Review: Project 72
by Staff Writer
February 23, 2010
Overview
Project 72 is a relatively simple game that has a unique story behind it. The game was originally created in 3 days, just 72 hours, by Dogtown Studios, and provided a simple mechanic oozing with polish. The overall rating shouldn’t be impacted by the time it was created in, so I’ve held off, and now after a couple updates it’s time for the full review. You control a space ship by tilting, and try to fly as far as you can. Along the way you will need to dodge asteroids, alien ships, and black holes. Also there are power-ups to collect including jet fuel, speed boost, and shield. Jet fuel is essential because if it is depleted, it's game over!
Features
The most recent update of the game enhances the 72 hour build quite a bit. The biggest addition is a brand new power-up, the lightning gun, which allows you to blast through hazards. The update also enhances the background giving you more color variations as well as deluxe random star population that stretch as you speed past. More hazards have been introduced as well that increase in number and difficulty as you reach high score plateaus. Now you have to deal with ice comets, fire comets, and other space rock particles. Since the original version there is a top 50 high score table, and currently a daily and monthly score table that opens in safari.
The Good
Project 72 has the simple addictive gameplay down pat. It’s just super simple and easy for anyone, anytime to play over and over again. It’s an endless flight trying to last as long as you can with tons of hazards and power-ups so something is always on screen whizzing by. The gameplay is just such fast paced action with the speed the rocket moves at, and always accelerating forward. Then there are tons and tons of hazards so you’re tilting very often to snake through them. The power-ups are essential to make it to higher scores, and you will need to swerve to get to those too.
The most unique aspect is the jet fuel which you need to collect to keep going, and many times you will have to go on tangents to collect some more. There is never a dull moment in the game, and with the shield and laser gun you can hit quite a few hazards and keep on trucking so you can stay in the best action of the game.
After 72 hours the game was really well polished, and now after a couple of updates the production values are exquisite. The backgrounds now change as you progress, and the animations are brilliant making it as though you're flying through space. Every object in the game, from the ship, to the power-up circles, and all of the hazards are so finely detailed they seem to have a sheen to them.
The intricate details really stand out including when you hit a certain hazard there is a splendid detailed explosion, or when you’re running low on jet fuel the screen flashes red, and even the jet trail out of the rocket is special. A spot-on techno space themed soundtrack is included which is fast paced to go with the action too. When you collect a power-up or are running low on fuel there is a quick computer voice telling you so.
