[PlayStation 4] Almost There Review

Almost There is a hardcore 2D platformer with a minimalist look and a big challenge that might make some of you rage quit. Learn more in our Almost There review!

 
Almost There has a minimalist presentation, which will allow you to focus on the hardcore gameplay that will make some of you throw your controller in anger. The first 15 levels are going to be the easy part of the game as you learn a bit about what the game is going to be throwing at you. The game has 150 levels and timed challenges for you to complete, so if you want to 100% this one you’re going to be dying a lot, learning how to complete each level one bit at a time. The game is ludicrously difficult. If you think Super Meat Boy is a hard game, then Almost There: The Platformer is going to chew you and spit you out, big time.

 
The gameplay mechanics are deceptively simple since you’re controlling a tiny white square, and you must jump across a variety of platforms in all shapes and sizes, to the point where you can barely fit on some of them. There is also a variety of traps and hazards that you will need to avoid to reach the white diamond-like shape that serves as the exit for each level. The first tier levels are your basic levels, kind of like a series of short tutorial stages so that you can get the hang of things.

 

 
For a game to be extremely tough like Almost There: A Platformer is, simple controls are required, and you can’t go wrong with the game’s setup since you’re only going to be needing the left analog stick or the D-Pad and the jump button. As you move through the levels, tiers, and worlds, new things are introduced that make the game even harder. When you’re moving around small platforms with a ton of hazards everywhere, jumping and wall jumping to try and reach the exit, you’ll need to make some very precise jumps, or you’ll be dead in a second.
 

 
Each level awards you with stars depending on how fast you are at completing a level, as well as doing so without dying. You’ll probably be getting the one star for most levels, two if you’re lucky. But to get all three stars for a level, you’re going to have to practice a ton to learn how to find the best route to complete a level so that you can cut down on the trial and error and get right to it. For entries in the platforming genre, practice always makes perfect, and that is even more valid for a game like this one.

 
Almost There: The Platformer is a hardcore 2D platforming release on Nintendo Switch that will test your skills from start to finish… as well as your patience! Just completing a stage will feel like a reward upon itself, and the more you play, the more in tune with the game you will be, which will make it easier to find a way to start to get two or three stars for a stage. Are you up for the challenge?

Disclaimer
This Almost There: A Platformer review is based on a PlayStation 4 copy provided by The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild.