Reviewed: July 28, 2002
Reviewed by: Mark Smith
Publisher
Dexterity Software
Developer
Suricate Software
Released: June, 2002
Genre: Puzzle
Players: 1
ESRB: Everyone
8
9
7
8
8.5
System Requirements
Trial Version Download
As a former shareware author I can really appreciate the entire philosophy of the “try before you buy” system. Shareware not only gives budding software designers a great outlet for their products, it also lets gamers sample some quality games that might otherwise never see the light of day.
Ploing 2 is one of these games, and while it may be marketed as shareware it is one of the finest examples of how close to “commercial quality” these games are becoming. The gameplay remains remarkably simple (in typical arcade fashion) yet the visuals and audio presentation is some of the best stuff I have seen in a shareware title to date.
It would be impossible to classify Ploing 2 in any current gaming genre. Sometimes it looks like Breakout and plays like Pinball, and other times you will find yourself in a retro version of Pong or even in a classic Arkanoid-style of game level. You might be smashing bricks in one level only to find yourself spinning cubes and matching patterns in the next.
The eclectic gameplay is loosely held together with a story of our space hero, Peter Pilot who is lost in space. He must travel through several galaxies, each with their own unique planets. His gas-guzzling rocket ship can only go from planet to planet so he must stop and refuel several times before moving on to the next galaxy.
The full version of Ploing 2 features:
- SEVEN galaxies with FIFTY levels
- tons of new bonuses: e.g. magneto, eraser and jumper
- more different comets: e.g. metal comet and lava comet
- fabulous new background sounds
- wonderful new graphics
- ALIEN INVADERS !!!
Your mission is clear and so is the simplicity of this game. You control Peter who rides around on an AGPS (Anti-Gravity-Paddle-Saucer, but you knew that – right?). This is basically a fancy name for a traditional paddle you would find in any Breakout or Pong game, only this paddle looks cool and can move just about anywhere in the level.
This freedom of movement translates to some excellent control over the ball - or comet in this case. You can strike the comet from the side or push forward to send the comet flying in just about any direction you want. If you are fast and accurate enough you can steer the ball sideways then tap it forward guiding it into narrow chutes, onto ramps, or knocking it away from hazardous areas or deadly red zones that will zap your comet into oblivion.
Each level is under a strict timer and you must score a certain number of points to fill up the fuel tanks of your ship before the timer expires. Once the tanks are filled the launch gate will open and you can move your AGPS to the ship and fly away. Sound easy? It is for the first two or three levels then things get seriously challenging.
Ploing 2 features a great tutorial for getting you up to speed. The gameplay is simple yet there are some subtle nuances to the controls that take a few minutes to get used to. You can play the game with the keyboard, a joystick, or a mouse, although I found the mouse was much easier and more precise in the later and more difficult levels. Ploing 2 even worked with several of the gamepads I had lying around.
The design of the game presents you with a galaxy of planets that you can play in any order you choose. When all planets are completed you can move on to the next galaxy with more planets of increasing complexity and difficulty. At any time you can go back to previous planets and try to best your previous scores.
The levels are amazing with lots of interactivity. You will often find yourself scrambling to control multiple comets and other smaller “balls”. There are blocks that can be broken with the comets and others require lasers or other weapons that you collect and can then fire from your AGPS with the left mouse button. Some blocks open paths to new areas of the level and there are teleport pads that can warp you to new sections instantly. Other paths are blocked by gates that only open when you have scored a certain amount of points.
One nice feature is the ability to setup multiple players then choose your own astronaut before playing the game. This lets Ploing 2 track everyone's progress individually, which means the entire family can play and maintain their own separate games without overwriting high scores or unlocking galaxies in someone else's game.
Ploing 2 looks awesome, even when pitted against the big titles coming from the major publishing houses. I have never seen a game this alive with rich vibrant colors, and the special effects are stunning. There are transparencies, and particle effects, and all sorts of glowing trails behind the comet and your AGPS. The background is alive with swirling nebulas and glowing star fields.
The opening movie and menu system are all splendidly done. Options and menu selections are colorful and animated with a swirling star field rotating in the background. It’s all top-notch quality and something you would expect from a non-shareware game.
At first glance the levels look deceptively simple – almost like that Martian planet from the Bugs Bunny cartoon where Bugs is trying to stop Marvin from destroying the Earth. The levels are generally square or rectangle in design, but the narrow chutes, transparent floors, and all sorts of crazy devices and floor pads combine to create some pretty intense playing fields.
Most surprising is that these stunning visuals only require the most basic of 3D cards, yet the graphics rival anything that I have seen my Ti500 GeForce 3 do with any big name title in the past several months. This is truly a testament to the level of quality that shareware games are now capable of attaining.
The music and sound in Ploing 2 are excellent. The synthesized music slips into the background and never achieves that annoying repetitiveness that many games like this fall into. There are all sorts of sci-fi sound effects to accompany the high-tech visuals as you smash your way through these levels and refuel your spaceship.
There are not a lot of sounds, but everything that is here is all very subtle and perfectly implemented to enhance the total gaming experience. Even the opening movie and credit splash screens have some audio that sounds like it was lifted from actual NASA communications.
The full version of Ploing 2 features 50 challenging levels spread across 7 galaxies. Just getting through these levels the first time will take you between 20-30 hours. Of course you will probably want to go back and replay this game many more times whether you simply want to better your scores or just experience this delightfully simple and entertaining game once again.
Each new level brings something new and exciting. Gameplay never gets dull or repetitive and for the $20 price of admission you would be hard pressed to find any other game of this quality that will offer even half the fun of Ploing 2.
There seems to be a recent surge of budget/shareware games coming out for the PC lately and Dexterity Software seems to be blazing the trail for getting these great games to the general public through a very convenient Internet distribution model. This is the first 3D game Dexterity has published and hopefully it won’t be their last.
What really amazes me is that while these games can't compare to the technological achievements of the big development studios, these small independent releases have offered some of the best gameplay and just pure FUN of anything I have played on the PC this year.
Ploing 2 is pure and simple fun that works on just about any computer built in the last four or five years. The full version is only a 20mb download and takes only 38mb on your drive – nothing compared to the sheer entertainment value you will experience from this title. The gameplay may prove too challenging for smaller kids, but the colorful art design and amusing sound effects won’t stop them from trying.
And since Ploing 2 is shareware you don't even have to take my word for it. Download your copy today and try it out. You will find it is well worth the $19 for the full copy and with a 60-day money-back guarantee you have nothing to lose.