Macbat 64

ㅤ

Macbat 64 is a charming little 3D platformer that feels like a forgotten Nintendo 64 game. The colorful visuals, simple level design, and nostalgic atmosphere make it a fun and relaxing experience. It's short and doesn't try to do too much, but it knows exactly what it wants to be. A cute little retro-inspired platformer that is easy to recommend if you enjoy the N64 era.

10/10

Very short and very cute. It's constructed almost entirely out of references to famous N64 titles, but in a way that doesn't feel really overly insistent that you get the joke or smug and dismissive about the games it's parodying/tributing. Being very earnest and cozy helps elevate it a bit above the so-so mechanics and design. Really neat to see how many characters and "signature elements" that would later get used in other Siactro titles are here. Being able to recognize them after playing this late gives it a kind of beta test vibe, like a dev finding their footing in a safe place before making something a bit more bespoke and interesting. (Really wasn't expecting the cameo lines from Grant Kirkhope of all people either, but I suppose this was made around the time of his little Game Grumps/Playtonic social media boom, so it makes sense in hindsight)

This game does it's job of feeling like a lost Nintendo 64 game, but mechanically it's nothing to write home about. It's fun in it's own rite, but I think it would've benefitted greatly from having a more densely packed and shorter run time because after 2 hours, I am more than done with this game. It's a good grab if you get it on sale!

Not bad for a first attempt, but outside of the [i]Fatal Frame[/i] nod, the references are incredibly lame, the voice acting had no reason to be there, and a complete lack of options comes off as a bafflingly amateur mistake.