Commander Keen (GB) (Commander Keen (GB))

Member Name: thole09

Product:	Commander Keen (GB)
Date:	26/01/09 (6 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Graphics

Disadvantages: Slight learning curve

"Commander Keen" is a long standing series of video games released in the early 1990s. This title has been quoted by creator Tom Hall as "not being canon" in comparison with the other Commander Keen games. I'm not sure why this is at immediate glance, as the Gameboy Color title appears to have retained all of Keen's original computer traits.

The player controls "Commander Keen"; an enthusiastic young man on a quest to save the world from intergalactic evil. It is a side-scrolling platform game where the player must guide his or her character from one end of the designated playing area to the other while avoiding obstacles and collecting various items (notably sweets, chocolate bars and ice cream). Keen is equipped with a simple ray gun that stuns any enemies and renders them harmless for a short period of time. There are three missions with numerous stages within, each featuring distinct background scenarios, that may keep the player occupied for some time. Controls are that of a typical platform title with "A" causing Keen to jump and "B" firing his small sidearm at enemies. The player may also find him or herself in an area which they cannot jump high enough to the next area of play. That is where Keen's signature pogo stick is to be utilized by holding the down arrow and pressing "A". There is some challenge to be met in game if the player so wishes a somewhat difficult experience (a skill level prompt is given to the player prior to gameplay ranging from "easy" to "hard").

Graphics appear bright, vivid and make a good use of a wide range of shades. I found artistic detailing to be acceptable and could differentiate clearly between the vast array of enemies presented in game. Audio, like graphics, was also acceptable but could have made more use of various sounds; It seems that there was one sound effect altered to suit different applications throughout the game.

To answer Kara2j's question regarding "Keen back for good?"; No, this Gameboy Color game was the final installment in the Commander Keen series and there has yet to be any further releases for this series. The title seems to be a good addition to the series overall and may have some replay value if the player was engaged enough with the game. I didn't find myself to be really engrossed with it.

Summary: A good addition to the Keen series