I’ll often pick up games for review and after a little light investigation get a good idea of what I’ve let myself in for. This is usually gleaned from the game’s store page, but sometimes things don’t quite add up. This was the case with Kiki – A Vibrant 3D Platformer as the screenshots and trailer didn’t quite live up to the hype which came from the description.
Kiki – A Vibrant 3D Platformer does exactly what is says on the tin. The title is also a perfect description of the game itself. It’s extremely basic, linear and shows its hand within the first few minutes.
There are sixty levels on offer in total, grouped into clusters of ten. In each you will be tasked with reaching the finish zone, and collecting numerous stars and a trophy on the way. You’ll also be up against the clock, should you wish to go back and try to better your time.
Sadly, these collectibles serve no practical purpose, apart from bagging you the full amount of Gamerscore on offer. If you wish, you can make for the exit as quickly as possible. Most achievements can be earned simply by playing, and will be drip fed to you for every couple of levels completed. However, for a clean sweep you’ll need to grab every collectible zone by zone.
Kiki – A Vibrant 3D Platformer claims to gradually increase in difficulty as you progress, however I found no rhyme nor reason to the level structure. The first thirty do gradually get more difficult as you play, but the more challenging levels are inserted, almost at random. Each zone adds an extra star for you to collect too, which means it will take you a little longer to reach the finish zone.
What I found odd though, was once I hit level forty, things got easy again. In fact, Kiki – A Vibrant 3D Platformer became embarrassingly easy. The levels became shorter, much more simple and linear too. There was absolutely nothing new either, all recycled ideas from earlier on in the game. It’s almost as if the devs gave up, and just focused on padding out the level count. This meant I blitzed through the second half of the levels in around twenty minutes.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean the first chunk of levels are good fun, far from it I’m afraid. The platforming is basic, as you’ll just need to move and jump over gaps in the stage. However, there is a noticeable lag between moving forward and jumping, so much so you’ll often plummet to your death and have to start the stage again. There are no checkpoints in Kiki – A Vibrant 3D Platformer.
What really disappoints is the frankly cynical level design. Let me explain. Before too long, keys are introduced which need to be grabbed, carried to the matching coloured platform to unlock the path forward. However, this is implemented in a way which essentially gets you to do exactly the same thing, numerous times, within the very same level and then again in the levels afterwards.
Some stages would look identical if you split them in half down the middle. A common trick used by the devs is placing a key next to a platform of an opposite colour, and flipping this configuration on the other side of the level. This forces you to tread the same path three times before you can unlock the way forward.
If you make a mistake, or likely fall through a gap in the stage, then in these levels you face another four or five minutes of repetitive gameplay. The carrot of easy Gamerscore may well keep you coming back, but after clearing the first half of levels, it’s almost as if Kiki – A Vibrant 3D Platformer is aware and removes the key mechanic from the later batch completely.
Otherwise, you’ll need to avoid buzzsaws and spikeballs, as well as navigate moving and falling platforms. That is as complex as the platforming gets, and you’ve seen it all in the first third of the game. The lack of ideas and creativity here is frankly staggering. Kiki is one of the most reductive 3D platformers I’ve ever played.
Kiki – A Vibrant 3D Platformer may well be vibrant, but it also looks extremely basic. I wouldn’t go as far to say it looks bad, but the visual style reflects many other facets of the game. I hate to say it, however it screams minimum effort wherever you look.
And that means it’s difficult to find the positives here, because Kiki – A Vibrant 3D Platformer doesn’t even have the common hook (or gimmick) that these types of game usually present to at least attempt to differentiate themselves from the crowd.
Kiki – A Vibrant 3D Platformer is a game low on ideas, which even then are poorly implemented. As platformers go, it’s a stinker. Avoid.
A First-Person Puzzling Adventure: Dive into Kiki’s Vibrant World – https://www.thexboxhub.com/a-first-person-puzzling-adventure-dive-into-kikis-vibrant-world/
Buy Kiki – A Vibrant 3D Platformer on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/kiki—a-vibrant-3d-platformer/9NSP8TWS4PCK
