REVIEW : That Flipping Mountain (PC)
A parkour game with mechanics influenced by “Getting Over It” and “Jump King.” You can flip, ski, and dive your way up a vast mountain of items by flipping, skiing, and diving. Fall, anger, get back up, brush it off, and parkour on. The controls in ‘That Flipping Mountain’ are simple to comprehend yet difficult to master. Learning how to ride a bike has a similar learning curve. It will appear impossible at first, but once you get the hang of it, it will become second nature and you will be sticking landings without even thinking about it. (This is where the fun begins.)
‘That Flipping Mountain’ is the most recent and finest of my works! It gets right to the point, like all of my physics games, with very little fluff and foolishness.
Parkour your way up a single large mountain filled with parkour stones, springboards, ski slopes, drinking holes, and other difficult obstacles. Parkour on! Flip, ski, dive, fall down, rage, get up!
The controls in ‘That Flipping Mountain’ are easy in concept, but getting a feel for the inertia of the flip takes some practise. For almost a year, the launch and flip mechanic has been fine-tuned, adjusted, and iterated on to make it smooth and pleasurable.
To launch, simply pull down and back sling-shot style anywhere on the screen, then release. Mouse down to crouch or release to stretch once in the air. Stick the landing and then do it again.
‘That Flipping Mountain,’ inspired by the universe of Getting Over It with Bennet Foddy, consisting of a single enormous continuous mountain of items to fight over. If you miss a landing, you will not be sent back to the beginning; instead, you will just get back up and parkour on. Of course, if you miss the landing and land in the wrong spot, gravity may decide where you finish up.
Although Flipping Mountain is influenced by Getting Over It, it is not a clone. It’s a worthy sequel to Jeff Weber’s earlier game Just Ski in terms of gameplay and much more so in terms of style. As a result, it begins after the same hut where Just was killed. As a result, it begins at the same cabin as Just Ski concluded. It incorporates several parts of Getting Over It in its own style, just enough to recognise and appreciate these themes that have been brilliantly adapted for the scenario and gameplay of That Flipping Mountain, from the first tree to over the devil’s chimney and the ice cliff to the radio tower.
It shares a difficult difficulty with Getting Over It, but it’s also considerably closer to Just Ski in that regard. Just Ski and That Flipping Mountain, in my opinion, are far more real games than Getting Over It, which is more of a study in game design, with difficulty as a goal in itself and a purposeful source of aggravation. That Flipping Mountain, while similar in complexity, seems totally different in that it is designed for enjoyment rather than aggravation. It’s also a lot of fun to play. It’s extremely well-designed, hard but approachable, not overly harsh, and more varied in gameplay than both Getting Over It and Just Ski. It is unequivocally a recommendation.
A fantastic physics platformer. A firm foundation I had a great time the entire time. Climbing the first cliff was difficult at first, but once you’ve mastered sticking the landings, parkouring up the mountain becomes even more enjoyable. I never had the impression that the controls were unjust or that the game was overly difficult. It’s obvious that a lot of time and effort went into fine-tuning everything so that it all worked well together.
While the mountain begins with simple jumps and platforms that can save you if you miss one, you’ll soon encounter chasms that need highly precise jumps, sometimes down to a few pixels. You bounce off of springs and dark platforms, as well as water.
The game itself is very balanced. By being stubborn or refusing to accept your landing, I never felt like the game was attempting to make you fail. As long as you follow the rules and land on your feet, you’ll be fine. If you miss the landing, you’ll have to watch the sorrowful slide down the slope, which might wipe out all of your previous 30 minutes’ progress.
There are landmarks on the mountain that can be regarded as “save spots,” but they won’t help you if you don’t pay attention. I once missed a basic jump, plummeted down many hills, and was thrown into a nicely placed hole by a broken windmill, ending up many metres down. I got back on my feet..
Everything feels amazing to execute once you’ve mastered the jumps. It’s immensely satisfying to land difficult/far leaps, and it’s even better to plan your route so you can nail everything on the first try. While I didn’t find it very difficult, I’m sure other people will, and it will make you enraged to the point of anger. I did finish the game in a few sittings, but I was never as enraged as I should have been. Overall, I had a good time with my first playthrough, and I’m sure I’ll have a good time with my next few. A simple concept executed beautifully. One mechanic that is difficult to master but incredibly rewarding once it is.
If you enjoy games with fluid physics and precise controls, this will be just up your alley.
Now parkour, ski, and dive your way to the top of that mountain.
This is an excellent game. I find the sound effects amusing. It’s both relaxing and challenging. I haven’t been able to conquer it yet.
REVIEW : Drizzlepath: Deja Vu (PS5)
