by Benjamin Kurose

Created on: May 19, 2008   Last Updated: August 08, 2011

Skin and Bones: (2/5) A Poor Children's Video Game

At first glance, this game seems to a very classic style game with a bit of a twist. The sounds are amusing, the graphics novel, but the game lacks diversity. Every single level is you and your little zombie/skeleton friends collecting cliquey little crystals in every level. Always killing monsters with the skeleton (aka BONES) and then collecting with the human (aka SKIN). No level editor, no attacks or power-ups, just moving and jumping.

The game is clearly designed for children but does lack some features that would appeals to them. The flashy lights and the cha-ching sounds are novel, but if you are going to spend the $19.95 on this for your kid, you want to make sure it's going to amuse them for more than a few minutes. A 2-D world is great but a 3-D, interactive world could be bought for the same money.

Another drawback is that there are only four controls. Left. Right. Jump (ctrl). And Switch Character (space). As endlessly amusing as it is to basically just jump everywhere, for a game that you are paying for it should have more controls than some free 12-bit adobe flash game made by some kid in his basement. Children these days have gaming coordination skills never before seen in generations past. Give them some simulation.

The only real benefit to his game is that it is appropriate for very young kids. If you happen to be one of those parents who monitor their child's gaming very closely (as you well should) then this is great for age three to about age six or seven. And even then they'll probably be amused enough with the demo version. So my advise; so my advise download the demo, play it and be amused by its novelty, then when it expires or when you go as far as you can go, let it go.

Overall, the game gets a 2 out of a possible 5 because it just lacks the elements that make a good game; diversity, an original concept, and quality. The game just does not have the elements that a good game has and the cost of buying the game is an even bigger deterrent. The demo version that can be found at the creator's website was more than enough Skin and Bones for a lifetime.

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