SkullFace hasn't really lived a charmed life. First of all, the guy's face is a skull. Having no skin has to be really chilly on a windy day, and darn inconvenient whenever he's trying to take a drink. Secondly, all of these magical portals have popped up in his hometown, and they ain't taking no for an answer! And, of course, they just had to be filled to the brim with spikes, monsters, cannons, and giant swinging cleavers. It's a good thing he took all those free-running classes at the local skeleton academy, since if lil' SkullFace is going to make it through the Greg Sergeant-developed action platform game that bears his name, he's going to have to run, jump and duck like a mad-skull.
Using the [arrow] keys to run left and right, and the [spacebar] to jump, avoid obstacles and make your way to the portal at the end of each level. Jump into a wall, and you'll grab onto it, jumping again to fling yourself up and off. Hold down while running to do a somersault roll, perfect for dodging low-hanging spikes. Later levels will employ a jetpack, activated by holding up, and refueled at various glowing checkpoints. Three fifteen-level worlds of deadly action stand in his path. Do SkullFace have the nerve? Or, for that matter, any nerves, period? Bearing a not-coincidental similarity to works like Super Meat Boy and N, SkullFace is a quite engaging platformer that effectively utilizes the parkour mechanics which are so hip with the kids these days. Tight controls, tough-but-fair level design, and a sweet sense of flow combine to make SkullFace a must-play for keyboard adrenaline junkies.
Oh man this game rules. Short, challenging levels that feel like you're consistently getting better even as you die again and again. Constantly introducing new elements. Basically everything a challenging platformer should be.
Great game. Very very satisfying. oooooooh! suits you sir.
This is a really well made game.
While I personally found the wall jumping a bit iffy (perhaps that's just me,) there is one mechanic this game offers that outshines most other "Time Trial Platformers."
The re-spawn mechanic is perfect. there are many platformer games that have a time trial element where upon dying, you are pulled out of the game's momentum with an, "Oops you died! Care to restart or quit the level?" window.
Creator Greg Sergeant, recognizes this issue and implements an "immediate re-spawn" mechanic where your timer resets and you are back in the game in less than 1 second,
keeping the player fully immersed in their experience.
I found a bug in level 25... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ck0QbJrEYJA/UNO7uSrC14I/AAAAAAAAAM4/oohHk5vQsoo/s800/skullface.png
Yes, this game is awesome. Very well done. It's very challenging, but it lets you just keep trying and getting better. The flow of the game is great. The controls are responsive and precise, the roll mechanics is great.
I know the elitist (or more sensible) gamers among us will say DUH!... but do not play this game in IE. The controls are uncontrollable which creates a paradoxical tear in the space-time continuum, meaning I get annoyed.
PS. Congrats to everyone on surviving the end of days. We are awesome.
I agree with all the positive comments, especially Ruesikin's point about immediate respawn. Hadn't noticed that before reading, but he's right: Flow!
My quibble is on the jump-land-roll mechanism: It is needlessly punitively to make you enter a roll the millisecond you land. You should be permitted to engage "roll" while in midair, knowing your skull-faced ninja will be rolling as soon as landing. That's how it is in REAL LIFE, anyway.
Also, I'm totally stuck on Lvl 15 Robo Church. I just can't get enough lift on that second creature-back-jump. Tips?
George -- hope this helps
As you make the first drop, steer just to the right a little so you land just behind the first creature's neck.
Hold down the right arrow, and you *should* bounce right across all four creatures, then bounce onto the wall, from where you can navigate around the mace.
Thanks, JustMe, but I should've been clearer. That part I can get past; it's the 4th creature who isn't giving me enough bounce to grab the wall above him. I'm sure it's just a matter of a pixel and a millisecond. Sigh. More coffee...
Update