UPDATE: Test Subject Green was "beaten" by Change Type as the best platform game I have ever played, but I leave the original version of the present post unchanged.
Test Subject Green is the best platform game I have ever played. It’s a free online flash game that is very enjoyable on several different layers.
https://www.kongregate.com/games/nitrome/test-subject-green
1. Great puzzles.
Many puzzles are based on using numerous portals in order to achieve your goal. The goal is actually separated into two stages – first, you have to get to a key-card and then you have to get to the “exit”. Some portals can be even moving themselves, which adds a new dimension to the puzzles.
2. Good timing.
Some puzzles require good timing of your actions, which is very much to my liking. Fortunately there is always some time for error and this is why I wrote “good timing” instead of “perfect timing”. Some portals and/or “stairs” can be switched on and off (by shooting at the switch with your gun), but you have to usually time your jumps/movements with the hit on the switch. Cool!
3. Cool “character”.
You are a tiny lab experiment enzyme (named Blue) that is injected into a proto-suit at the start of every level. You can actually see a person (who is very big when compared to you) watching you from the outside of the test chamber. Watching and making notes about your actions. The “exit” at the end of every level is actually a food pill. The key-card unlocks the pill capsule.
4. Self-conceited evil character.
There is actually a plot in this game! In the beginning you are being tested by an old professor, but after several levels you get kidnapped by an evil character who is self-conceited. Some of his notes were quite hilarious to me:
Well, the game developers themselves can be very proud of their ideas used in this great game and I suspect that they put such remarks into the notes of the evil character on purpose, not to be accused of bragging themselves. Cool idea on its own.
5. Good gameplay mechanics.
As any platform game Test Subject Green requires lots of jumping. Fortunately the jumping is not too hard, but not too easy either. Interestingly, you can’t move while crouching, which is quite logical – movements in any proto-suit should be somewhat limited by definition.
6. A little bit of fighting.
There are some enemies in this game, but their numbers and abilities are not overwhelming, so the fighting is only an addition, not the main part of the gameplay. However, there is one kind of enemy that is very cool – “mimic” does everything you do after it detects you, but it never stands still. You can't kill it “upfront”, but you can do it while it is changing or while it is in the air (while it is falling or jumping). Well, “mimic” actually stands still while it is shooting (mimicing your own shooting). This is also an easy way to make “mimic” turn his back to you (you can kill it then too) because it shoots in the same direction as you did a moment before.
7. Respawn points.
You can die as many times as you need to beat a level. You respawn either at the starting point or at the respawn point (after reaching it first). More importantly when you die the enemies don’t respawn with you. It makes the fighting even easier and/or less tedious. Well, some enemies do respawn, even when you don’t die yourself, but it is happens rarely and it never gets tedious.
8. You can kill yourself.
The first time I killed myself was a mix of surprise and appreciation to the game developers. “Obvious twist” that I was not prepared for.
9. Mirrors reflect also your shots.
Well, this is a tip to you. I got stuck on the level 8 jest because I didn’t know about it. This gameplay mechanics was used in the first game in this series (Test Subject Blue), but I hadn’t played that game before playing Test Subject Green.
https://www.kongregate.com/games/nitrome/test-subject-blue
10. Decisiveness and courage are the key.
Another tip to you. I got stuck on the level 9 jest because I was afraid of the guns at the ceiling. In reality you can run past them if you are quick enough. You have to be very quick also at the end of the level 15.
11. Some guns are destructible.
Another tip to you. I got stuck on the level 26 just because I didn’t know that I can destroy guns at the ceiling. Again, this gameplay mechanics was used in the first game in this series (Test Subject Blue), but I hadn’t played that game before playing Test Subject Green. On the level 9 it was also possible to destroy the guns (after running past them), but not really necessary. On the level 26 it is a must.
Test Subject Green is perfect to me – a cool game with lots of interesting puzzles based mainly on portals and without any annoying enemies. The first game in this series (Test Subject Blue) is very good too, but it is Test Subject Green that is the best platform game I have ever played.
PS. There is also the third game in this series (Test Subject Complete), but it was spoiled by the following things (at least to me):
1. “Improved” plot – after several levels you start operating outside the test chambers and the respawn points stop making any sense.
2. “Moving” screen – I prefer to see the whole level at once, like in the first two games.
3. “Homing” laser – it sucked the fun out of the game for good. I beat first two levels with this “enemy” (19 and 20) and I stopped playing this game at level 21.
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