Caster

It’s an all too common mistake made by developers of short games. New attacks and abilities are introduced as the levels progress, building toward a big climax. But the result is the entire game feeling like a tutorial, with only one proper level to play at the end. Predictably enough, Caster’s third-person action only gets going right as the game is coming to a close. And worse, this happens after barely more than an hour.

Your character, of the Caster profession, gathers a collection of ‘beams’ used as attacks, each with distinct properties. You’re tasked with destroying the baddies, gathering energy orbs, and occasionally healing trees, all the while using your super-fast dash and epic jumping powers.

Oddly, Caster could have been far more interesting. Two of the beams let you either remove or add to the terrain, Populous-style, and your enormous jumps lead to reality-rippling landings. Had any of this been used beyond getting a couple of orbs out of some liquid, it might have had a hook. As it is, the whole game is so elementary as to barely distract.

May 4, 2009