Brickfest

Brickfest is a ‘Breakout’ clone with some unique twists and fast-paced mechanics.

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TL;DR at bottom

Gameplay:

The gameplay in Brickfest is very, very similar to classic games like Breakout and Brick Breaker. The gameplay does not explore much farther than that. One feature that seems to be unique to this game is power-ups. There are 7 power-ups that will increase or decrease the size of your paddle, increase or decrease the speed of the ball, grant you a shield, summon another ball, or weaponize your paddle. The shield will allow a missed ball to bounce back for another chance, and the weaponize power-up allows you to shoot at bricks with your paddle, making it easier to hit some of the tougher bricks. Every one of these power-ups adds a new challenge or aid to the game, and makes it much more fun.

When I first played the game for my video, there were only two gamemodes. There could have possibly been three at the time, and I may have missed one. The UI is extremely small, especially on higher resolutions, making it very hard to navigate and read. I went back to replay the game after a while to refresh my mind to write this review, and there was a new level set added, and I discovered that I could open a sub-menu to find a gamemode hidden in the list. I have no idea why the Persistent gamemode was hidden like it was, but I had no idea it existed.

However, this shows that the developer is actively trying to improve their game and to add new content for you to enjoy. Currently, there are 3 primary level sets and one other gamemode. There is B-R-I-C-K-F-E-S-T, which is simply 9 levels, each of which comprised of one letter of the name of the game. The Fruit level set is a couple different levels with fruits made out of bricks. The newest level set that I discovered when returning to the game was called Unusual, and it introduced unbreakable bricks and black holes, which bring a new and interesting twist to the gameplay. The Persistent gamemode is basically endless mode, and some of the bricks drop a power-up that takes away one of your lives.

8/10

Graphics:

The graphics in Brickfest are simple, as is the game itself. There are some different effects for some items and such, but it doesn’t go much farther than that. The visuals are clean and look good, which is good enough for a simple game in this genre. However, the UI for the menu is very bad. The text is way too small on larger monitors, the level select menu is confusing and difficult to navigate, and is overall a mess. This was really the only glaring issue I had with the game, although it is a pretty big issue as it caused me to miss content that I could have played.

6/10

Music/Audio:

There can’t be very many sound effects for a simple brick breaking game, but at least this game does well with what it has. The sound effects make the different power-ups seem more effective, and makes the game less boring than if it had no sound effects, of course. The music is where a game like this can shine, but it isn’t a star. It has good music, and it adds to the hectic gameplay. This presents another issue with the menu, however, as there is no music or sound on the main menu; it is just dead silence. This isn’t a huge deal since it is only a menu, but you shouldn’t be greeted by a game with silence.

6/10

Conclusion:

Overall, the game is fun. It has the tried-and-true gameplay that is easy to pick up and enjoy, and it provides a unique enough experience to be worthwhile. The developer is working to add content which gives a reason to return the game and continue playing. The graphics and sound effects work together well, and the music adds to the exciting gameplay that the unique power-up mechanics provide to this classic game genre. There is plenty in the game to keep you busy, and I think that it is worth the purchase, especially if the developer continues to update the game with new content.

Overall: 6.5/10 - Recommended

TL;DR

Pros:

+Unique twist on classic Breakout gameplay

+Power-ups

+Gameplay can get hectic/exciting

+Active developer bringing new content

Cons:

-Very few levels, can be completed in half an hour

-Unoriginal idea

-Very little music

-Difficult to navigate/read menu

Check out my gameplay of Brickfest below to get a better idea of the game.