game as a free alternative, while the upgrade cost is trivial. I can't say the same thing about Cheetah Games' Badland 2 unfortunately.

Badland really deserves its critical praise. The game plays very well and is a joy to observe. The only downside I noticed is that after playing it for at least thirty minutes I began expecting my computer screen to start scrolling to the right. It made reading rather stressful. Yet I'm sure that's just me.