Super Cloudbuilt Pre-Order Demo Impressions
Super Cloudbuilt is a re-master of the 2014 Cloudbuilt with added content and improved gameplay. It’s a free running platformer that is due out for release on July 25th on PS4 and Steam and then on the 28th for the Xbox One. There’s an exclusive demo that is available once you pre-order the game, and these are my impressions based off the demo.
You play as Demi, a young soldier who wakes up in an empty ruined building, in a strange world, disconnected from her old life and her physical body. With each level you beat you piece Demi’s future together trying to figure out this new world she has found herself in. Run through expansive worlds floating above a vast abyss, use your rocket-powered exo-suit to explore hidden paths and collect power ups to boost your performance. The demo lets you play the first 4 levels of the story mode and allows you to practice the time challenge mode to hone your skills before the final game releases.
The gameplay is very fun and the platforming is well done. You have to mix together speed, parkour moves like wall running, and your typical platformer double jumps. What makes the platforming fun and challenging is your exo-suit. You have a certain amount of speed boost and double jump boosts to use before you have to let it recharge or collect a power orb to refill it. Knowing when you should use the exo-suit for boosts or double jumps keeps the gameplay fun and fresh. You also have access to some weaponry to take out various turrets and robot spider enemies. You get a normal pistol shot that can be charged up for a shotgun blast and a sticky grenade launcher. The weapons aren’t only to take out enemies and mines that are in your way, though. There are times they will be used to destroy force fields in your way as you’re running and platforming.
The level layouts are very well done, often feature multiple paths and can be accomplished in different ways. You could easily follow the wall running path, but why not use your boost to run straight up the wall and then double jump across? Each level has side challenges and items to collect and depending on if you collect them or complete the challenges will determine how many bonuses you get at the end of a level; exploration is very much encouraged here.
The graphics are really cool and it also features a few different graphics mods that you can choose from to fit whatever is more visually stimulating for yourself. They range from black and white sketches to partially colored environments and of course the default cell shaded sketchbook look which looks fantastic and is personally my favorite anyway.
I had no previous knowledge of this game or its first release on Steam back in 2014, but I’m a sucker for good platforming and Super Cloudbuilt seems to have it in spades. The fast paced parkour and gunplay are very fun and the level layouts are very well done, making me excited to hop into the full game and experience the rest of what it has to offer.