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Exposing The Unknown vs. Uncommon
Exposing The Unknown These graphics just </i>scream<i> ripped.
TwinHamster
Download: 1.16 MB
V.S.
Uncommon
Play Time: 0 hours and 50 minutes
Review # 11 for Uncommon These graphics just scream ripped.
Them's Fightin' Words
    Exposing the Unknown, the self-styled "inaccurately named game". Ripped graphics, stolen gimmick, poor humor. What more could you ask for?
Graphics
    Ripped. I suspect that much of it, especially the walkabouts, was stolen from RPG Maker 2000. With the tiles, it is harder to say. Some of them look like they were taken from various Final Fantasies, others might've been from various other places, but the point is that they were all ripped, and terribly so at that.

There were enemy graphics from various places besides the pixelating hands of TwinHamster, and some very familiar looking attack graphics, as well. The various graphics for the main villain, however, as least looked original, but I hold it suspect, looking at the track record throughout the rest of the game. The golems were the ugliest, as they looked like big piles of brown pixels with a very vague form (bad importing, I'm guessing).
 
Storyline
    At first, we start with an incompetent photographer named Den. Den, like everyone else in this game, is a total idiot in the unfunniest manner. He's ordered to go spy on the mines to the south, where a bunch of golems have decided to go mad and kill people. Den goes to the mines, and, in a very confusing and buggy npc sequence, meets a knight named Ronin. They go on to beat the master golem, and find out about some "souless" thing.

More about some "souless" thing, they save the king and have to go to another world (through MIB (what?) headquarters). Den, a civilian peasant, has to be trained for the journey, which takes five years, except that he suddenly gets amnesia and it takes five years longer. This is a point that many npcs seem to miss, as most of them, including Ronin, think it's only five years later.

Anyway, more about this "souless" thing (it might've been important, but very inadequately explained), and Den blows himself up. You then start with a new hero in a completely different story that is explained even more inadequately and seems to end, as you can't really go anywhere else.

So, poor humor, gaping holes in the plot, lacking characterization, and general not-fun are the main ingredients of this story.
 
Gameplay
    There was very little gameplay outside of the battles. Oh, and the CTRL key is never a good idea for a run key.  
  Battle
    If the battles weren't so ugly and overhard, they might've been more interesting. Den is a photographer, and, with his normal attack, takes pictures (damaging with the flash) of his enemies (a gimmick that was probably taken from Beyond Good and Evil). If they're "worth it" (many enemies that should have been weren't), then he'll get a picture which he can sell to his boss, but there were really only two enemies in the game that were "worth it", and they were both bosses. It is a rather interesting gimmick, until you figure out how it's done. At that point it's a little less impressive, but still a nice use of the Steal function.

Most of the battles are overhard, as, at the beginning, it will be just Den against 4 or so strong enemies. This will usually end in your death, unless you have about 100 Burgers (potions), and happen to be very good at what you're doing.
 
  Map Design
    Bland, normal design, with ugly ripped tiles. A lot of the wallmapping was off, too, or just missing. On World E, for instance, you can make Jesus-Den, walking on the water! Badly linked doors keep you from going back many times, and there are points that you can't progress without using the F11 key.  
  Balance
    The battles were a little too hard, the story was uninteresting, and it generally didn't keep my interest too well. Playtesting is always a good idea.  
Music
    I still don't have a sound card, so I still can't hear it.  
Enjoyment
    Well, a few interesting battles, but the story really brought it down. I'd say that it was a generally lackluster experience.  
Final Blows
    It really isn't worth it. If you want to play it anyway, I can't really stop you, but I wouldn't suggest it. Before it gets a new release, I'd suggest totally rewriting it, and making original graphics. Maybe make the battles a little easier, too.
Captain Jack's a nice guy, but a little slow.  Ten years and he still says the same thing.

Captain Jack's a nice guy, but a little slow. Ten years and he still says the same thing.
Final Scores
Graphics: 1/10.0
We don't look happily upon graphics-ripping.
Storyline: 1.5/10.0
This thing was bad. Seriously.
Gameplay: 5/10.0
Half-interesting, at least but it really doesn't have anything revolutionary or spectacular that screams "YOU MUST PLAY THIS GAME."
Music: 5/10.0
Can't hear it, sorry.
Enjoyment: 4/10.0
It needs a good deal of work to make it a winner, but it's not a complete loser, at least.
Overall Grade: D+
Final Thoughts
    This game needs help. That's the best way of saying it.  


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