RUBATO

Collect my Planet Bits - Rubato, probably

amazing

Pros: + The core platforming concept is generally very good. It takes the exploration-based oldschool 2D platforming of Sonic CD and Zool - games that had potential but weren't very good - and makes it into something a lot smoother and more fun. + The collectathon elements are fine as long as you're just looking to beat the game and not go 100% completionist mode. + Most of the extra items are a lot of fun to use. The moment I got the rocket launcher I thought it would make the game ridiculous, but the rest of the game is designed well around it - same for the shield. The sticky ball gun is a little annoying to use but it can be upgraded. + Game has a lot of tonal whiplash but it kind of works as it is so incredibly earnest. You have a sense of humor that is not unlike Funi Raccoon Game at times or Excel Saga at others, but then you also have more serious dystopian social commentary and existential angst moments etc. The earnestness is very charming. It kinda reminds of the OG Spark the Electric Jester, but much, much better. + Despite how polished the platforming sections generally are, it really has this kind of charming Newgrounds vibe to it, somehow. It's hard to say why that i…

Not a 100% my cup of tea, but RUBATO is a pure human work of love. It's a good and fun platformer most of the time, with a bit of janky physics to explore stages that are sometimes a touch too big for how small the screen is. These levels are not always perfect but still really enjoyable when you play through them. I feel like the thing that will be hit and miss for most people is how the dialogs turn out with their "weirdness". To be honest, it feels like RUBATO is a pure product of someone who grew a lot on the internet this last decade, somehow mixed sometimes with contemporary art with its message and how it is conveyed? I really liked the surprising gameplay twist that happen just before the final stretch. Really can't say anything about it but you cannot expect this sort of thing at any point before, and it's nice. I don't really vibe with how wacky the story is presented (although I did laugh a couple of times, but I feel like the humor is a bit too much compared to how important the narrative seem to be for the devs). All in all, not a 100% my cup of tea but something I cannot not recommend for how human it is. Also the game is super pretty and overall quite fun, so yeah…

I think this game is one of my personal favorites of all after playing it. The gameplay loop is incredibly satisfying, with platforming and navigating through each stage being an absolute delight. Even to 100% in-game completion, I kept wanting to just pick it back up afterwards. And to top off good general gameplay, you also get entirely new gameplay loops that are equally fun any time you enter a bonus door. It's downright impressive how many ideas they were able to pack into just one game. For the story, it's gone through a couple of updates since I initially played, but the way it's presented was incredible, if not a bit long running at certain points. It definitely left an impression on me with what the narrative was conveying overall, and all the characters were awesome. Bangin' self actualization, my frog.

just a great time all around, im rubatoing it