Wax your mustache and grab your top hat and cane, it’s goblyn stomping time. See just how many goblin cadavers you can pile up in Trever Boone’s XBox LIVE! Indie Game Goblyn Stomp.

Gameplay

Goblyn Stomp is a very simplistic mini-game like experience. The general premise is that you play a rather posh gentlemen named Mr. Chap Scaliwag tasked with stomping upon thousands of little goblyn creatures.

To accomplish this genocidal task, our hero is given a handful of abilities: Jump, Fantastic Stomp, Remote Mynes, and Cane Twirl. That’s right, you can freaking twirl your cane while obliterating hordes of goblyns. I really can’t think of anything better to be honest with you.

The game plays out on a single stretch of road. As time elapses, goblyns will invade the area in waves of ever increasing numbers. The mechanic is simple enough, get too close and the goblyns will bite you resulting in a loss of some health. After so many goblyns are smeared across the cobbled stone road, a health potion will be dropped in from the heavens to restore your hitpoints to full.

One of the most amusing aspects of the game is the way in which the final score is presented. Once you’ve been overwhelmed and chewed to pieces by countless goblyns you’ll be presented with your score while standing upon an accurately sized mountain of goblyn corpses. While it may seem small it is a very nice little touch that adds to the games charm and appeal.

For all its charm and simplicity, Goblyn Stomp does have some issues. Well to be more exact, it has one main issue, its controls. The Jump, Fantastic Stomp, and twirl abilities all work fine with their buttons on the X, B, and A buttons. However, the buttons used to drop mines and trigger them, left trigger and left bumper, are simply aggravating. I’m not really sure how this could be improved upon, but something was in need of being tweaked.

That is pretty much all there is to Goblyn Stomp, as I said it is a very simple game. Its simplicity does make it a bit difficult to justify as something one should want pay for, especially since the bulk of its experience can be had by demoing it. That said, it does possess a charm that gives it a fair degree of replay value, which is further enhanced by its inclusion of a leader board system.

Audio/Visual

The visual approach of Goblyn Stomp is what saves it from the heap. As previously mentioned it features a dashing gent named Mr. Chap Scaliwag dressed in his turn of the century, 19th century, finest complete with top hat and cane. Its cobbled stone road and old-timey colors further the industrial revolution era theme. Although, I will say the concrete side walks in the background, do seem a touch out of place.

The entire game gets into the act, from the main menu, to the final score scene. In fact, these are two of the most amusing aspects of the gamesvisuals. Now, I had already mentioned the way the score is presented with a visual representation of the masses of goblyns slaughtered, but the main menu has its own little touch. The main menu actually uses a handlebar mustache as its selection indicator. I know, I know, you’re probably saying something like “Geoff that’s really not that cool” and all I have to say in response is “shut up, it is!”

Goblyn Stomp’s music and sound fits right in with the visuals of the game, sporting a appropriate turn of the century sounding song and a squishing sound that just doesn’t get old.

Summary

Goblyn Stomp is a fairly amusing distraction, but the bulk of its experience can be garnered from playing its demo. I do however, think that if you enjoy its demo, you should probably support its developer. So in essence, the game is a definitely a “demo it” and if deem it to be worthy toss your 80 Microsoft Points in the old mans cap.