gamegrene.com

Being bored and hunting for new games is not a healthy mix. Because inevitably, you're going to run across some turd that just rubs you the wrong way. Enter Canopia 3.20, a Direct3D game that instantly reminds me of BugRiders for PSX. That bodes badly... I hated BugRiders with a passion. Still, I press on. I'm bored after all.

Installing was typical, the program group happily showed me only the uninstall icon. Apparently the author, Mr. Mix Gritche from Paris France, wanted to offer us the path of least resistance. Bless his soul. A quick jaunt into the Windows Explorer, and I'm looking at a quick and dirty "choose resolution" screen. So far, so good - I'm always fond of games that let you choose your own defaults.

Ooh. Uh. Hmm. For the next twenty minutes I fly around on my "jetbug" thing - a perfect cross between BugRiders and JetMoto, and valiantly try to shoot some blue puss nodules with eyes. Appearance wise - the blue nodules and your "jetbug" fire are the only black marks the scenery nicely scrolls by with no jaggies, stalls, hiccups, or shadowing.

click for larger images

Nevertheless, I still return to a nagging point - this feels like alpha to me. You putt around, trying to shoot the blue nodules (which never seem to die) while attempting to avoid the trees (because hitting them makes a rather non-tree like sound). Your only accomplishment is a slow increase in points and "distance".

Mr. Gritche feels that within five months, the game will be commercial quality. It needs a lot of work - I worry Mr. Gritche is more concerned about graphical buzzwords (super zappa 3D effects, bitchzzat!!) than a well playing game...

You can read more about the game as well as download the demo from here - interested parties can contact Mr. Gritche about distributing the game and getting it the audience it may deserve. (Within 5 months time? Probably not.)