Level Devil NOT A Troll Full Review: Story, Game play, Graphics & More
When I downloaded the game Level Devil – NOT A Troll, I was sure that it would once again be a run-of-the-mill platformer game where the goal would simply be jumping over obstacles and reaching the end of each level. With such a promising appearance, it sounded like something to play for just a couple of minutes.
That lasted for around five minutes or so.
But then Level Devil showed me that looks can be deceiving. As soon as I thought that I had understood a particular level, the ground under my feet would vanish and spike traps would come out of thin air. There would always be something waiting for me which surprised me and made me frustrated enough to press retry instantly.
This is how Level Devil makes me play on and on, despite having failed at a certain level numerous times.
Here is my hands-on review of the mobile version of the game.
What is Level Devil NOT A Troll?
Level Devil NOT A Troll is a puzzle-platformer game that twists all of your expectations around.
This game doesn't just challenge your jumping skills, but constantly changes all the rules of the game.
Floors fall apart, spikes change their location, doors are moving somewhere, and safe passages become instant death spots.
Contrary to most games which make you use only your reflexes to play, this one focuses on confusing the player.
In this game, each level turns out to be a small puzzle and learning from mistakes is a part of the game.
Story
If you think about story, characters and cutscenes here, you are wrong.
The story in this game can be called your personal experience.
Each level is an attempt by the game to shake your confidence.
You think:
"This jump looks easy."
Trickery awaits you.
Then you become even more careful.
But nothing happens.
Next level?
You get caught off guard once again.
Almost as if the game has its own personality, which gets pleasure watching you panic.
How weird
First Impressions
The game loads swiftly and does not demand a fancy smartphone.
In order to test the game, I played it on a mobile phone with average capabilities and the process was incredibly fast.
The menu is minimalistic.
Nothing to confuse the player.
There is nothing complicated about it.
Tap Play and start playing.
During the first ten minutes of playing I understood that this would be not an easy platform game for relaxing.
Patience would be put to test.
Game play
In terms of game play Level Devil offers the best it has.
Controls are incredibly simple:
Go left
Go right
Jump
That is all.
Challenge does not lie in complicated controls.
Challenge lies in the numerous traps that one should avoid inside each level.
For instance:
Sometimes there is nothing suspicious in the level until you jump and
Suddenly:
Ground vanishes
Wall moves
Spikes appear from the floor
Exit changes its position
Each mistake brings knowledge.
And in contrast to unfair games, almost all traps can be avoided after the first time of seeing them.
Difficulty
This game is not to be underestimated.
It begins easy, but it gets unexpectedly difficult.
It took me just twenty seconds in some cases.
But other levels took me twenty tries or even more.
Once I kept failing the same jump repeatedly due to my unwarranted trust in the ground.
However, after learning from my mistakes, I realized that:
Never trust anything.
This advice sounds ridiculous, but it's precisely the main thing you learn in this game.
Controls
Touch based controls work nicely.
There were no perceptible input lags on my part.
The jump button works instantly, and it's crucial for a platformer.
Occasionally, my own timing was the issue rather than the controls themselves.
It's a good sign since it means the game is mostly fair.
If you have ever played Geometry Dash or Super Meat Boy, you'll get used to the controls easily, yet this game has more surprises than speed.
Graphics
Level Devil doesn't aim to be comparable to AAA mobile games.
On the contrary, the game features simple-looking cartoonish pixel art.
At the first sight, the graphics seem rather basic.
However, having spent some time playing, I realized that the simplicity of the graphics works well for the game play.
Since there are no unnecessary effects all around, it's easier to pay attention to the platforms, traps, and moving objects.
The animations are smooth.
The characters are easily recognizable.
Levels are clearly visible even on small phone screens.
Sound and Music Effects
The music is in the background and never distracts from the game play.
The sound effects are used much more effectively.
All the traps feature satisfactory audio feedback.
If there appears a hidden spike, the sound effect makes this surprise even funnier.
In fact, I have chuckled a couple of times because of the perfect timing of the sound effect and animation.
Playing with headphones gives a better experience.
Mobile Performance
I've tested the game during extended periods of playtime.
It has maintained high performance levels throughout my testing.
Here's what I've noticed about the game:
Quick load times
Consistent frame rate
No overheating problems
Low energy consumption when compared to other modern titles
Even after one hour of continuous game play, the game remains responsive.
This allows me to recommend the game both for shorter sessions and for extended gaming marathons.
What Is Unique About Level Devil?
There are many challenging platformer that require quick jumps or impossible timing.
Level Devil does things differently.
It confuses your brain.
Not "can you jump?"
But "can you stop thinking that the level is going to be normal?"
This simple trick makes all the difference.
Positive Aspects of the Game
Here are some of my favorite aspects of the game.
Surprises at Every Step
There are no levels that would feel completely predictable.
Even after multiple levels, the developers keep coming up with cool innovations.
Easy Control
Anybody can learn the control within one minute.
Thinking, rather than memorizing button combinations, is the challenge.
Fast Restart Mechanism
Failure does not feel frustrating because the player can start again almost instantly.
This inspires experimentation.
Compact Size
The game does not need a lot of storage space.
It is easy to install the game on any Android device.
High Replayability
Watching your friends play can be as interesting as playing the game yourself.
Different players fall for various tricks.
Dislikes about the Game
There are no perfect games.
Here are some minor problems that I noticed.
Random Traps
Sometimes a surprise feels completely random.
Luckily, this happens rarely.
Can Be Frustrating Sometimes
For players who are already frustrated or tired, repeating difficult levels can be irritating.
Taking breaks helped me play better.
Lack of Narrative
Players who want story and character development can find this game too simple.
Clearly, the game play is the priority here.
Tips For New Players
If you're new, here are some tips that will save you lots of frustration.
1. Be Patient
Lots of deaths occur when players think the obvious way is safe.
Take your time.
2. Assume Everything Will Try To Kill You
Sounds silly but it's true.
Treat everything suspiciously until proven safe.
3. Learn From Every Death
Instead of getting angry, ask yourself:
"Is there something I should have seen coming?"
Most often, there is.
4. Look At Moving Objects
Some objects only become traps when you get close enough.
Watch out for everything.
5. Take Breaks
I had difficulty completing one level and took a break for fifteen minutes.
Upon returning, I completed it in my second try.
Fresh eyes make all the difference.
Mistakes Made By Players
Here are the mistakes that I made personally in my early hours.
Jumping too early.
Running without checking what's ahead.
Thinking that previous levels worked by the same logic.
Not taking into account the moving objects.
Getting frustrated with repeated deaths.
The main lesson?
Patience completes more levels than quick reflexes.
Who Is the Ideal Player for This Game?
If you want to be happy playing this game, you will like:
Platformers
Puzzles
T&E
Funny tricks
Short gameplays
But if you do not enjoy failing and would rather have a storyline, you won’t like it.
Should You Spend Your Time on It?
In my opinion, having played this game for some time, I can surely state that it is worth playing.
First of all, Level Devil is not trying to impress its gamers with its realism of graphic and storyline.
Level Devil wins thanks to its cleverness.
Each level is like a joke for which you are one of the participants.
At times, you are happy and pleased about completing a particular level.
At times, you are mad with yourself and disappointed about failing once more.
Most of the time, you are happy and mad with yourself simultaneously.
This is something unusual about mobile games.
And even though I have failed thousands of times, I still wanted to play again just to see another crazy trick on the next level.
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