Verlet Swing review

Now I’m the king of the swingers, oh the jungle V.I.P. Creativity is proving to be king on Xbox One. I personally think it’s an awesome sight when a console is flooded with original games from indie developers. Not only does it offer variety, it provides a showcase for just what can be achieved.

For any buddying want to be game developer, look no further than what’s available through ID@Xbox and let that be your inspiration. Many of these indie developers started out with just an idea, and a platform to build upon. Some indie studios are just solo efforts reaping the rewards of hard work and seeing their creations come to life, all thanks to a program that withdraws the barriers and welcomes indie creativity.

It’s time to grab your hookshot and enter Flamebait Games surreal fever dreams. An eccentric world where weird stuff happens. A place where statues stare you down, and at the very slight impact on your surroundings results in death.

Welcome to Verlet Swing, an abstract gauntlet in a changing world which only gets weirder the further you explore. With challenging courses to swing and soar through, and ever-changing bizarre landscapes which really capture your imagination. Sail through backdrops of koi fish, pizza slices and other wondrous obstacles that lay in your way.

This game offers a swingtastic adventure, in the form of a speed run style game, the only difference, you mustn’t touch the floor. Boasting 100 levels of fast-paced swinging action, pitted in a surreal world filled with mystery and wonder, your task is to swing effectively through the level with style and panache. With progressively difficult game play, Verlet Swing offers a real challenge, and I promise there are no easy rides here, as only the most competitive swingers will reach the final levels, testing their newfound swinging skills and pushing them to the very limit.

The swinging action doesn’t stop there, with leaderboards and challenges offering replay value, this game has plenty of room to manoeuvre and exercise that spirited streak in you. The game is perfect for recording that perfect swing when it all comes together and if you’re into streaming, then why not test your flamboyant swinging skills and showcase them to the world, with seamless Mixer broadcasting integration.

Verlet Swing offers a massive challenge in a beautifully abstract game. The game is designed as gauntlet with speedrun style elements, set in a wacky world. The idea behind the game is very simple, to get from one side to the other in a complete flawless swing. The Backdrops are a lovely site, and the key areas for you to hook onto are implemented nicely. Each level is created with obstacles that are designed to interrupt your flow, and ultimately cause you to fail.

Now you would think there would be introductory levels, progressing to hard levels, now this is true to a degree, the game levels are indeed progressive, but the game offers to much of a challenge from the get go, with a very steep learning curve and a rather tricky timed swinging mechanic, I fear this game will lead to frustration easily. This is a real shame as the game is a fantastic effort In terms of it’s build and idea, the imagination is there for the world to see, but the swinging mechanism just isn’t up to the task. Add to that the steep level progression early on, and the very nature of swinging to avoid obstacles, changing direction quickly and back again, will have your head spinning. If only the level progression was at a slower even pace, then there would be enjoyment there for the many.

Like I said above, there is a game here that can be enjoyed. If you like a challenge and have experience in speedrun style games. If you can look past the many frustrating runs that you will encounter, and still hang around, you will be rewarded with elation as you pull off the perfect swing, knowing many would fail. The leaderboards and challenges are perfect for the style Verlet Swing presents, offering extra excitement and that all important replay value, which is so vital in this day and age of gaming.

Overall, Verlet Swing gets a lot of things right, but has a few flaws, it’s just a shame that these flaws are the key components of the game. The swing mechanism and the rather tricky progressive level system are its biggest hurdles – it takes the enjoyment out of the game. For those that love a real challenge, that’s not for the faint hearted this is the game for you. Speed runners only I’m afraid.