As far as I remember, this game was created on the concept of levels that fall apart as you play them (hence the name, Crumble). Combine this with the idea of using a grappling hook as your main method of traversal and it sounds like you would have something interesting. From my time with it though, I can't really tell what this game wants to be.

As it currently stands, it feels like it wants to be a goofy physics simulator while simultaneously wanting to be a precision platformer based around speed. If you have a lot of patience, a challenge like that may sound interesting. However, I feel that for the average player (or even the above-average player), the unpredictability of the physics and the grapple-tongue leads to a game that doesn't feel very satisfying to play. If you don't have a grappling point directly above you, you have no idea where your grapple will latch onto. As a result, it instantly kills your momentum in most situations. In a frenzy to save yourself, you'll begin attempting to climb the walls by swinging back and forth, only to realize this straight up doesn't work the vast majority of the time.

Aside from most of the levels being forgettable, there are genuinely some cool ideas and mechanics on display here and there. In the brief moments where you're going full speed and making split-second decisions, it feels awesome! I think with some adjustments and more focus, it could be a more enjoyable experience. For example, I feel having a grapple-assist that locks on to very specific points could go a long way.

Also, I took off half a star because while I was looking up info for this game, I couldn't help but notice the publisher seems to be obsessed with NFTs.

Reviewed on Mar 21, 2024


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