izigame.me

Using precise controls, the player must navigate a maze of various obstacles to reach an exit point and advance to the next stage. Contact with an obstacle means instant death, and the player is forced to resume the level from it's beginning. (The first two Oddworld games are aptly analogous in this regard.) A successful run of a given level will take the player between as little as a few seconds, to no more than a few minutes. There are places of safety in most levels where one can rest to take careful note of their surroundings, if they must, so a "speed run" approach is not entirely necessary for novices; albeit a fair measure of celerity is nonetheless required, and one should still expect to fail quickly and often.
The game is structured into four worlds, which are each comprised an equal number of stages (a dozen or so), with a boss in the final stage of each world. All levels, including the bosses, are very well planned and a joy to play. It will likely take only about four hours to complete all the levels of each world on the standard difficulty, excluding bonus levels and challenges. At the time of this review, I've defeated the final boss, played the early levels over again, and completed all the bonus stages of world one, which are unlocked upon achieving trophies on all levels in that world.
As you progress through the game, you will unlock a few new upgrades that can then be employed in earlier stages. Other stages unlock the use of mechanisms within levels that extend the use of said capabilities. In certain particular levels, there are alternative exit points which reward the player with special computer chips. At this time, I have not obtained any of these chips and am uncertain of their function.
Some players may find its challenging nature frustrating at first, but with more familiarity will soon become both proficient and comfortable; and the difficulty is ultimately dependent on the level at which the player chooses to engage it. The fun of this game comes through the feeling of reward one obtains through the successful completion of stages, and then through the mastery of those stages in the achievement of "perfect runs," which award the player with trophies. A "perfect run" requires one to not only complete the sage under a certain time, but also to collect all of the golden bolts scattered throughout that stage.
Final point: aesthetic and atmosphere. Both are phenomenal, and perfectly tailored for this type of game. The music, also, while not particularly edifying, is exciting, mostly pleasant, and appropriate to the game's pace.
In sum, this game rewards persistence and perseverance. I have found the short while I've spent with it supremely enjoyable, and deem it to be a wholly worthwhile distraction.
P.S.: This game contains absolutely no offensive content, and is suitable for all ages. However, children under the age of about 8 are likely to find it too difficult.