"A great attempt at creating the most difficult gaming experience out there"

For the most part games these days are far too easy. Gone are the days of games such as Mega Man and Contra where a gamer is forced to work to progress to the next stage and in place of these such games are games in which progression is simple and an entire game can either be completed in two hours or be reduced to nothing more than a twenty hour boredom infestation due to the difficulty being set far too low. This was until October 2007 when an Indie game became available for free download off of the internet entitled I Wanna Be The Guy: The Movie: The Game, a game so challenging that it is guaranteed to reduce even the most sturdy and hard as nails gamer to tears of frustration. This is neither an easy game nor a short one, but it is certainly a game that almost every gamer should have a crack at as it is a thrill ride but it is one that will make you want to punch the nearest wall.

I Wanna Be The Guy has a very loose story that takes the back seat to the mayhem that is to unfold but the plot to the game centers around The Kid, a person who wishes to become The Guy and must therefore endeavor to cross corridors full of rapidly moving spikes and fruit that will fire at him from nowhere to achieve his aims. The controls to the game are simplistic as are the graphics, which are essentially reduced to a few blotches of color on screen and perhaps the odd hand-drawn fence scattered throughout. The sound track is repetitive and rather annoying but also provides the perfect back drop for the insanity that the game keeps contained within. The music within the game is a fast paced, up-tempo piece that really fits the heart beat of the player as the constant sense of danger causes their heart beat to sky rocket. It really does fit the style of game that you are playing with the 8-bit retro feel to it that would feel completely at home on a Master System game.

The game play of I Wanna Be The Guy is essentially that of an old school platforming game that involves leaping across various pits filled with spikes whilst avoiding everything the game throws at you, which turns out to be pretty much everything but the kitchen sink. The game has a little combat to it, and equips The Kid with a gun that they can use to shoot save points to save their game or to shoot at the few enemies that the game scatters throughout. The combat of this game is not the focus however and you are constantly in more danger from the environment than you are from the actual enemies of the game. There is also a wall jump feature that allows you to grapple onto certain surfaces and slowly slide down whilst lining up the perfect jump to get through the incredibly tight gaps that the game forces you to attempt to pass through. The level design on this game is where it really succeeds with some inventive placements of spikes and various other hazards and clever use of enemies at strategic locations to ensure that you are constantly on your toes.

The difficulty level of I Wanna Be The Guy is completely off the scale and is guaranteed to make you wish to kill somebody, and it is at this point that a break comes highly recommended. Which essentially means that you will be taking a break every thirty seconds to avoid ripping your hair right off of your head or to avoid you smashing your computer up. In ways this game is ludicrously unfair in the respect that absolutely anything can kill you, from the Apple that was hidden behind a spike to a small white star that was stationary until you walked beneath it. Every death will send The Kid exploding into a glorious shower of gore and create tears in the eyes of even the hardest willed gamer out there. Factor into this that there are seven boss fights strategically placed throughout the game that make for some of the most difficult moments in gaming of all time, and it would be fair comment to make that this game seems to be Mission Impossible in its purest form.

Progression in I Wanna Be The Guy is very slow but feels exceedingly sweet as some of the screens truly are among the cruelest ever designed. Whatever sadist thought of creating a certain screen halfway through the game that involves making one jump that is almost impossible due to how tight the gap between a pair of spikes is wants locking away in a mental home. This game is undeniably fun though purely because it is the challenge that many a hardcore gamer from the 1980's wanted to be developed for a long time. This is the answer to a generation's cries for a difficult game and really is a magnificent attempt at challenging absolutely everybody. It also throws in a number of set pieces and boss fights to keep you on your toes. An example of one of the most enjoyable moments of the game would be a thrilling chase in which a massive cart made of spikes is pursuing the player across several screens and all they can do is run and hope they can escape. It is moments like this in which the game really never ceases to amaze and becomes an adrenaline soaked thrill ride instead of the one game that is guaranteed to make you punch someone as much of the game would indicate.

The game does attempt to balance out the over the top difficultly level however with a Save feature that revolves around shooting small on-screen boxes that say Save on them. This is, of course, unless you are playing on the Impossible difficulty where all of the save boxes are removed. In fact, this is all that the difficulty level really affects-the number of save points, so for first time players, or just anyone with a brain in their skull, the easiest mode is recommended. The save points are scattered frequently throughout on the lower difficulties which makes the game manageable and ensures that you will not completely give up on the game, but it is still only advised that you play it in small doses as it really does become frustrating.

I Wanna Be The Guy is a nerve wracking, challenging thrill ride in which progression is slow but also brings a sense of relief and hope that the game can only get easier as you progress. It is a great game that comes highly recommended, especially for the fact that it is free off of the internet. Definitely check this out if you are sick of the overly easy games of today as it will not disappoint. The one thing to note though is that it is wise to get it rooted into your head that you will not complete it within the next six months. This is a game that requires one to put a lot of work into, but should they invest the time then they will be rewarded with a magnificent indie platforming game.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10 | Originally Posted: 02/06/13

Game Release: I Wanna Be the Guy: The Movie: The Game (US, October 2007)

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