No Time to Explain
Overview -
'No Time to Explain' was first released in 2011 as a Flash title on Newgrounds, where games like 'Alien Hominid' and 'Super Meat Boy' also had their humble beginnings. It has since been Kickstartered and planned for release on various platforms. It is developed by tinyBuild Games, which has also worked on 'Boid' and 'Divide By Sheep'.
Video Review
The non-Flash versions of 'No Time to Explain' use a block system, instead of the hand-drawn animation of the original. That being said, it still looks mostly like a Flash game. The colors are never very bright or expressive - the whole thing has a subdued, washed-out palette. The game has a tendency to freeze up at least once per level, typically for about five seconds - just enough to make me think it’s died.
Audio Review
The game has a fun 8-bit arcadey soundtrack that invites nostalgia. It adopts an 80s action film macho feel during the shotgun and boss segments. There’s only one voice actor, and he is limited to shouting non sequiturs at the beginning of each level while he is ritually eaten by a shark or some other creature.
Final Thoughts
'No Time to Explain' has promising gameplay, and perhaps tinyBuild will be able to work it into something more manageable with future releases. As a precision platformer it struggles greatly on the Xbox One. It’s not a bad game, and that just about sums it up.