Gravitron 2 review

When you start playing Gravitron 2, it feels ridiculous. Are you being seriously expected to take this Moon Lander clone seriously? The graphics are simpler than... well, they’re simpler than everything else there is. With an electronic glow that’s meant to replicate that old-school screen burn, there’s very little else about Gravitron 2 that makes you think you’re going to enjoy it.

 

So why have we played it all morning? Is it the bounce? We do have a problem with most Moon Lander-style games when trying to reach a tedious speed of near-zero so that touchdown doesn’t blow you up. Simply bouncing off the walls makes it feel a bit like you’re supposed to be enjoying yourself. Bouncing is fun.

Or was it the difficulty of the levels, which increase so gently, but so firmly? Whatever it was, we found ourselves voluntarily playing Gravitron 2 to the point where we couldn’t begrudge anyone the reasonable price.

 

The mouse sensitivity should be configurable – you might find yourself spinning around a little out of control – but apart from that, this is a deeply simple and hugely over-used concept, that’s been executed in a way that’s more entertaining than it has any right to be. The developers have chosen their price modestly and well – $5 is, give or take a dollar, what this game is worth. That’s not the biggest compliment in the world, but it’s not really an insult either.

Currently only available on Steam and the developer's site.

Nov 4, 2008