If you want to start covering more 3d indie platformers, may I recommend toree 2? It's one of my favourite games of all time (i have 270 hours in it) and it only costs a dollar
I know this is a tactical JRPG and not a platformer like you usually play but the dialogue and basic plot remind me a lot of Disgaea you might want to check that out in your spare time if you want to. i will say this though don't even attempt to complete it it is one of those games where the main story is like 30 to 50 hours while the post game is much longer and makes the main story look like a glorified Tutorial. still if you like witty funny demon characters that believe they are hot shit and want to become the big shit Disgaea is the franchise for you.
The more open a game is, the more important a varied movement system becomes. If you can make movement engaging, you can make any environment feel like a fun parkour course. As much as I like games like Rayman 2 and 3, their platforming is made engaging solely through level design, as the player moveset is extremely simple. Meanwhile Origins and Legends have more options and even some built-in movement tech to encourage players to seek faster ways of getting through levels.
Best Assassin's Creed in that aspect was Unity, I used to spend hours just going around the map doing parkour. If they only had followed the other games with that movement system... They would be glorious.
@@keen7youtubeistoast796 Unfortunately, there's a certain limitation to human characters for that stuff. Playing as otherworldly entities (superheroes, demons, angels, etc) gives you the FREEDOM to create INSANE movesets (spectral wings, otherworldly transformations, hero movement like the web swing or electric zip, and so on)
Far out man, I still have that dream from time to time. I'm always in a store full of classic bionicles, and redesigned/ rebooted ones that I never knew existed as a kid. And the prices are outrageously cheap, I fill up an entire bag full of them. Can you explain why this dream is even a thing for so many people? haha
"Like Jinjos, or the cakes from Demon Turf." One of the best jokes from humanity, ever. I have quite literally died and started decomposing from the raw humor stank.
I hate how the word “literally” is now used to exaggerate, like, that’s the opposite of how you’re supposed to use that word. It’s like if we started throwing “metaphorically speaking” randomly at the end of sentences. Otherwise, fine comment; I thought it was a funny joke too.
@@cringejuicedavidson8288 I literally hate how the word "literally" is now literally used to exaggerate, like, that's literally the opposite of how you're literally supposed to use that word. It's literally like if we started throwing "metaphorically speakling" randomly at the end of sentences. Otherwise, fine comment; I literally thought it was a funny joke too. Fun fact, that's all technically the correct use of the word literally. Also, semi-colons don't belong anywhere in the English language except scientific papers. Just use a period.
Love to see the little art examples starring yourself have continued to appear. You do a great job of explaining mechanics and features but it's nice to have an additional visual presentation of it; particularly one where you have plenty of charm. Your excitement really came through with this review and it's awesome that you had so much fun with it. Also, love that 0:28 3D Platformer category diamond.
I have never bought a game SO FAST after a review. Literally was already clicking purchase before the end screen of the video. You passion for this game and the genre combined with thorough explanations of what makes it amazing is the most powerful endorsements I’ve ever witnessed.
You describing the joy of a moveset like this is something a lot of people tend to overlook and not think about. And whenever I've tried to explain to my friends why I like a moveset that gives freedom once you've hit the skill threshold is so good, they never got what I meant. I appreciate the focus you had on it, it's such an important thing and made me REALLY want this game
The “3 different cakes, scattered around the area - like the jingos from banjo, or the cakes from demon turf :)” joke got a good chuckle out of me. Poking fun of your own talking point tropes is the most meta humour thing, and I am all for it, lol
For describing this subgenre of platformer, my mind is thinking of Character Action Games but instead of stringing combos together for combat, the game's way more focused on stringing together your different jumps and other movement options. Character Action Platformer maybe? Eh maybe not that name. Parkour Action? bleh.
When you talked about the game in your top 10 games from 2021 video, I was sold on it based on the way you described it alone and after playing it for a bit, I found out Limited Run Games was doing a physical release AND thst there was also a vinyl release of the OST. I haven't finished the game yet but I absolutely love what I have played of it so far so thanks for talking about it James.
I recently bought this game due to your review. And while I must be honest, I believe that this game is flawed in a lot of the sections you commented, such as the controls not... Really being quite fluid and responsive as I would've hope for. I agree that this game is good, and most of all, that this game showed a lot of potential. And I also got Neon Splash because it was on sale for super cheap. I didn't know what to expect at first because the first game left me feeling mixed about it. But man, I don't know what they did here, but the controls just feel... Better. More fluid, responsive, is easier for me to make combos. And I don't think it's because the speed was adjusted. I honestly hope that, if they do a Demon Turf 2, they go down the line of Neon Splash, I am having so, so, so much more fun with it than the base game.
Thank you for bringing the DLC to my attention! I now have the world record time on the final bonus level (and some other ones). I looove the movement options of Beebz in this game! At first I wasn't a fan of the triple jump, but after about 30 minutes it started to click for me and I prefer the DLC movement over the original game's now!
That charged telekinetic punch visually looks like Push from Golden Sun, but also just... looks really fun to use. That hover along the ground looks so damn good and fluid. The way the game also actively encourages you to parkour up surfaces in ways that would be considered glitches in other games... It's great. Anywhere else, using some bullshit combination of walljumps to skip your way up a sheer surface would be cheating, but here it just looks like being good at the game. Those powerups too. Man. You just know the devs have played basically all the games mentioned in this video and taken notes.
I am THRILLED for the future of this channel. Kirby and the Forgotten Land recently helped me discover my love for platformers, leading me to try out others, including ones that I wanted to play because of your videos like Psychonauts 2. The fact that we’re gonna get more platformer recs from this channel makes me so happy, and I can’t wait to watch those upcoming videos and maybe get some new games for my wishlist, starting with this game!
"It cites Super Mario Sunshine as an influence and that's pretty clear, from how you go to big hub levels to attempt different challenges, to the nuanced platforming that starts with a jump and turns into a double jump, a dive, a wall run, denial, bargaining and finally acceptance that we're gonna have to fall into the lava now."
This game and A Hat in Time are so gloriously put together and I cannot fathom enough just how much I love indie development towards passion projects like these! Kudos to the maximum, I'll certainly say!
Can't add much, but God damn. Game has so much style it practically bleeds it out like a hemophiliac Style and function, from the checkpoint system to the missions menu. Lotta smart decisions. And based on some I caught while watching this, the OST reminds me I and the rest of the world need late 90s/early 00s Drum 'n Bass back. Also, flubbing the outro and just stopping was hilarious
Man your hype is extremely infectious , I don't really enjoy platformer in general but seeing how hyped up you are about this game makes me want to play this game asap
@@pearlydewdropsfall I feel like whenever a person uses *blank*-core to describe an aesthetic it's fair to just ignore everything else they say,since those terms are completely nonsensical
Thank you for recommending this :) Instant purchase! Please keep making those videos about less known 3D platformers, especially recent ones, I love this genre and I want more of it :D
I actually bought this game after seeing it on your best of the year list. I haven't got to play it yet but I trust your word that whenever I do I'll have a blast.
There actually was another fantastic game that did the 2D player in a 3D space called "Here comes Niko!" By Frog Vibes and Gears for breakfast (A hat in time) that was released late summer last year. Would love for you to check it out, highly recommend
No idea how I forgot about that one since I remember being excited for it, as a big fan of A Hat in Time. Would also love to see coverage on that since I don't want others forgetting like I did lmao
Demon Turf's such a really damn good game, man! I'm glad I got it in December. Beebz' has got a LOT Of personality, too! Sure, she might be a gremlin, but from what I could tell with her interactions ingame, she's a gremlin with a heart, and that's pretty cute!
I've bought Demon Turf because it reminded me of Sonic Robo Blast 2, my favorite Sonic game ever made... yes, I am serious. Either, Demon Turf is gud gaem. :)
HOW HAVEN'T I HEARD OF THIS?! Seriously this is up my alley in pretty much every respect. I have to get on this. Really looking forward to seeing what other indie platformers you end up looking at if this is what you are leading with.
I'd love to see you look at more modern 3D platformers. It'll help build up my Steam library a bit, and I am curious to see what these games do to make themselves stand out. Heck, I already have this game and Blue Fire on my wishlist.
I broke my feet today because I kicked my computer because someone commented that my videos are bad! I hate unjustified criticism. Please wish me a speedy recovery, dear ca
i programmed a wall jump pretty easily but you gave me a chance to think about fixing something minor with it i didn't care much about, already know how i'm gonna do it.
I think I only got about 4 minutes into the video or so before I looked it up on steam and put it on my wish list to get on my next paycheck. Your enthusiasm and such has sealed the deal, and listening to the video more is only cementing that.
I'm actually really excited to see you cover more of these indie platformers. Some of them look really cool but it's hard to know which ones are actually worth checking out
Very happy to see you reference "The Bionicle Dream" And also very happy to see you go in-depth with this game, went from tentatively interested to 'yea i'm gonna buy this soon'
Man I remember when I played this, I ended up falling in love with the moveset rather quickly. This game actually made me want to speedrun through levels. That ravine level? I actually spent several hours grinding away until I got #2 worldwide. No other game has gotten me to do anything like that.
Love how you now have another game to add to your reference table of game collectable and physics comparisons. I knew you were going to mention Kao being the only other choose your checkpoint platformer because I watch your videos a lot.
You bring SO much joy and passion to each of your reviews. You make me really wanna pick up the controller and play this, for almost every single game you cover!
I picked up Neon Splash out of you’re infectious genuine hype for the game. I sadly don’t agree with the heights of praise. It’s certainly unique but feel the controls are overly sensitive and unclear what actions can be performed prior to the last action and miss the point and simplicity of Mario. The move set should complement a level not give me an excuse to not see and play it in a way I feel the developer would’ve wanted.
15:47 I like this little joke a lot. It's a fun way to get across just how much you love this game, basically saying _right here_ that this game will be what you compare these kinds of collectibles too. Could also be commenting on how _rare_ these collectibles are in games, but it's kinda cute either way. It took me back like "oh, did he say that right? am i missing something" and had to go back a couple seconds to rewatch it twice over for this dumb, silly joek cause I've got a dumb silly brain. >3>
Got my friend into this game when you vouched it as GOTY, as his absolute favorite mario game was infact 64, he streamed it for me to watch and it was incredible! Can’t wait to see the review!
One thing I have yet to see in a platformer is a window to land on certain terrains, and either be rewarded or punished on your timing. Though I get that's pretty vague and can also seem problematic, here's some examples: You decide you're sliding on ice and want more control, so you decide to jump and move around with some aerial abilities. Now lets say when you land, you've built up more speed than the slow slippery walk you were doing on the ground. You either smoothly move the control stick back to a neutral position (or slightly towards the direction you were trying to go) or if trying to immediately jump again, you'd have a certain amount of frames to tap the jump button to successfully jump again or be punished by slipping on the ice- in which case could mean losing a life or taking damage on stages where there's no protective rails or a boss fight with damaging obstacles near said ice. Edit 2: After thinking about it, I figured pressing jump could stabilize you when landing on ice, then quickly tapping it again to jump immediately after landing. Like a double tap to jump when landing on ice. This would make it a unique mechanic specifically for ice while not being too difficult to land with just having to center the control stick as that can halt flow of gameplay at times or just not feel fun. (Don't know, haven't tried it, this food for thought here!) But I'd like to note that you could probably do this for a lot of situations too, for instance, such as moving floors (like machine belts), bouncy objects/platforms, sticky objects, hot/heated surfaces and so on so forth. It would really make speedrunning and traversing that much more difficult and potentially rewarding depending on the means needed to continue, stop moving, build momentum, or change direction. You could make it so ice needs to be treaded carefully and seamlessly, Bouncing would need you to be positioned properly (more central if a bigger object like a ball) or quickly respond to the compression/depression of an object. Moving floors could provide major resistances or boost to directional movements (and also potentially slipping if going with the flow or trying to exit from the sides), Sticky things stopping momentum if you don't press the jump quick enough or wiggle around slightly to prevent sticking and/or sinking, and hot surfaces and objects requiring you to be moving really fast consistently, like no slowing down to turn too much, sliding, or basically maintaining contact too long. Edit: for things like ice, or the bouncing, there could a grace period to recover from mishaps so you're not completely annoyed all the time. Ice could have a get-up period where you can flick the control stick up (or press W for PC) to quickly get up and perform an action like purposefully jumping off an edge and using aerial controls to float back onto it (whereas if you didn't perform the get-up *then* you'd slip off the edge). I could also imagine there could be extra uses for purposefully slipping like sliding off the edge with increased speed (albeit with less control like a hand slide) and either meticulously use it to slide off an edge and gain more distance or perhaps even accidentally slip under something either saving or dooming you. As for Bouncing recovery, I'd probably make it so where you could quickly move the control stick (or direction) along with the camera to sway where you were about to go flying if you didn't land center or timed the jump off to well, and if more speed is needed you could trigger a double jump early while you still have some of your momentum to go further than you normally would (due to launch speed) as opposed to if you had waited for the end of your jump then triggered it. This could also lead to you overshooting something but if you messed up already you might as well go full send. (end of edit) Though I understand the extremely high demand for programming such physics is immense, the payoff would be lasting experience. And that's just *ONE* of many examples. The perfect platformer may never truly exist, but even the kings of their respective types always have room to grow and it's great to see new games push onwards rather than trying to imitate 1:1.
I'm glad you covered this. I havent really seen any coverage on it, hopefully this ends up with more people knowing about this game and buying it. This game is just too good to be skipped on Also would be cool to see you cover Here Comes Niko. It's another indie platformer that's super chill and relaxing.
I'm having a great time so far playing this game, my only real problems are the combat & the high pitched sound effects when you fight enemies all being the same
I remember seeing Demon Turf early on and felt the EXACT same way as you with the 2d character design. Glad to hear it pulled off what it set out to do, and do it well. I always love seeing games try and fill a niche not enough people are really trying to do, so kinda interested in picking this up when I get the chance now.
@@dakota7745 well, that's just part of the game's appeal, once you master the controls and know what to do the game really opens up. Although the path to get there requires a pretty hefty amount of patience and willpower.
As great as the game looks, the animations are suuuper stiff for how dynamic the movement is. I feel like they could’ve exaggerated poses a little more to make the visuals match the gameplay better.
I feel also like the art direction in general could use some work. There just so much inconsistency in the in game art and the 3D environments. If a sequel will ever be made this is the thing i want for them to fix!
Today is my birthday so I bought this game! It’s downloading now. I’m really excited to play it. Thanks for the recommendation NitroRad. Keep up the great work.
I'm gonna be honest, I think you may have oversold this game a little, I played it after watching your review and wow was I disappointed. I played the first world and like half of the second world and then I just couldn't stomache anymore. The controls felt very clunky, the level design was really really uninteresting and bland, and I was actually getting a headache from the camera, an effect that no other game has had on me.
Yeah I agree, I got pretty far into the game trying to do as much as possible and honestly I just found most of it to be rather forgettable. Much prefer A Hat in Time over this.
@@queencancerous5332 yeah, sometimes it feels that way. In the past he's mentioned how he doesn't want to be another youtuber who just gets angry about video games, and instead try to be more positive, which is fine, but in cases like this I think he should have been more honest about the games quality
I doubt he purposely oversold it, but that it's more he just genuinely loves the game. I do as well and probably would gush over it as much as him given the chance. I didn't experience any of what you did, but that's fine. I will say the animations are certainly not as expressive and don't reflect the energy in most jumps you do, and the 2D aspect in a 3D world leads to some depth perception issues depending on the angle but that's about the extent of my gripes, and I got over them relatively quickly. This game just isn't for everyone, especially with how niche it tries to be given the aesthetics and controls.
The only thing stopping me from playing this game, and I know this sounds incredibly petty, is the main character's design. And the art style for the character portraits too. I'm sorry but it's just SO lame, like something a 14 year old did using Paint for the first time. It just doesn't mesh well with the rest of the game.
I can get past it, I even think the main character actually looks nice... but damn, now I wanna see a remake of this game later down the road, with a stronger artstyle, it could look absolutely phenomenal.
I had such a great time with Demon Turf. The game has some of the most satisfying platforming for a 3D platformer I've seen in years. Speedrunning is just so much fun to do, even when you are not trying to set any records, it's just a blast stringing together wall jumps, gliding, and launching yourself. I am honestly quite baffled this game has not been more prominent in the speedrunning community. I tell you, Demon Turf is a sleeping giant for fun tactics that would be a blast to watch other people pull off. Hell, I even managed to snatch a whole 4 World record on some stages, myself. 1 of which I wasn't even trying xD Finding both intended as well as unintended skips on stages are just so much fun when you can just barely pull them off to shave off a few more seconds off your times Speaking of that tho. The game did have a nasty annoying issue with iit's in-game counter when you start a level where in the timer will already be at about 4 seconds before you even get control of your character (At least on my Switch version back when it was new) which is just an instant reset every time you get the bug if you want a shot in hell at any records. I also accidentally stumbled into a cake that when collected would count towards your total but it would never be marked as collected when you retried the level so you could get it over and over even after having achieved 100% I have to admit, while the combat did have some charm to it. It just felt a way too slow, sloppy, lose and repetitive in the long run. Plus, the fact that it can be really hard to see those red lethal one-hit kill bullets can really make thing messy. Charging up your attacks felt slow and would have a hard time connecting with flying enemies. I know the grappling hook can help grounding them but that one also took time to use. I just dreaded having to do them. Especially when doing the time trials, as they just felt too unpredictable The only other nitpick I have might be that the 2D athstetic can sometimes make it hard to judge distances. Those parts where you have to navigate thought holes in laser grids are probably the worst but it's luckily not often where that becomes a problem. And like you mentioned, the time slower ability feels kinda underutilized/useless. Except for some really specific moments, I would often forgot I even had it and just push through or skip the parts entirely. It's just not that interesting or fun to use But yeah, what's there not to love about this game? The graphic is eye-poppingly unique, the setting interesting, characters fun and well designed and gameplay all tip-top. ThIs game needs way more attention than it's gotten!
I noticed the charged attack isn't that useful for combat. Just spam jabs for grounded enemies (armor never felt like it did much for them, either), spin into fliers to bring them down. What I hated were the ball sections, the Grappling Hook couldn't save them. Also, fuck those floating fans they want you to glide into, it feels like I don't always get the same air from them. And those holed laser grids, too, that early challenge level where you collect keys underwater made me despise them x) The Time ability feels like a challenge. It just makes me want to try clearing the obstacles while they're at full-speed. I really liked the parts where you need to desync stuff. As someone who actually tried speedrunning (I just did the time trials and called it a day, myself), how do you feel about the game's loading times? Especially the "speedrun mode" ones, that have to reload the entire level whenever you die, they felt just long enough to be annoying. The optional challenges were aggravating too, at points, I wanted to chain them instead of having to reload the hubworld just to pick a different one.
"Omg it's Mario!" No it isn't and that is the charm. Comparing it to Mario is regressive as hell for the genre. Imagine if everyone actually copied Nintendo, every game would always be 60 bucks, they would only change or get better once per decade..... we need to stop using Mario as a line for platformers, because many games made by smaller teams in less time have done it better.
Mario is king for a reason, and while yes, there are fantastic indie platformers, none of them quite scratch the polished to platinum movement Mario had basked for years BESIDES Demon Turf, just look at his 3D platformer chart to prove it lol.
Literally bought this in a sale on PS4 after your top games of the year video not so long ago. Great find and again proof of why recommendation videos are so important otherwise would of remained a hidden gem.
Because of this video, I snagged a preorder for the physical version of this game over on Limited Run before they close off on Sunday. Thanks for the recommendation!
You definitely gotta play Hell Pie. Feels like a classic platformer/collectathon with amazing controls, and even better character moves. I really enjoyed it
I love it in 3d games when level designs are merely suggestions. If I can pull of an obscene skip and immediately envision the level designers weeping, than the game is based.
I usually try to watch your videos as soon as possible, but this is a game you've already sold me on - even before your top ten video, a clip you posted on Twitter got me - so I'm gonna hold off until after I play the game myself.
metroid games always have real wall jumps and are really challenging, but metroid dread toned down the challenge but is more reliable probably for a quick save yourself against an emmi. metroid fusion at first i didn't think it was possible maybe too difficult. Metroid prime 2 echoes it is so challenging but rewarding, it was really cool learning how to do it and it comes from the hardest ability in the game the screw attack which has weird mid air rhythm to keep. wonderful stuff.
Based on that song you used in the intro I’m already so in love with the soundtrack! The rest of the tracks used in this video go so hard. This looks so freaking good, man.
Thanks for the recomendation, i bought it and now am 9th place globally on the first boss and 12th on another level, the one in the first World where you go through a lot of houses
![Megan Thee Stallion - Neva Play (feat. RM) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/TpYTyAaTRts/mqdefault.jpg)
As an extra fun bonus, Fabraz is holding a speedrun contest for Demon Turf: Neon Splash!
Details here - twitter.com/Fabrazz/status/1514660381070925830
If you want to start covering more 3d indie platformers, may I recommend toree 2? It's one of my favourite games of all time (i have 270 hours in it) and it only costs a dollar
I know this is a tactical JRPG and not a platformer like you usually play but the dialogue and basic plot remind me a lot of Disgaea you might want to check that out in your spare time if you want to. i will say this though don't even attempt to complete it it is one of those games where the main story is like 30 to 50 hours while the post game is much longer and makes the main story look like a glorified Tutorial. still if you like witty funny demon characters that believe they are hot shit and want to become the big shit Disgaea is the franchise for you.
Hey Nitro, when you play PC games what kind of PC do you use? I'm assuming it's Windows?
@@choppiemcdonald I checked it out and holy shit it looks fantastic. I would gladly pay $20 for a physical release.
@@madonnasplasticsurgery the developer also has a new game in the works called super kiwi 64, so i would recommend keeping an eye out
The more open a game is, the more important a varied movement system becomes. If you can make movement engaging, you can make any environment feel like a fun parkour course. As much as I like games like Rayman 2 and 3, their platforming is made engaging solely through level design, as the player moveset is extremely simple. Meanwhile Origins and Legends have more options and even some built-in movement tech to encourage players to seek faster ways of getting through levels.
Best Assassin's Creed in that aspect was Unity, I used to spend hours just going around the map doing parkour. If they only had followed the other games with that movement system... They would be glorious.
Yes!very True! I agree. Like Sunset Overdrive (; 👩🏽🎤
That's why it's boring to explore in an "Assassin's Creed" but phenomenal in hero-games ("Prototype", "Spider-Man", "Infamous", "Saints Row 4").
@@keen7youtubeistoast796 Unfortunately, there's a certain limitation to human characters for that stuff. Playing as otherworldly entities (superheroes, demons, angels, etc) gives you the FREEDOM to create INSANE movesets (spectral wings, otherworldly transformations, hero movement like the web swing or electric zip, and so on)
I prefer rayman 1 due to platformers
"It's like dropping a 90s kid into a store that has every single Bionicle"
Sounds like someone has had The Dream as well
Far out man, I still have that dream from time to time. I'm always in a store full of classic bionicles, and redesigned/ rebooted ones that I never knew existed as a kid. And the prices are outrageously cheap, I fill up an entire bag full of them. Can you explain why this dream is even a thing for so many people? haha
Never grew up with lego bionicles, but i’ve had the same thing happen with other lego franchises and no other toys of mine. Weird.
Literally happened to me the other week. All bionicle and technic riders at an op shop.
I've had the dream of finding an abandoned store full of forgotten GBA and SNES games. I was so sad to find out I didn't have any of them upon waking.
"Like Jinjos, or the cakes from Demon Turf."
One of the best jokes from humanity, ever. I have quite literally died and started decomposing from the raw humor stank.
Huh-
I hate how the word “literally” is now used to exaggerate, like, that’s the opposite of how you’re supposed to use that word. It’s like if we started throwing “metaphorically speaking” randomly at the end of sentences. Otherwise, fine comment; I thought it was a funny joke too.
@@cringejuicedavidson8288 I literally hate how the word "literally" is now literally used to exaggerate, like, that's literally the opposite of how you're literally supposed to use that word. It's literally like if we started throwing "metaphorically speakling" randomly at the end of sentences. Otherwise, fine comment; I literally thought it was a funny joke too.
Fun fact, that's all technically the correct use of the word literally.
Also, semi-colons don't belong anywhere in the English language except scientific papers. Just use a period.
@@cringejuicedavidson8288 hate to break it to you but in the dictionary one of the definitions for literally is "not literally"
@@DuckRotation ...and you don't see the very obvious problem with that?
I appreciate the addition of the titles for all those other indie platformers you highlighted quickly. Added them all to the wishlist!
Love to see the little art examples starring yourself have continued to appear. You do a great job of explaining mechanics and features but it's nice to have an additional visual presentation of it; particularly one where you have plenty of charm.
Your excitement really came through with this review and it's awesome that you had so much fun with it. Also, love that 0:28 3D Platformer category diamond.
I saw that and I was like Oh! He's a RADish!
I have never bought a game SO FAST after a review. Literally was already clicking purchase before the end screen of the video. You passion for this game and the genre combined with thorough explanations of what makes it amazing is the most powerful endorsements I’ve ever witnessed.
You describing the joy of a moveset like this is something a lot of people tend to overlook and not think about. And whenever I've tried to explain to my friends why I like a moveset that gives freedom once you've hit the skill threshold is so good, they never got what I meant. I appreciate the focus you had on it, it's such an important thing and made me REALLY want this game
The designer team: "So would you like the team to be 3D or 2D?"
The producers: "Yes."
I thought have a 2d character in a 3d world is interesting
Always sorta enjoyed the sprites in a 3D world look.
@@percher4824 Yeah. idk why some people loathe it like say in Xenogears. I think it's great.
Very yes.
The “3 different cakes, scattered around the area - like the jingos from banjo, or the cakes from demon turf :)” joke got a good chuckle out of me. Poking fun of your own talking point tropes is the most meta humour thing, and I am all for it, lol
For describing this subgenre of platformer, my mind is thinking of Character Action Games but instead of stringing combos together for combat, the game's way more focused on stringing together your different jumps and other movement options. Character Action Platformer maybe? Eh maybe not that name. Parkour Action? bleh.
Stylish Acrobatic Platformer?
May as well call them "good 3D platformers" considering the alternative
Devil May Jump
@@valencart I understood that TheGamingBritShow reference
No reason to create new labels for a game actually being good. This is what 3d platformers should strive for in movement.
When you talked about the game in your top 10 games from 2021 video, I was sold on it based on the way you described it alone and after playing it for a bit, I found out Limited Run Games was doing a physical release AND thst there was also a vinyl release of the OST.
I haven't finished the game yet but I absolutely love what I have played of it so far so thanks for talking about it James.
15:43 it really is like the 3 cakes from demon turf. Never noticed that.
I recently bought this game due to your review. And while I must be honest, I believe that this game is flawed in a lot of the sections you commented, such as the controls not... Really being quite fluid and responsive as I would've hope for. I agree that this game is good, and most of all, that this game showed a lot of potential.
And I also got Neon Splash because it was on sale for super cheap. I didn't know what to expect at first because the first game left me feeling mixed about it. But man, I don't know what they did here, but the controls just feel... Better. More fluid, responsive, is easier for me to make combos. And I don't think it's because the speed was adjusted.
I honestly hope that, if they do a Demon Turf 2, they go down the line of Neon Splash, I am having so, so, so much more fun with it than the base game.
He says in the beginning that he turned the deadzone off and the controls were fine. Did you miss that part?
@@muscleman125 I messed with the deadzone every single time I booted up the game to play. No matter how much I tweaked it, it never felt good.
Kevin has watered my crops with the advent of James as a Demon Child who can Turn Into a Bat or a Spinny Thing. Such art
Thank you for bringing the DLC to my attention! I now have the world record time on the final bonus level (and some other ones).
I looove the movement options of Beebz in this game! At first I wasn't a fan of the triple jump, but after about 30 minutes it started to click for me and I prefer the DLC movement over the original game's now!
That charged telekinetic punch visually looks like Push from Golden Sun, but also just... looks really fun to use. That hover along the ground looks so damn good and fluid.
The way the game also actively encourages you to parkour up surfaces in ways that would be considered glitches in other games... It's great. Anywhere else, using some bullshit combination of walljumps to skip your way up a sheer surface would be cheating, but here it just looks like being good at the game.
Those powerups too. Man. You just know the devs have played basically all the games mentioned in this video and taken notes.
I am THRILLED for the future of this channel. Kirby and the Forgotten Land recently helped me discover my love for platformers, leading me to try out others, including ones that I wanted to play because of your videos like Psychonauts 2. The fact that we’re gonna get more platformer recs from this channel makes me so happy, and I can’t wait to watch those upcoming videos and maybe get some new games for my wishlist, starting with this game!
Two Nitro Rad videos in one month makes my day, great video as always James!
And both are on games that use 2D models in a 3D world! Amazing!
If that’s all one day, you should evacuate your planet; something’s wrong.
"It cites Super Mario Sunshine as an influence and that's pretty clear, from how you go to big hub levels to attempt different challenges, to the nuanced platforming that starts with a jump and turns into a double jump, a dive, a wall run, denial, bargaining and finally acceptance that we're gonna have to fall into the lava now."
I feel like James just gave Demon Turf a free tagline.
*Demon Turf: One Wicked Freakin’ Game!*
this feels like the closest we'll ever get to a disgaea 3d platformer and i am all for it. really gotta pick this up sometime!
Given the style, it honestly FEELS like a Disgaea fan game, to the point that I wonder if it was originally intended to be one.
Beebs does give off heavy Etna vibes
@@GIRru11 And Laharl vibes, too.
@@GIRru11 She can double jump and Glide🦇. Major Banjo Kazooie vibes right there.
"A little shits goal to become the biggest shit." is like, half of disgaea protags
15:51 this games so good, nitro rad is already using it as a comparison game. wow.
6:32 Oh cool, seeing Ross's character design in the wild is always fun
Yea
say rubber next tym, yu had me luukin' for a gy with a toothbrush mustash, mohawk, noze brij tatoo, and a goatee. lyk he tuuk a byk tyr tu the fase.
@@ehhorve857 sir?
yes, my dear boy?
@@ehhorve857 English?
This game and A Hat in Time are so gloriously put together and I cannot fathom enough just how much I love indie development towards passion projects like these! Kudos to the maximum, I'll certainly say!
Can't add much, but God damn. Game has so much style it practically bleeds it out like a hemophiliac
Style and function, from the checkpoint system to the missions menu. Lotta smart decisions.
And based on some I caught while watching this, the OST reminds me I and the rest of the world
need late 90s/early 00s Drum 'n Bass back. Also, flubbing the outro and just stopping was hilarious
Man your hype is extremely infectious , I don't really enjoy platformer in general but seeing how hyped up you are about this game makes me want to play this game asap
Choosing dreamcore for the visuals of the expansion is such an out of nowhere choice, but such a great one as well.
where does it have anything to do with dreamcore of all things though
more like creamcore
@@WeebyKyoki nowhere. People just use FOTM internet terms without really knowing what they are
@@pearlydewdropsfall I feel like whenever a person uses *blank*-core to describe an aesthetic it's fair to just ignore everything else they say,since those terms are completely nonsensical
@@WeebyKyoki this comment is such a truthcore moment
I love the little doodles of you to show off the moveset, more of them please!
0:30 The 3D platformer spectrograph is something I never knew I wanted until I got it. Thanks.
Can’t wait for the eventual Tak trilogy review! Such an amazing trilogy!
Thank you for recommending this :) Instant purchase! Please keep making those videos about less known 3D platformers, especially recent ones, I love this genre and I want more of it :D
I actually bought this game after seeing it on your best of the year list. I haven't got to play it yet but I trust your word that whenever I do I'll have a blast.
me too ^_^
There actually was another fantastic game that did the 2D player in a 3D space called "Here comes Niko!" By Frog Vibes and Gears for breakfast (A hat in time) that was released late summer last year. Would love for you to check it out, highly recommend
No idea how I forgot about that one since I remember being excited for it, as a big fan of A Hat in Time. Would also love to see coverage on that since I don't want others forgetting like I did lmao
Well, if you're a fan of that game, there might be a little suprise waiting for you in Demon Turf. 😉
Demon Turf's such a really damn good game, man! I'm glad I got it in December. Beebz' has got a LOT Of personality, too! Sure, she might be a gremlin, but from what I could tell with her interactions ingame, she's a gremlin with a heart, and that's pretty cute!
I've always wanted a game that actively integrated bunnyhopping into it's design...
Titanfall 2?
@@Yohoat Eh, something more like a traditional platformer. But yeah suppose it counts.
I've bought Demon Turf because it reminded me of Sonic Robo Blast 2, my favorite Sonic game ever made... yes, I am serious.
Either, Demon Turf is gud gaem. :)
btw is there a mod for rb2 that makes it have adventurw-style controls?
Demon Turf Kart has potential, I see that snake wheel going fast...
HOW HAVEN'T I HEARD OF THIS?! Seriously this is up my alley in pretty much every respect. I have to get on this.
Really looking forward to seeing what other indie platformers you end up looking at if this is what you are leading with.
Yeah same
Legit went under my radar
That's some high praise for a game like this, and I think you sold me on this game. Might oversell it a bit, but I shall see once I play it.
I'd love to see you look at more modern 3D platformers. It'll help build up my Steam library a bit, and I am curious to see what these games do to make themselves stand out. Heck, I already have this game and Blue Fire on my wishlist.
I've only ever owned gen 1 bionicles and even I have had The Dream Hearing it referenced so casually was hilarious!
If your gonna review more Indie 3D platformers in the future keep an eye out for Frogun!
Hell yeah! I wanna play that!
I broke my feet today because I kicked my computer because someone commented that my videos are bad! I hate unjustified criticism. Please wish me a speedy recovery, dear ca
rip
I'd be cool if he only reviewed indie games! Now it seems that where all the creativity is
@@AxxLAfriku omg! I’m sorry to hear that! I’m actually a backer for this game’s Kickstarter campaign!
This is a DAMN good video man. You have completely sold me on this. Was gonna wait for the Limited Run Games physical copy but I wanna play this NOW.
I absolutely adore the little drawing of you as a transforming demon child. Tell your artist he does good work.
Super Cloudbuilt also allows you to place checkpoints, such a cool system!
i programmed a wall jump pretty easily but you gave me a chance to think about fixing something minor with it i didn't care much about, already know how i'm gonna do it.
A rad game with a rad guy playing it, how rad
I think I only got about 4 minutes into the video or so before I looked it up on steam and put it on my wish list to get on my next paycheck. Your enthusiasm and such has sealed the deal, and listening to the video more is only cementing that.
I'm not surprised that I want to play this game now after such a great video.
like a few others said, this story is "platformer disgaea" and i love it
I was hoping for a demon turf episode.
I really like this game ^^
*Options*
"This is my favourite screen in any game!"
Don't call me out like that
well, 2D Characters in a 3D Platformer actually exist. If you like Demon Turf and Sonic, you may like Sonic Robo Blast 2
Yeah I was really reminded of that game looking at this.
I'm actually really excited to see you cover more of these indie platformers. Some of them look really cool but it's hard to know which ones are actually worth checking out
Very happy to see you reference "The Bionicle Dream"
And also very happy to see you go in-depth with this game, went from tentatively interested to 'yea i'm gonna buy this soon'
I'll be glad to hear of new 3D platformers coming out, particularly collection and story focused ones.
Man I remember when I played this, I ended up falling in love with the moveset rather quickly. This game actually made me want to speedrun through levels. That ravine level? I actually spent several hours grinding away until I got #2 worldwide. No other game has gotten me to do anything like that.
Also, have you tried climbing to the Demon Castles roof? There's a little suprise for you if you go for it >_0
thank you so much for reviewing this game! i loved playing it last year and it deserves a lot more attention.
In before someone makes a mod to add Nitro into the game
Love how you now have another game to add to your reference table of game collectable and physics comparisons. I knew you were going to mention Kao being the only other choose your checkpoint platformer because I watch your videos a lot.
You bring SO much joy and passion to each of your reviews. You make me really wanna pick up the controller and play this, for almost every single game you cover!
I picked up Neon Splash out of you’re infectious genuine hype for the game. I sadly don’t agree with the heights of praise. It’s certainly unique but feel the controls are overly sensitive and unclear what actions can be performed prior to the last action and miss the point and simplicity of Mario. The move set should complement a level not give me an excuse to not see and play it in a way I feel the developer would’ve wanted.
15:47
I like this little joke a lot. It's a fun way to get across just how much you love this game, basically saying _right here_ that this game will be what you compare these kinds of collectibles too.
Could also be commenting on how _rare_ these collectibles are in games, but it's kinda cute either way. It took me back like "oh, did he say that right? am i missing something" and had to go back a couple seconds to rewatch it twice over for this dumb, silly joek cause I've got a dumb silly brain. >3>
Got my friend into this game when you vouched it as GOTY, as his absolute favorite mario game was infact 64, he streamed it for me to watch and it was incredible! Can’t wait to see the review!
One thing I have yet to see in a platformer is a window to land on certain terrains, and either be rewarded or punished on your timing.
Though I get that's pretty vague and can also seem problematic, here's some examples:
You decide you're sliding on ice and want more control, so you decide to jump and move around with some aerial abilities.
Now lets say when you land, you've built up more speed than the slow slippery walk you were doing on the ground. You either smoothly move the control stick back to a neutral position (or slightly towards the direction you were trying to go) or if trying to immediately jump again, you'd have a certain amount of frames to tap the jump button to successfully jump again or be punished by slipping on the ice- in which case could mean losing a life or taking damage on stages where there's no protective rails or a boss fight with damaging obstacles near said ice.
Edit 2: After thinking about it, I figured pressing jump could stabilize you when landing on ice, then quickly tapping it again to jump immediately after landing. Like a double tap to jump when landing on ice. This would make it a unique mechanic specifically for ice while not being too difficult to land with just having to center the control stick as that can halt flow of gameplay at times or just not feel fun. (Don't know, haven't tried it, this food for thought here!)
But I'd like to note that you could probably do this for a lot of situations too, for instance, such as moving floors (like machine belts), bouncy objects/platforms, sticky objects, hot/heated surfaces and so on so forth. It would really make speedrunning and traversing that much more difficult and potentially rewarding depending on the means needed to continue, stop moving, build momentum, or change direction.
You could make it so ice needs to be treaded carefully and seamlessly, Bouncing would need you to be positioned properly (more central if a bigger object like a ball) or quickly respond to the compression/depression of an object. Moving floors could provide major resistances or boost to directional movements (and also potentially slipping if going with the flow or trying to exit from the sides), Sticky things stopping momentum if you don't press the jump quick enough or wiggle around slightly to prevent sticking and/or sinking, and hot surfaces and objects requiring you to be moving really fast consistently, like no slowing down to turn too much, sliding, or basically maintaining contact too long. Edit: for things like ice, or the bouncing, there could a grace period to recover from mishaps so you're not completely annoyed all the time. Ice could have a get-up period where you can flick the control stick up (or press W for PC) to quickly get up and perform an action like purposefully jumping off an edge and using aerial controls to float back onto it (whereas if you didn't perform the get-up *then* you'd slip off the edge). I could also imagine there could be extra uses for purposefully slipping like sliding off the edge with increased speed (albeit with less control like a hand slide) and either meticulously use it to slide off an edge and gain more distance or perhaps even accidentally slip under something either saving or dooming you. As for Bouncing recovery, I'd probably make it so where you could quickly move the control stick (or direction) along with the camera to sway where you were about to go flying if you didn't land center or timed the jump off to well, and if more speed is needed you could trigger a double jump early while you still have some of your momentum to go further than you normally would (due to launch speed) as opposed to if you had waited for the end of your jump then triggered it. This could also lead to you overshooting something but if you messed up already you might as well go full send. (end of edit)
Though I understand the extremely high demand for programming such physics is immense, the payoff would be lasting experience. And that's just *ONE* of many examples.
The perfect platformer may never truly exist, but even the kings of their respective types always have room to grow and it's great to see new games push onwards rather than trying to imitate 1:1.
I'm glad you covered this. I havent really seen any coverage on it, hopefully this ends up with more people knowing about this game and buying it. This game is just too good to be skipped on
Also would be cool to see you cover Here Comes Niko. It's another indie platformer that's super chill and relaxing.
There’s a ton of coverage on it over on Playtonic / Rare fan sites
Bro, I recently discovered your channel, and now you're one of my favorites content creators on youtube. Congrats on the high quality content :)
I'm having a great time so far playing this game, my only real problems are the combat & the high pitched sound effects when you fight enemies all being the same
I remember seeing Demon Turf early on and felt the EXACT same way as you with the 2d character design. Glad to hear it pulled off what it set out to do, and do it well. I always love seeing games try and fill a niche not enough people are really trying to do, so kinda interested in picking this up when I get the chance now.
Nitro if you really like these types of platformers you should give rain world a try, the moveset in that game is insanely good.
But insanely hard.
@@dakota7745 well, that's just part of the game's appeal, once you master the controls and know what to do the game really opens up. Although the path to get there requires a pretty hefty amount of patience and willpower.
I love that Beebz can turn into a vampire bat *and* a vampire squid! Can’t believe I’ve not seen someone think of that before
As great as the game looks, the animations are suuuper stiff for how dynamic the movement is. I feel like they could’ve exaggerated poses a little more to make the visuals match the gameplay better.
I feel also like the art direction in general could use some work. There just so much inconsistency in the in game art and the 3D environments. If a sequel will ever be made this is the thing i want for them to fix!
Today is my birthday so I bought this game! It’s downloading now. I’m really excited to play it. Thanks for the recommendation NitroRad. Keep up the great work.
Idk man the 2D sprites made to look 3D, just doesn't do it for me. Will probably pick it up on a sale one day.
Thank you for taking the time to actually go through the move set in your review!
I'm gonna be honest, I think you may have oversold this game a little, I played it after watching your review and wow was I disappointed. I played the first world and like half of the second world and then I just couldn't stomache anymore. The controls felt very clunky, the level design was really really uninteresting and bland, and I was actually getting a headache from the camera, an effect that no other game has had on me.
Yeah I agree, I got pretty far into the game trying to do as much as possible and honestly I just found most of it to be rather forgettable. Much prefer A Hat in Time over this.
@@nightmarerealms5372 Oh yeah! A Hat in Time is where it's at
I feel like Nitro Rad is a tad too nice to a lot of games, it feels like he’s scared of saying something bad about them.
@@queencancerous5332 yeah, sometimes it feels that way. In the past he's mentioned how he doesn't want to be another youtuber who just gets angry about video games, and instead try to be more positive, which is fine, but in cases like this I think he should have been more honest about the games quality
I doubt he purposely oversold it, but that it's more he just genuinely loves the game. I do as well and probably would gush over it as much as him given the chance. I didn't experience any of what you did, but that's fine. I will say the animations are certainly not as expressive and don't reflect the energy in most jumps you do, and the 2D aspect in a 3D world leads to some depth perception issues depending on the angle but that's about the extent of my gripes, and I got over them relatively quickly. This game just isn't for everyone, especially with how niche it tries to be given the aesthetics and controls.
That 2D/3D combo somehow strikes me as a way of doing "Bubsy 3D's camera, but good." Great checkpoint system, too!
The only thing stopping me from playing this game, and I know this sounds incredibly petty, is the main character's design. And the art style for the character portraits too.
I'm sorry but it's just SO lame, like something a 14 year old did using Paint for the first time. It just doesn't mesh well with the rest of the game.
I can get past it, I even think the main character actually looks nice... but damn, now I wanna see a remake of this game later down the road, with a stronger artstyle, it could look absolutely phenomenal.
I had such a great time with Demon Turf.
The game has some of the most satisfying platforming for a 3D platformer I've seen in years.
Speedrunning is just so much fun to do, even when you are not trying to set any records, it's just a blast stringing together wall jumps, gliding, and launching yourself.
I am honestly quite baffled this game has not been more prominent in the speedrunning community. I tell you, Demon Turf is a sleeping giant for fun tactics that would be a blast to watch other people pull off.
Hell, I even managed to snatch a whole 4 World record on some stages, myself. 1 of which I wasn't even trying xD
Finding both intended as well as unintended skips on stages are just so much fun when you can just barely pull them off to shave off a few more seconds off your times
Speaking of that tho. The game did have a nasty annoying issue with iit's in-game counter when you start a level where in the timer will already be at about 4 seconds before you even get control of your character (At least on my Switch version back when it was new) which is just an instant reset every time you get the bug if you want a shot in hell at any records.
I also accidentally stumbled into a cake that when collected would count towards your total but it would never be marked as collected when you retried the level so you could get it over and over even after having achieved 100%
I have to admit, while the combat did have some charm to it. It just felt a way too slow, sloppy, lose and repetitive in the long run. Plus, the fact that it can be really hard to see those red lethal one-hit kill bullets can really make thing messy.
Charging up your attacks felt slow and would have a hard time connecting with flying enemies. I know the grappling hook can help grounding them but that one also took time to use.
I just dreaded having to do them. Especially when doing the time trials, as they just felt too unpredictable
The only other nitpick I have might be that the 2D athstetic can sometimes make it hard to judge distances. Those parts where you have to navigate thought holes in laser grids are probably the worst but it's luckily not often where that becomes a problem.
And like you mentioned, the time slower ability feels kinda underutilized/useless. Except for some really specific moments, I would often forgot I even had it and just push through or skip the parts entirely. It's just not that interesting or fun to use
But yeah, what's there not to love about this game?
The graphic is eye-poppingly unique, the setting interesting, characters fun and well designed and gameplay all tip-top.
ThIs game needs way more attention than it's gotten!
I noticed the charged attack isn't that useful for combat. Just spam jabs for grounded enemies (armor never felt like it did much for them, either), spin into fliers to bring them down.
What I hated were the ball sections, the Grappling Hook couldn't save them. Also, fuck those floating fans they want you to glide into, it feels like I don't always get the same air from them. And those holed laser grids, too, that early challenge level where you collect keys underwater made me despise them x)
The Time ability feels like a challenge. It just makes me want to try clearing the obstacles while they're at full-speed. I really liked the parts where you need to desync stuff.
As someone who actually tried speedrunning (I just did the time trials and called it a day, myself), how do you feel about the game's loading times? Especially the "speedrun mode" ones, that have to reload the entire level whenever you die, they felt just long enough to be annoying. The optional challenges were aggravating too, at points, I wanted to chain them instead of having to reload the hubworld just to pick a different one.
"Omg it's Mario!"
No it isn't and that is the charm. Comparing it to Mario is regressive as hell for the genre. Imagine if everyone actually copied Nintendo, every game would always be 60 bucks, they would only change or get better once per decade..... we need to stop using Mario as a line for platformers, because many games made by smaller teams in less time have done it better.
Mario is king for a reason, and while yes, there are fantastic indie platformers, none of them quite scratch the polished to platinum movement Mario had basked for years BESIDES Demon Turf, just look at his 3D platformer chart to prove it lol.
Literally bought this in a sale on PS4 after your top games of the year video not so long ago. Great find and again proof of why recommendation videos are so important otherwise would of remained a hidden gem.
It just makes me incredibly happy to see more games using 2D sprites with 3D backgrounds. I am all about that shit!
Because of this video, I snagged a preorder for the physical version of this game over on Limited Run before they close off on Sunday. Thanks for the recommendation!
If you wanna check out a massive passion project entirely made by one guy over the course of several years. Play iconoclasts, very underrated game.
You definitely gotta play Hell Pie. Feels like a classic platformer/collectathon with amazing controls, and even better character moves. I really enjoyed it
Alright, that's it. You've convinced me.
I'll order the physical version from Limited Run come Sunday.
I remember this game being in your top raddest games of 2021, so happy you did a video on it!
My guy, Ori and the Blind Forest also used the "checkpoint" anywhere mechanic and also had such badass, agile platforming
I love it in 3d games when level designs are merely suggestions. If I can pull of an obscene skip and immediately envision the level designers weeping, than the game is based.
@@senritsujumpsuit6021
And then you reach the intentional void...
This game's little creepy section got me x)
I usually try to watch your videos as soon as possible, but this is a game you've already sold me on - even before your top ten video, a clip you posted on Twitter got me - so I'm gonna hold off until after I play the game myself.
I love the little drawings you put in to visualize it with your own avatar, love the way you make your videos
metroid games always have real wall jumps and are really challenging, but metroid dread toned down the challenge but is more reliable probably for a quick save yourself against an emmi. metroid fusion at first i didn't think it was possible maybe too difficult. Metroid prime 2 echoes it is so challenging but rewarding, it was really cool learning how to do it and it comes from the hardest ability in the game the screw attack which has weird mid air rhythm to keep. wonderful stuff.
Based on that song you used in the intro I’m already so in love with the soundtrack! The rest of the tracks used in this video go so hard. This looks so freaking good, man.
Well, you just sold me the game. Had no idea this existed and as soon as you said it's on the Switch I opened up the eshop. Thanks!
Ayo who ever did the art of jumping Mini Nitro did great. Love the style
The graphix remind me of Sonic Robo 2 blast.
I FRICKING LOVE IT
A review on Robo Blast 2 would also be dope af
6:32 omg Social Monsters reference! Rubbeross's little OCs in hell? Yes please!
You're one of my favorite channels in existence, Nitro
Thanks for the recomendation, i bought it and now am 9th place globally on the first boss and 12th on another level, the one in the first World where you go through a lot of houses
Gotta love how i got the game on friday and now see that you made a video on it a day prior, CONVENIENT