Preview of main frames
Sometimes simple is good. With AAA gaming budgets exceeding those of small European countries and telling stories out of Tolstoy novels, it's good to remember that games don't need complexity to be fun. Recently, I played a preview of MainFrames, an upcoming small 2D puzzle platformer. It's the kind of game I can imagine someone drawing on graph paper to show you the concept.
in box
I keep emphasizing the tiny size and concept of MainFrames, but it's really only relative to the giant games we're used to seeing. There are actually quite a few clever little ideas in MainFrames. You play as Floppy, a cute floppy disk-shaped character, who navigates through a series of geometric shapes representing monitors, frames, and other computer details. There are demons in your path and MainFrames also has a bit of humor, plus a cast of NPCs that help drive the story.
MainFrames aims to be a quiet little puzzle-platformer, and from what I've played so far, it succeeds. Controlling Floppy and the elements of the environment is simple. Most of Floppy's moves are single and double jumps and other basic platforming mechanics. At times the controls seemed too loose, so what should have been easy jumps became frustratingly precise. Then again, he might be the most inept platformer in the world. I'm waiting to receive my prize at any time.
The goal of each screen is to move from left to right through a series of boxes and other obstacles. However, MainFrames includes puzzles from the beginning. It's not long before Floppy is manipulating frames, avoiding deadly electric shocks and sync jumps. While many of the basic concepts of MainFrames are not new, the mechanics of changing parts of the environment add quite a bit of compromise.
No large number polygons in sight
One might guess that MainFrames adopts a retro pixel art style. He does it. Floppy and other NPCs are simple characters with the most basic facial features and the environment objects are also very basic. Instead, the action takes place against some colorful landscapes that are a welcome contrast, adding some textural complexity to the geometric objects in the foreground.
MainFrames' music is also full of retro-sounding chiptune joy. It reminded me of classic 8 and 16 bit platform games. It's also repetitive, especially during the platforming sections that require a lot of focused practice. Overall, MainFrames' audio design isn't incredibly ambitious, but it doesn't have to be.
Those of us old enough to remember the dawn of video games remember the joy of basic mechanics married to clever implementation. Those simpler times are what MainFrames reminded me of, in a good way. Wait, I don't need to worry about branching skill trees, 10 different combos, and joystick inputs? Sign up, at least for a while. From what I've played so far, MainFrames may not be the only game you'll need, but when you need a break from one of those lifestyle-sized AAA powerhouses, MainFrames will fit the bill.
Thanks for keeping it locked to COGconnected.
- To watch amazing videos, head over to our YouTube page HERE.
- Follow us on Twitter HERE.
- Our Facebook page HERE.
- Our Instagram page HERE.
- Listen to our podcast on Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.
- If you're a cosplay fan, check out more of our cosplay features HERE