Nsala Sunset

Nsala Sunset is a puzzle game created by RedMask for RPG Maker XP. Nsala Sunset is a pretty original game with a lot of interesting ideas. Unfortunately this game has poorly executed game play. This is due some inherent design flaws that will do everything they can to make you rage quit this game. It's very rare I give a game a second chance, but I played this game from the start twice. On my first attempt I tried "Normal" mode, which was a huge mistake. I then remembered that there was an "Easy" mode, which I would recommend.



Graphics & Sound:

This game showcases some amazing visuals, which are also unique at the same time. The visuals give a tribal African feel to them that feels new and fresh. Added to this is an interestingly designed mapping system where it feels like you're moving in a 3-D environment (sort of.) The sounds are certainly fitting to the surroundings and feel of the game. Everything from the drum beats to the musical rhythm will give you the feel of tribal African life.



Game Play:

I would categorize the game play into 2 parts. The first part is in the open world. This is where you interact with characters and solve some puzzles using an assortment of spells. The second part is where you enter a "Trance" mode. Here you need to cure sick people of diseases by eliminating all traces of the infection. Each trance state is filled with colored balls. In order to destroy one of these balls you need to turn to a specific color. If you turn the wrong color you will lose HP.



What's the problem? Well there's several things wrong with the design of these levels. I think the first problem is having both a HP meter and a Time meter. If either one is depleted it's game over. To try to keep your HP intact you need to move around carefully and turn to the right color at the right time. But you can't be too careful! If you try too hard to be careful your time will run out. And even in the first couple levels you're guaranteed to see the game over screen because it's too hard to manage both meters. The second problem is that nothing is introduced. In the early puzzles there needs to be something that tells you what to do and how objects in the puzzle work. And that leads us to the third problem. The puzzles introduce too many elements too quickly. You never feel like you have mastered one element of the game play before several more are thrown at you. There's no sense of progression. Things are thrown at you and you're expected to overcome them. (ie. Second Level: normal colored balls, a green ball, colored floors, moving traps, HP Meter, Time Meter, and oh yeah you can cast spells too.)

Overall:

This is one of those games that has potential, but in the end fails because of poor execution. It looks nice, it sounds good, and the ideas seem strong. But at the end of the day you will ask yourself: Did I have fun playing this? And if you saw the game over screen as many times as I did then the answer is no (and this is on easy mode.) I give this game a 2 / 5.