Have Game, Will Play: Platformines

With a heavy emphasis on loot, platforming and shooting, Magiko’s latest has a familiar feeling. While Magiko is known for making extremely challenging platformers, they’ve branched out with Platformines.

In this 2D action platformer your created character finds themselves trapped in a mine. Finding the pieces of their block guns to rebuild their ship, the robodig, is the only way out. Visibility, long drops and the seemingly endless  hordes of enemies are in-between our protagonist and freedom. Your visibility, a circle around you giving you a clear view of your environment, and health correspond to a belt you wear and the better the belt you buy the better off you’ll be. Belts and weapons are purchased from the shop with money earned from destroying enemies or from gathering resources within the mines. Gems serve a dual purpose though. They can be sold for money or used to replenish small amounts of health.

Platformines utilizes a map that shows you where your next objective is but little else. Teleporting in and out of your camp is a requirement. Returning to camp not only restores your health but it is where you save, shop and rebuild your ship. Portals to the camp are all over the mine and quite often I was near death when I’d see one in the distance.

Magiko also provided some more puzzling aspects to Platformines. Rebuilding the ship seems easy initially but keep in mind you won’t have all the colors at first. Additionally, mistakes (I)made with the block remover can further complicate things if not used properly. With the mines being randomly generated, based you the name you choose, there are a lot of ways to enjoy it. There are also a plethora of gems, resources and weapons available . This is all in addition to character customization which is strangely missing different skin tones. Nevertheless, Platformines is an enjoyable action, loot-driven platformer.

Recommendation: Worth a buy on sale
Full Disclosure: This game was provided to GameEnthus by a PR firm on behalf of the developer.
Genre: racing, racer, flying, track building
Developer: Magiko
Publisher:
Platforms: PC
Price: $9.99

http://www.platformines.com/
http://www.magikogaming.com/
http://GameEnthus.com
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/gameenthus-podcast-video-games/id286435007?mt=2

Scale:
Worth a buy – paying full price for fans of the series or genre makes sense – usually includes a caveat
Worth a buy on sale – not quite full price worthy but close
Rent – rent before buying
No – borrow it if you must play it
Please no – Don’t waste any time and/or money on it