满分摇滚+负分射击 :《鼓点英雄》

English version below.

首次测评，感谢牛关野蔷薇以及开发者提供的key。多年没写英语了，要不是答应开发者了就不写了^_^。下次还是不要献丑的好(/ω＼)

游戏简介

《鼓点英雄》是一款结合了音游和横板射击游戏要素的作品。一支摇滚乐队突然发现世界已经被丧尸包围，坐着他们那架怀旧味道浓郁的"枪迪拉克"敞篷车逃亡。然后把架子鼓的脚踏连上机关枪，阻击追击过来的丧尸和其他奇怪的东西。

游戏整体简评

+ 18首+(15个关卡+3个boss关卡)十分好听的摇滚歌曲(时间为2018/04/13 EA阶段)

+ 出色的像素美术，无论是动画，静态场景，特效，都十分出色。只要是能接受像素风的人，这游戏的美术应该不会让你失望。

+ 使用射杀丧尸来作为音乐游戏的反馈，感觉还是挺爽的

- 横板射击游戏的要素(※)与节奏游戏相冲突，让人无法集中在音乐游戏上。这不是一个提高难度的好方式。

※ boss战中需要操作车的方向上下移动以躲避boss的攻击和让攻击能击中boss，需要确定使用上机枪还是下机枪以保证能打中敌人等)

- 故事模式的引导不足。过程中每当需要找特定的人说话，我就不得不试着与每一个人都说话。虽然又上角有十分模糊的提示，但是无论是要和谁说话还是要到哪个地方都十分不明确。如果是为了让玩家自由探索的话，可供探索的元素并不足够。

- 无处不在的bug，目前游戏处于EA阶段。但是这个bug的数量确实是有点多。

一些意见和建议

1、希望减少射击游戏的设计元素，因为射击游戏的元素在阻止我玩节奏游戏。

游戏里面有不少射击游戏的元素例如：

· 黄色的鼓点有两个按键可以操作。一个是上面的机枪一个是下面的机枪。

· 红色的鼓点打够一定量之后，可以有红色的手榴弹鼓点出现，命中后可以丢手榴弹。

· 紫色的鼓点打够一定量之后，发射狙击枪

· Boss关卡可以使用上下按钮控制车子上下移动躲避敌人的攻击和确保自己的攻击打到敌人

这些射击游戏的元素单个看都是比较有趣的，但是和节奏游戏组合在一起就显得比较尴尬了。当玩家尝试全神贯注完成下方的指令输入的同时，不得不分心去留意上方敌人的位置、数量以选择适当的打法和决策。这些决策在射击游戏当中是十分有趣的。但是在节奏游戏当中，这种决策只是影响我集中在指令输入的干扰项。

游戏难度分5档，最简单的难度是单轨(黄色)，最难的难度是3轨。而我个人比较适合的难度是第二简单的难度。但是在故事模式的后面几关，第二简单的难度下我无暇顾及敌人位置，躲避敌人等操作。以至我调整难度到最简单难度完成了游戏。但是如果只是单纯指令输入的难，我是十分愿意多练几次直至能够通关的。

当你全神贯注在敲打下方的指令时，只不过因为没有看到上方屏幕内一只从你攻击死角钻进来的敌人而被打死时。内心真的很崩溃，这种难度给我不公平的感觉。

2、优秀的像素美术，但或许这个美术只能、也应该沦为陪衬

游玩游戏之前，我就看到它的像素美术很优秀。但是得知玩法是节奏游戏之后我曾经担心：玩家集中在下方的指令输入，上方的美术不就完全成为可有可无的陪衬了吗？

结果作者给出了不一样的答案，他把射击游戏的要素加入了游戏当中。但是实际的效果竟然是，这不但没有加分。还是减分项。

节奏游戏中最吸引人的地方是：“全身贯注地集中在按键输入的那种近乎忘我的感觉”而射击游戏的元素不断地干扰我集中。我猜，最后的结果很可能导致原本能胜任难度3的玩家选择难度2，能胜任难度2的玩家选择难度1。这明显是作者和玩家都不愿意看到的。

如果能够把美术结合到gameplay当中固然是最好。但是如果不行，最起码还是不要让它拖累gameplay成为减分项的好。

3、相对音乐的狂野，演出效果不够火爆

音乐十分狂野，而打丧尸的演出效果显得不够火爆。需要更多的爆炸，血浆横飞的镜头。

4、对话的时候显示角色名字

虽然游戏当中有介绍，但是我还是记不住名字，显示一下角色的名字比较好。特别是故事模式中，经常需要找特定角色对话。

总结

优秀的音乐和美术，但是游戏玩法并不能很好地与其结合。强行结合的射击要素是个不小的减分项。另外BUG太多也挺影响体验。但是目前游戏还是处于EA阶段，经过打磨有成为好游戏的潜质。毕竟音乐和美术的实力在那里。6.5 / 10

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English Version

Introduction

《Double Kick Heroes》is kind of a game mixed by rhythm game and STG. A rock band found themselves being surrounded by zombies, and get on their old car, trigger machine gun by drums to fight against zombies.

pros & cons

+ 18+ great rock music track (15levels+3 boss levels) (2018/04/13 EA)

+ Outstanding pixel art. Animation, background, the effects were great. Will not disappoint anyone who can work with pixel art.

+ Shotting zombies as the feedback of rhythm game is kind of new and it feels so good.

- The STG things(※) just not work very well with the rhythm game. I can't focus on my rhythm game. I don't think this is a good way to raise the difficulty.

※ In boss levels, using up/down to dodge and make sure can shot on the enemies; In common levels, using which gun to use; etc

- Stroy mode is lack of guides. The game usually requires us talking to a specific person to move on. I just need to talk to everyone until I find the right person. There is a hint on the right-top but is just not enough to me. If the game is encouraging the player to explore more by themselves, I don't there are enough things to explore now.

- Too many bugs. Even it is still in EA process.

Some advice and opinions

1、Reduce STG things, it is standing on my way to playing a nice rhythm game

STG things mean things like:

· Yellow beats can click by two buttons, which control the upper gun and the lower gun.

· Red beats to charge energy. And you can use it to fire a grenade when a grenade beat comes.

· Purple beats to charge energy. And fire the rifle.

· In boss levels, using up/down to dodge and make sure can shot on the enemies

These STG things are kind of funny on their own. But they feel weird when they are in a  rhythm game. When players are focusing on the input of rhythm game, the STG game's thing just keeps distracting them. We must keep an eye on the position of enemies or make a decision whether it is a good timing to use a grenade while playing a rhythm game. It is difficult, but not in a good way.

The game has 5 difficulties, the easiest one only have one track to input. The most difficult one has 3 track to input. I started with the 2nd easy one (1 track or 2 tracks to input). But in the last few levels of story mode. I failed too many times by so focus on inputting and forgot watching enemies' positions. I have to switch to the easiest difficulty while if there are no STG things. I am sure I would practice more until I can clear it. 

When you are playing so good with the rhythm game. You died because sth you are not even watching on. It just feels unfair to me.

2、Great art, but the art should not stand in the way of playing the rhythm game

Before I play the game, I already know it has great pixel art. When I know it is a rhythm game, I concerned that the art will be totally forgotten by players because they are too busy playing the rhythm game.  

But the developer gives a different answer. Putting STG in a rhythm game is new but it kind of making things worse.

The most interesting part of rhythm game is the feeling when the player is so into the inputting.  But in this game, the STG part keeps me away from that. I guess player finally will choose a lower difficulty than he can really fit in just because of the STG things. It is not what players and developer hope for.

If the art can make gameplay be better will be great. But if it can't be. Just don't let it make gameplay feels worse.

3、The performance should be wilder

The music is so wild. The art performance should be much wilder than now. We need more explosion and blood!

4、Display character's name in dialogue

Player can't always remember character's name. Displaying the names in dialogue and in indoor scenes will help a lot, especially when you ask players to talk to the specific character in story mode. 

Conclusion

Great music and art. But the gameplay is not very good to me right now. Besides, there are still many bugs in EA process. It has potential to become a better game. 6.5 / 10