Dropheads Review

So small, yet so big!

Submitted by nguru on Tue, 2007-08-07 13:46.
Author's Product Rating:
Addiction Factor: 
Ease of Use: 
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The lowest price: 16.95$
You can buy it at RegNow for that price.
Pros:
Intuitive interface with elaborate user guidance. Cool graphics, sound and music. Compact in size.
Cons:
I noticed that pressing “Buy” on the “trial-alert” screen caused my computer to completely hang and not even the task manager could help! Frustrated I had to reboot. Later I noticed that the network cable had been unplugged but still, is that reason enough to cause me so much agony? I think there is a bug in that piece of code. Otherwise just let the user know that “No connection is detected” so they can re-check their network connection.
Review:

I am not the kind to spend hours playing computer games, actually, I only a game with believable realism as it challenges the artist in me.

Recently I downloaded a trial of Dropheads. To say the least I wouldn’t expect much from a game whose executable is barely 7 MB and so I began rather reluctantly.

Well, here’s what I found.

Dropheads actually got more graphics than you would imagine. It may not seem so, considering the file downloads in less than 15 minutes (and I was not using broadband), but the very first screen tells it all. It is not only colorful but the “drop-heads” are well modeled. From a 3D standpoint, I can say that though simple, the features and realism of the characters (the drop-heads) is commendable and the inclusion of emotion and human expression well done.

What pleased me most with this first screen is that it did not leave me wondering if my computer had hang. A message clearly requested me to “wait” and that if I had a slow machine it could take up to 3 minutes to load. I do not know what benchmarks were used but with my 256 MB of RAM and a 64 MB onboard graphic accelerator, it didn’t take one minute.

Initially, I was got frustrated for not finding the “control instructions”. Luckily every level begins with a brief tutorial. Yes, a tutorial which you probably think would waste your time but as I found out, the opposite is true. The tutorials are detailed, well illustrated “live” demos of what to do, what to press, what are the consequences, what each “drop-head” means and so on. You probably take a little longer with the tutorials but the leverage you get, especially from the visual demos, is worth it.

Level one starts easily and you will want to play on and on. But the game gets tougher as you play. New “drop-heads” with additional features and behavior are added with every level. The designers have cleverly designed “drop-heads” that bug you and those that are actually “your friends”. The result is a blend of “drop-heads” arranged in a manner that makes the game enjoyable yet challenging. It gets harder but with the addition of “friendly drop-heads” you hardly realize the difficulty until its Game Over! Once you loose, you aren’t punished by having to start all over again, instead, you can always choose to resume from your previous level.

The game keeps you captivated with a well planned graphical layout complete with mourning, smiling, angry and even scared “drop-heads” bouncing on a canvas adorned with all sorts of 3D comics. Your ultimate target; the “treasure box” floats on a pool awaiting you to collect and connect “pieces of a map” by busting the “drop-heads”. I suppose keeping the “treasure box” in sight is a psychological ploy to get you playing harder and guess what, it works! Inclusion of point-bonuses and other “goodies” simply keep you thrilled.

The sound is equally well done. I particularly noted that warning sounds, though present, did not send me jerking or panicking but rather acted as polite reminders and that is quite ingenious. The music is well harmonized and interesting to listen to.

Conclusion:

Dropheads is a simple yet very captivating game. It is economical on space and memory yet very graphical. The sound and music is composed with only one purpose in mind; to keep you playing. Dropheads is perfect for kids yet appealing to an adult like me.