Raptor 2 (doo-doo, push pineapple, shake the tree)

By: Graham Goring

On: August 20th, 2007

Raaaaargh! RAAAAARGH!

Dinosaurs are ace – FACT! But games featuring dinosaurs have often been crap, like Chuck Rock, Adventure Island and Rampage. I mention those three because I’m sure that someone here holds them near and dear and their rage should at least bulk out the comments section.

Luckily, Bouncing Fox Software is here to redress that balance with Raptor 2, sequel to the couldn’t-be-arsed-to-play-that-as-the-screenshot-looked-a-bit-boring-game Raptor. I should mention that I shall be rectifying that mistake forthwith, given how the sequel is shaping up.

In Raptor 2 you’re tasked with stopping a giant meteor from hitting earth. As goals in games go this is not only a bit demanding considering you’re a dinosaur with crappy little arms, but also – should you succeed – it would have pretty shitty repercussions for the rest of us in the modern day.

This boils down to some really very good platforming courtesy of a nimble and versatile main character who can climb up vertical surfaces, leaping from one to the other. You can also attack things, but truth be told that aspect of the gameplay has proven to be a bit crap so far.

Aaaanyhoo, even though the graphics are a little plain and desaturated for my liking, this game is supremely likeable thanks to solid platforming gameplay combined with a genuinely funny, punchy and knowing script which doesn’t outstay its welcome and which made me laugh out loud on several occasions.

Mind you, I’m halfway tempted to recommend you wait for the finished version as it will allow you to configure your keys. The current control set-up is spread around the keyboard far too much for my liking and couldn’t be less friendly if the instructions required you to plug in a second keyboard for the Walk Left button. Also, the manner in which it attempts to cram multiple functions on a pair of keys is a bit counter-intuitive. I’m all for context-sensitive controls, but these don’t feel right and need a bit of reworking.

But despite those quibbles, you should get downloading! Or if you’re lazy, have a look at the 5.5Mb Quicktime trailer movie instead.

(Source: The Mighty Tim!)

Posted in Action, Platformers, Windows

Rz.

i love graham too. is this his first majestical post at the wonderful TIGSource?
TIGSNut

Yessir!
DrDerekDoctors

Yuss, this is my firsted ever. Makes more sense than posting individual bits on the arsecast site, which I’ll leave just for the podcast with it’s big splurges of stuff.
Derek

If there’s one thing a website needs, it’s more Dereks and more relatively hot girls!
Randall Munroe

*runs away in panic*
haowan

Best title ever.
King-N

The games pretty good, but not that easy to control.
DrDerekDoctors

Ta’ Haowan, although I can’t say the idea was originally mine…

http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=YourSinclair/Issue13/Pages/YourSinclair1300011.jpg – you’ll need to copy and paste that as it’s borked the link.

(check the Hacker 2 preview)
haowan

Heh! Your next challenge is to work “Hold a chicken in the air” into a post title.
DrDerekDoctors

I think I’d have more like with “stick a deckchair up your nose”.

Lawks, for all the non-Brits this must be very confusing.
Shih Tzu

It’s OK for us Americans; we just tune out anything that smacks of other cultures.
BenH

You know whats weird? As I was reading this it was your voice in my head I could hear! It was just like listening to one of your podcasts, only less audible. I clearly need a thicker tinfoil hat!
Xander

Le gasp! The Great Goring has become an editor! Jubilations!

Wait, that means if I became an editor I wouldn’t be the only british one. Damn, and lacking Derek’s clear sex appeal, I think it’s best just not to think about it.

*sniff*

Raptor 2 is awesome! Just wish I didn’t have to twist my hand into some unholy configuration to play it.
fartron

>Shih Tzu said about 1 hour later:
>
>Itâ€™s OK for us Americans; we just tune out anything that smacks of other cultures.

I agree with Simon.
Adam Atomic

This game is hilarious and full of awesome potential; i too eagerly await better controls; both configurations and the option to have the same button perform wall jumps as well as regular jumps. That’s a proper mindf*ck for me! Funny and fun, and with dinos to boot…can’t wait for this thing to get finished!
Jonathan Blow

I loved this game at the start, and I would totally buy it if the demo didn’t convince me that the level design was going to be super-annoying from the get-go.

That first tree worm area is *way* too hard for the introduction of a new enemy, and it’s the 2nd thing you actually do in the game! It wants you to creep up next to them in order to jump, but you can’t stop climbing vertically in less than one full cycle of the climb animation (A MORTAL SIN OF PLATFORMER DESIGN) which means you get knocked off by those guys tons of times before you get used to the tolerances. After many frustrating tries I finally get to the top, I start fighting the little dino guys, then I *ACCIDENTALLY BACKFLIP BACK DOWN TO THE BOTTOM* because I’m not used to the fighting controls yet. And then of course because I am slightly annoyed I move off the screen to drink (because I’m not sure if I can drink in that super shallow water), and upon re-entering the screen all the worms are reset. Which is the point at which I say “fuck this game” and hit Escape, then Quit.

Anyway, it’s a very creative game and I want to see it do well… I just hope they fix the gameplay some prior to the release.
Jonathan Blow

P.S. Does this mean the Arsecast is going to be updated even less often now than ever before?
Adam Atomic

haha ok i’m glad i’m not the only one who blew goats at the tree worms part…though I do think good controls would help some of that, the curve did seem a little steep. The funny quips from the dino at the bottom helped stave off frustration for a bit, but I ultimately killed the demo before ever ascending the trees/walls properly…
DrDerekDoctors

Haha, it’s going back to monthly(ish) in the talky-form with Bob Fearon. Only we won’t fuck up the sound quality next time. And well properly describe the games so it isn’t utterly befuddling.

But as for written stuff, that’ll all come here – but be of the same nature as the arsecast stuff. It’s just that TIGs’ll get sued instead of me when I eventually slander someone. ;)

And yes, the game does get frustrating, but it also gets a lot right and deserves to be fixed.
makeshifter

i don’t know what you guys are whining about the controls are EASY!!! atleast with a little practice. the only thing that really pissed me off was the last man eating plant thing. i practically killed my self. only to find that on the other side it shows you a tunnel you can use. i wanted to strangle the creator. but unfortunately the demo ends there. any way, when you first meet the worms takes the guys tip a little bit further don just bite and tail wip them. jump on them!!! they die most satisfactorily and you get off scott free.

though i did kinda miss the sarcastic remarks he make when you fall.

this is a good game. and needs to be finished votes i.
Rz.

i wish i could make some off-color pop culture reference like “*The Arsecast updates as consistently as . . .*” but I can’t think of anything.
So I’ll just say it’s not very consistent. and this does not amuse rz.cat
http://josephkingworks.blogspot.com Joseph

Wow thats fun! The dialog was amusing, the animation was fantastic, the art direction is good (a bit drab), the gameplay is fun , a bit rough.
That introduction to the worms was harsh, but I was able to tough it out to the end. And the backflipping was kinda weird how about just pressing back+jump? and how about a crouching/jumping bite attack? A flying bite attack would help with the worms I guess.
I think tail whip should be a separate button, maybe press forward,forward for run instead. I dunno the controls need work. Can’t wait to see it finished!
Gr.Viper

Arrr.. I’m so tired of bright colours. Will wait for full version of this neat beast. But this night will be Bioshock night..
Advenith

I’m not going to dignify this entry with a comment about how Adventure Island was pretty fun back in the day.

Aw, crap.
PHeMoX

Don’t worry, a ‘fun’ game doesn’t always equals a ‘good’ game. ;) *taps on back*

I had tons of fun with Postal 2, but it’s not a good game.