Genre: 2d platformer
Developer: Independent
Publisher: Independent

VVVVVV's visuals look startingly like those straight from an average-looking Megazeux game, what with an EGA or NES-style color pallette, and no attempt to hide the stages' tile-based nature. Often simplicity makes games seem more life-like because they open the imagination, but in this case, the art does not quite achieve that lofty goal; it does however lend a nice atmosphere to the game, and there is a good balance of variation and uniformity throughout the game's many areas.

Magnus Pålsson's NES-style chiptune soundtrack fits perfectly with the title's 16-color appearance. The melodies and instrumentation, which sound as if they're from the same vein as some of the Mega Man titles, are certainly catchy and melodic. They fall a bit short of being memorable outside of the game, a feat other contemporary soundtracks such as Cave Story manage to achieve. Sound effects are minimal, but are reasonably emotive and in line with the rest of the game's theming.

VVVVVV contains a wonderfully water tight, excellently designed world, navigable with help from a Metroidvania-style automap feature, that places a high importance on exploration, and seamlessly mixes together tricky, puzzle-like areas with Knytt-style, relaxed outdoor areas. All possible concepts using the game's engine are explored, and none of those concepts are overused. On the negative side, the game might have flowed better had the difficulty been toned down, and perhaps half of the almost constant deluge of checkpoints been removed.

VVVVVV has the style and level design qualities to make it a nice representation of the platforming genre. And, like all of the best examples of video games, as an entertainment and art medium, VVVVVV is the lesson on concise and focused game design to which other game makers should aspire. Despite its neat concept and super execution however, VVVVVV, for some reason, isn't as fulfilling as it should be, as if something is missing; there are other titles with much more rewarding exploration, and yet other games with more rewarding puzzles.