Game by
Jamie Woodhouse

Gameplay: 9
Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 8
Appeal: 8.5

Final: 85%

Grade: B

Gameplay:

Duck runs, duck jumps, duck collects keys and shoots eggs. Qwak is purely a platform game. The goal of the game is for players to jump from platform to platform to collect the keys and other bonus items. Shooting eggs will kill the enemies with a few hits, the same is not true for you (you have three lives and one hit ends your life). The saving graces are the bonuses: potions, flowers, gems and mushrooms – all increase points or give you armor and getting armor is a must! The levels aren’t terribly complex, but each has a lot going on at once. Between the falling fruit and spike balls, enemies and tasks (pull levers, kill bad guys, etc.), the player has the added challenge of staying calm. A cool head and keeping your eye on the prize will keep your duck quacking. But be quick about completing your goals, the levels have a time limit before raining spike balls. Qwak also features a two-player mode which great for adding more chaos and fun to the formula. Luckily the game controls are configurable.

Watch out for Spikes - they keep the game challenging

Graphics:

Qwak’s graphics are well designed and colorful. This isn’t to say that I was blown away by the graphics, but the game has a classic indie feel. Seeing those bad guys move back and forth, brings me back to the good old koopa days. The graphics are clean and the transitions are smooth. The cascade of fruit can make the game all the more challenging, as the screen lights up with the different colors. The perfect balance is met between the visually demanding today and the 8 to 16 bit game of yesterday.

Sound/Music:

The music and sounds are quirky, but appropriate to the theme. Did I hear a duck quack in there somewhere? I loved each bonus item had a unique sound to go along with it (crunches for fruit), unlike blanket pings used for anything in other games. I didn’t find the music annoying, though it did remind me of elevator music at times. The music kept the game play all in good fun, even when I was kicking myself for being overly greedy.

Lasting Appeal:

Qwak was at times frustrating, especially when I went for those gems and it started raining spike death balls. Even with the challenges I found myself becoming addicted to upping my score and I kept going back for more. Also, be sure to check out the website (www.qwak.co.uk ) to view the high scores, they even break it down by the month, week and day. The simple controls, smooth graphics and quality of gameplay make it an overall great distraction from daily humdrum. If you have £13 (yes I said pounds) around, give it a go!