Hoi AGA Remix (Second Review)

Title           Hoi AGA Remix (Second Review)
                (Available on Aminet game/jump/hoiagaremix.lha)
Game Type	Platform
Players		1
Compatibility	All Amigas
Company		Team Hoi
HD Installable  No
Submission      Seppo Typpö (groucho@pp.inet.fi) Profiled Reviewer

Review
I somehow managed to ignore this game for years, despite the fact that it
was released free through Aminet. Then the game was given the Amiga
Rediscovery treatment (a regular thread in the  comp.sys.amiga.games
newsgroup which deals with selected Amiga game demos and lately, also full
releases). I suggest you use Dejanews or similar and check the thread, as
there is lots of interesting information concerning this game and its
developers, Team Hoi.

So there I was, loading the game on my A1200 (I had to disable the 060
card to get it running at full speed). Hoi AGA Remix starts with a special
'start menu' which allows players to choose how many lifes they have and
also start the game from any of the five levels.

"What, five levels only?!" you say. While it seems like a small amount,
each level is huge and very challenging - meaning it will take quite a
long time even for an experienced player to finish all the levels. Thanks
to the start menu the player can tackle each level separately and practise
them before trying to finish them in one go.

The plot of the game is simple - the player has to guide the main figure
Hoi - a little green dinosaur-like entity through the level to find a
mate. The simple plot is just a vehicle for good old-fashioned platform
fun - but it does provide a purpose for the player to complete the game.
Each of the levels offers a different kind of challenge - there's a
shoot'em up level, a race against time and underwater activity amongst the
more standard platform action. Devious puzzles complement the daring
acrobatics which means the player has to have not only good joystick
coordination but also some puzzle-solving abilities.

What sets Hoi AGA Remix above most of its competitors? The playability is
top notch stuff - the main figure responds accurately to joystick
movements and the pixel perfect collision detection allows some amazing
stunts. Each level is extremely well designed with lots of variation and
original ideas. The difficulty level (which seems impossibly high at
first) is usually well balanced - there are points where the player can
lose a life a bit too easily but luckily those are few and far between.
Hoi AGA Remix rewards the patient player - there are usually enough hints
for the puzzles and with little thought it is possible to make steady
progress through the game. While each level is huge, there are lots of
restarting points in each level which prevent the frustration of covering
the same old ground too many times.

Presentation of the game is quite excellent, too. The graphics are crisp
and colourful and the music is jolly. The animation and scrolling are well
done and the game runs flawlessly and fast. Special mention should go to
the final level which is in one word, breathtaking. Be warned though, it
uses lots of strobe effects - I advice you not to play this level if
flashing lights make you feel sick or if you have epilepsy as this level
could probably trigger a seizure.

Having said that, there's little I can fault in Hoi AGA Remix. It has
plenty of nice touches and unique game features which really reflect the
love and dedication of Team Hoi in the game's development. Granted it
can be quite unforgiving from time to time and some players might find the
gameplay a bit too difficult. But that is part of the charm this game has
- even the most difficult parts of the game can be tackled if the player
is persistent enough - and the feeling of satisfaction once solving a
particularly tricky point in this game is enormous. Hoi AGA Remix is one
of the best platformers for the Amiga, and since it is freely downloadable
from Aminet, it cannot be recommended highly enough.

Alphabetical list.