Review of NBB.EXE: Puzzle platformer shows potential but is hindered by frustrating issues.

Read our detailed evaluation of Neon Blast Battle (NBB.exe), a vibrant and difficult puzzle platformer with a one-of-a-kind concept! Although it offers a mix of Bomberman and Metroidvania elements for an action-packed experience, its progress is hindered by awkward mechanics and challenging level layout. Is it worth playing?

Operating system: PC

Original text: Initial Release Date:Sep 30, 2024

Paraphrased: Release of the product is scheduled for Sep 30, 2024.

Creator: Raptus Games

Company: Raptus Games

Types of entertainment: Action Adventure/ Puzzle

NBB.exe, also known as Neon Blast Battle, is labeled as a “challenging fast-paced puzzle platformer” and “Bomberman with a Metroidvania twist.” Although I don’t completely agree with the second statement, the first one is definitely accurate. Mainly. It’s a difficult puzzle game with challenges that may not always be fair. NBB.exe is a vibrant game with an enjoyable concept and a fascinating environment, hindered by unconventional design decisions that clash with the obstacles ahead in ways that are frustrating rather than entertaining. This game would be much more recommendable with a few adjustments. However, currently, NBB.exe is simply a source of frustration and irritation.

Once upon a time there was a young girl named Cinderella who lived with her stepmother and stepsisters. She was treated very poorly and had to do all the household chores. But with the help of her fairy godmother, she was able to attend the royal ball and capture the heart of the prince.

In the NBB.exe world, robots face off in the NBB league on live TV to determine the top contender. Every robot is supported by a company, which also acts as their name, and in each new cycle, a champion is crowned as the NBB winner. Every contender has the opportunity of a lifetime, all competing fiercely for the chance to become the next NBB superstar.

But as you continue to advance and delve deeper into the narrative, you will discover that there is more to this contest than simply coming out on top or falling short. As you continue to explore, you uncover further information on the fate of humanity and the world in general. You also start to realize that the NEON corporation is not necessarily prioritizing a fun or fair competition. Although the storyline lacks depth, the world depicted is entertaining and somewhat intriguing. However, the plot is actually quite simplistic.

The robot girls have various personalities, mainly for appearances. The chosen robot’s personality doesn’t truly come across when interacting with other robots. Each robot girl has a single personality trait that becomes monotonous after being seen once. One is consistently snarky. She always behaves as if she were a princess. One is always a spirited athlete. The NPCs positioned throughout the world exhibit greater personalities, even though their appearances aren’t very striking and could easily go unnoticed if they didn’t start talking as soon as you get close. Occasionally they share intriguing explanations; at other times, their conversations have made me chuckle on a few occasions. In the end, the plot is enjoyable, but quite conventional. The main focus was undoubtedly on gameplay.

Playing style:

The basic concept of NBB.exe is straightforward: enter a room, finish the tasks, and proceed to the next one. The hurdles may range in complexity from easily timing jumps over gaps to more challenging tasks like deflecting bombs to activate switches and progress forward. On the surface, the levels present challenging and intriguing tasks that require precision and patience as the difficulty increases with each level. All of that sounds promising. Nonetheless, some design decisions significantly impede the progress of this game.

To begin with, let’s discuss the way your character moves and their skills. Your set of moves is fairly straightforward. You have the ability to jump, dash, jump dash, plant bombs, and kick (often utilized with bombs). Despite having a strong set of skills, your character’s sluggish pace hinders their overall performance. In this game, your walking speed is extremely sluggish, and it doesn’t feel good to have to be fast. This encourages you to utilize your hyphens. The ground dash is possibly the most effective move; you can link 3 together, the cooldown is reasonable, there is no downtime, and it’s the lone moment you experience speed in this game. On the other hand, the jump dash is terrible. From the beginning, the game informs you that using the jump dash will result in a recovery roll, but why is that? I can comprehend having a recovery landing, but in a game where jumping over gaps is the main aspect and some gaps require jump dashing, why include the roll mechanic? The result is simply unnecessary loss of life, leading to feelings of pointlessness as one questions alternative actions.

Many obstacles are worsened by the game’s various designs and the overhead view. The vibrant colors of the game can often be overwhelming and cause confusion. In the background, you can observe moving arrows and recognize it as the backdrop. However, when you notice moving arrows with a matching color, you may question whether they belong to the foreground. If they are present, are you able to stand on them? Isn’t that right? Apologies, you have died due to the unexpected platform that caught you by surprise. Platforms with bright colors have edges that are tricky to determine because of the vibrant hues, causing you to accidentally step off and question what went wrong. The situation is exacerbated by the choice to design the game from a top-down perspective. It is very difficult to determine the gaps and depth, which creates a gameplay that is more about trial and error rather than skill. A group of platforms at different heights floating closely can deceive your mind into perceiving no empty spaces. However, gaps are frequently present.

The game’s design is consistently perplexing. Given the sluggish and ponderous nature of your character, one would expect the challenges to require strategic thinking and precise timing in order to be successful. On occasion, it happens infrequently. Nevertheless, most of the game involves being quick and executing jumps and dashes accurately with a character who is slow, daring, and lacking precision. In its worst form, you are just guessing when the platform will arrive and hoping for the best outcome. Include the confusing viewpoint, and you’ll see a game that would instantly improve with a traditional 2D perspective.

Maybe those decisions were made in order to uphold the challenging aspect of the game, but it becomes increasingly difficult when I have to dodge lasers, my own bombs, a boss’s shockwave, and also navigate disappearing platforms with a character that seems as heavy as a ton of metal. It doesn’t seem difficult. The game doesn’t feel complete and is bothersome, preventing me from fully enjoying it. Simply increasing the character’s speed would greatly improve the gameplay, despite the need for precise timing on switches and buttons.

IMAGES:

NBB.exe is filled with colors beyond belief. The screen displays vivid and highly saturated colors, which can be excessive at times. Depending on your chosen character, the colors you use may occasionally harmonize too closely with the surroundings. I mainly used the purple character throughout the game, so this wasn’t a common occurrence, but I understand how choosing the light blue or yellow robots could pose a problem.

The different settings are easily distinguishable and still maintain a futuristic look. I believe the most impressive one is the Asia-themed section, filled with rich golds and reds that stand out against dark browns and beige hues. The main six robots you choose from can also be described in the same way. They are bright and unique enough to differentiate, with their patterns also reflecting their personalities somewhat. Shiver has a cold and distant demeanor, reflected in her head with spikes resembling icicles, whereas Endora, being haughty and regal, has a more sophisticated appearance compared to the others.

This appears to be a suitable moment to discuss the game’s performance on the PC. It’s fine, generally speaking. The only instances of stuttering I encountered were on the NBB transition screen. Despite the variety of colors, structures, and waves, the performance on PC remained strong. I also tested it on the Steam Deck, but it didn’t work out. The hues were incorrect, and the stammering continued incessantly. It might be prepared later, but it wasn’t when the text was written.

Sound recording:

There isn’t a lot to discuss regarding audio design. The game’s sound effects are adequate. If I had to point out a flaw, it would be that the robot voices were slightly annoying. I liked listening to the voice lines with a filter, as I was inclined to skip scenes with garbled noises only. Apart from that, the advanced sound palette effectively enhanced the setting.

The music was a bit of a mixed bag for me, but definitely more good than bad. Some songs were merely background music for me, while others were quite enjoyable. I’m also a supporter of the way the music in boss battles changes and evolves throughout different phases. The only major drawback is the presence of repeated tracks. In a game known for frequent player deaths, there are certain levels that will become tiresome.

In conclusion:

The base for an amazing game has been laid. There are a few imperfections that can be easily corrected. At times, I was able to overlook those imperfections and simply appreciate the game for what it was. During that time, I caught sight of an excellent game that was spoiled by uncertain design choices. The game is tough due to limited or ineffective choices when facing high challenges, not because of skillful use of strong choices against those challenges. I trust the developer will make some adjustments, as I think it would enhance the quality of the game. The game, while not terrible, tends to be more annoying and exasperating than enjoyable at times. I believe it’s worth monitoring the game, but as of now? The game is challenging.