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You are here: MacNN Forums > News > Tech News > Hands On: Magnetic by Nature (Linux, OS X, Windows)

Hands On: Magnetic by Nature (Linux, OS X, Windows)
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Feb 21, 2015, 11:30 AM
 
One of staples of independent gaming is the 2-D platformer, a side-scrolling genre that appeals to developers for myriad reasons. However, with so many developers trying to create the next hit in a flooded space, what do they need to do to set themselves apart from the pack? Team Tripleslash had the idea of bringing in magnet mechanics, using the power of attraction and repulsion to navigate each stage in Magnetic by Nature. Will this new dynamic be enough?

With the use of magnetism, Magnetic by Nature looks to bypass some of the traditional pitfalls of platformers. No guns, end bosses with timed attacks, or special abilities are needed to progress through the game. It doesn't mean that Magnetic by Nature is cakewalk, but players need to think about it differently than some of the mainstays of the genre, like Mega Man or games that fit into the "Metroid-vania" mold. The main goal of the game is to get to the end of each level as fast as possible, while navigating obstacles by keenly using the poles of magnets.



Players use positive and magnetic charges on two different buttons to attach to magnetic points or launch from specially marked areas, or propel or push them through the various levels. Speed is key, as the greater the momentum achieved, the quicker and further the character will go. This makes chaining events together important, as well as correct timing, hitting the apex in curves, and precise polarity swaps. Different obstacles need to be avoided or crossed over, like long rows of saw blades and moving magnetic points.

Depending on the style of platformers people are accustomed to, Magnetic by Nature may come as a shock at first. Rather than having to land troublesome jumps or perfect timing, the magnetism makes the game more of a twitch scenario that relies on reaction time. This often means reacting in the middle of a jump, making a split decision on what the point of exit needs to be, and planning out moves a few steps ahead. Until a point where the moments are choreographed for each stage, this often means doing the first few runs blind until each step of the stage is revealed. Moves are reactionary until then.



There is wealth of stages within the game, with each series used to revive one of a handful of robot friends, including a giant gorilla-like bot. Each of the sections takes the beautiful, art deco style of the game into its own single color palette to give it a different, yet unified look. Each stage is wonderful to behold, as the layers and depth make the simplicity shine.

Players navigate to the specific series they want to play by using an open world lobby, similar to the one found in Dustforce. The robot to revive is generally located right by the point of entry, but not all of them are easy to get to. Some must be unlocked by completing other areas first, so the situation isn't a free-for-all from the beginning.



Within each series are a varied number of levels, each with a different layout and path through to the end goal. The level of challenge is different for each, which is good considering there are more than 120 stages in the game. Some take only a few seconds to beat, while others can take a bit of learning to navigate through. Players are always pitted against a clock, but it isn't a time limit that needs to be beaten to progress. The clock starts once players start the level, but it doesn't stop until the end marker is hit. This means that each death and failed attempt doesn't pause the timer.

What makes Magnetic by Nature different than many other platformers on the market is its leaderboard offerings. By encouraging players to beat levels as quickly as possible, the leaderboards spark a competitive nature. Whenever a level is completed, the timed results are displayed on the series screen. These results are then compared against other owners of the game on the platform, even if time failed to result in a ranking.



This makes learning the stages important for players that want to reach the top of the charts. Each jump, swing and connection becomes much more important. The twitch nature of the game comes out more if players are bitten by the competitive bug, making those first few run-throughs practice to craft the perfectly planned maneuvers needed to hit a high rank. It's more than planning and timing -- even though the game can feel mechanical in its movements -- but about adapting to shave off time when something doesn't go as planned.

Either a keyboard and mouse combo, or a controller, can be used to player Magnetic by Nature, but both situations come with problems. Trying to play with the keyboard and mouse hits the same frustrations that were felt with Dustforce. With the twitch-like actions that the game requires, the input doesn't feel like it is responding quickly enough. Playing with a touchpad is out of the question, making a two-button mouse virtually required if a controller isn't handy.



Controllers pose a different problem though, which wasn't solved during our time with the game. When playing the app on a 2011 MacBook Pro, it was tested with a DualShock 3 controller as was successfully done with several other games in the past. Magnetic by Nature is set up to use controllers, but there is something wrong along the way. Whenever a button was pressed to engage the magnets, they would either rapidly flip on and off, or they would kick on only to immediately disengage. It made it impossible to use the controller, something that couldn't be corrected by any of the in-game options or by swapping controllers.

Magnetic by Nature is a fun, fantastic looking game for platform fans, but ultimately it won't be for everyone. Changing some of the particulars of the formula by adding a different mechanic and leaderboards will appeal in the short term, but the length of the game and some of its frustrations will catch up to players quickly. The game does have more than 120 levels, but those levels go by quickly unless players grind each to perfection, and learn the paths in order to achieve high ranks on the leaderboards. This leaves Magnetic by Nature as merely another title to be tossed into the platformer pile, in spite of its desire to stand out and shine.

Who would like Magnetic by Nature:
Players that like the idea of pushing the envelope for some competitive edge, but also a desire a new type of mechanics to keep platformer gameplay fresh.

Who wouldn't like Magnetic by Nature:
People frustrated by and tired of platformers won't find anything particularly inspiring enough to warrant pressing on in order to be ultimately agitated by the controller support and repetition for leaderboard scores.

-- Jordan Anderson (@draeno)

( Last edited by NewsPoster; Mar 2, 2015 at 05:18 AM. )
     
   
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