The protagonist of K.O.L.M., the new experimental platformer by Armor Games' Tony (Antony Lavelle), wakes up to find that his life is in pieces. He's disorganized, his mother is ashamed of him, and it seems like the whole world is out to get him. It doesn't help that, after the events of last night, his vision is blurred and he can barely walk. The fact that he is a robot and that the mother is a sardonic computer is almost besides the point. He needs to escape. And maybe, just maybe... you'll be able to help him out.
Players might be initially thrown by how K.O.L.M. drops you into a blurry world of uncertainty, but after a couple of minutes, things will become much clearer. Using the [arrow keys] to move around, you explore the ominous facility around you, fighting enemies, unlocking doors and finding your missing parts. Finding said parts grants you new moves, including springs that allow you to jump with the [z] key, a compacter that allows you to duck with the [down] key, a plasma gun fired with the [x] key that can be used to defeat enemies and open doors, and as well as others upgrades that allow you to broaden your range. Of particular note is the jet-pack which, with a double tap of the [z] allows you to reach new heights as well as aiding you in being launched from air vents, as well as a dash function which, with a double tap of the arrow [keys] allows you to speed around the complex making longer jumps than ever before. Good luck pulling yourself together, bot!
Analysis: The Japanese have a word, Utsuge: a portmanteau which literally translates as "Melancholy Game". I bring this up because it is probably the best description one can give of K.O.L.M. It is a game of melancholy; of inadequacy; of the feelings you get when you're trying to impress someone you love and admire, but aren't sure if you'll ever succeed. These are themes rarely explored in casual games, especially platformers that star jet-packing robots. That K.O.L.M. manages to do so so well, and with a proper dose of both humor and arcadey action, is to its credit.
Gameplay-wise, K.O.L.M. falls squarely into the so-called Metroidvania genre, with all its attendant advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, non-linear exploration is always welcome, but the freedom of movement it grants can leave you directionless. Likewise, while an ongoing stream of character upgrades gives you the joy of constant progress, it can come with the needling feeling that you've overlooked important objects that you just hadn't looked in the right place for. I did find K.O.L.M. innovative in connecting this type of gameplay to the larger story themes at play. As compared to standard power-up systems that motivate the player to find upgrades in order to become ever-more powerful, here the robotic protagonist is moved by a sense of fundamental incompleteness. He must upgrade as much as he can, otherwise he will be lacking. The motif of the security cameras build on this effect... it gives you the feeling that the lil' guy is always being watched and judged by things he's not quite able to comprehend. Perhaps this is a wry commentary on the Metroidvania genre, and how games within it often seem disparaging of players who don't seek out each and every hidden secret? (For the record, the greatest reward of 100% completion here is discovering what the titular acronym stands for. You'll probably kick yourself when you find out.)
One thing about K.O.L.M. that isn't particularly innovative is it's unabashed use of the "Slightly Deranged Computer Guiding You Through A Post-Apocalyptic Test Chamber". This is a trope I'm kind of surprised we don't have a catchy genre term for yet, considering how often we're seeing it. Yeah, Portal only came out three years ago and the internet (myself included), isn't yet entirely sick of keeping on trying till we run out of cake. Still, while K.O.L.M. itself distinguishes itself from the pack by playing its overseeing robotic "Mother" for melancholy, rather than humor or terror, I wonder if the concept is beginning to be a bit of a crutch for experimental game designers.
K.O.L.M. won't be for everyone. It starts off off slow, with a crippled protagonist that can barely crawl. The initial weirdness, slightly finicky controls, and creepy music will probably turn some people away. Those who persevere, however, will find a quiet gem of an experience with a surprising amount of depth in its simple design. I expect K.O.L.M. to be a strong contender for the Best of 2010 in the Platform game category.
Walkthrough Guide
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K.O.L.M. Walkthrough
General Tips:
Death simply sends you back to the entrance you came in via.
The "Lives" counter actually counts how many lives you've used so far, i.e. how many times you've died.
Enemies do not respawn when you do, so if an enemy kills you, you won't have to deal with him again (unless you come back to the room later).
The game autosaves so you can just quit.
Walkthrough:
N.B. When just walking back through previously explored simple rooms, I may simply list the exit you need to take.
Leg Modules
Camera 41: Shuffle to the right with the arrow keys until you change screens.
Camera 40: Continue shuffling right until you reach the power-up sparkling in the centre of the room.
Optics
Camera 41: Walk right, drop down and exit by the bottom left of the screen.
Camera 39: Drop down to the very bottom of the room, and then exit by the bottom right.
Camera 0: Run straight across this room.
Camera 1: Drop down and exit via the bottom left. Watch out for the white blurs in the bottom right, as they are spikes.
Camera 2: Walk left and drop down onto the next powerup.
Leg Springs
Camera 2: Walk right dropping past the spikes out of the bottom right exit.
Camera 3: Drop down and grab the powerup in the centre of the room.
Plasma Cannon Level 1 (Blue)
Camera 3: Jump back up and exit the way you came in.
Camera 2: Jump past the spikes to exit at the top left.
Camera 4: Head straight through this room and exit on the left.
Camera 5: Jump over the gap above the spikes, then fall past them and walk out the bottom right.
Camera 6: Watch out for the robots crawling along surfaces as they will kill you in one hit. Drop down avoiding the spikes to exit via the middle left door.
Camera 7: Jump over the spikes and crawlers; fall into the middle to grab the powerup.
Compression Unit
Camera 7: Shoot out the blue forcefields to clear the way back out of this room. You can also destroy the crawling robots if they get in your way. Exit the way you came in.
Camera 6: Make your way back to the top left exit.
Camera 5: Jump back up, shoot the forcefield out and then exit by the top right.
Camera 4: Right Exit.
Camera 2: Top Right exit.
Camera 1: Top left exit.
Camera 0: Left exit.
Camera 39: Left Exit.
Camera 8: Jump up to the ledge above the door. Jump across the arrowed platforms, taking care as they are treadmills, then drop down to the left to grab the power up.
Dash Pads
Camera 8: Step onto the treadmill on the bottom and duck. You will be pushed to the only door, which you should use.
Camera 39: Right exit.
Camera 0: Right exit.
Camera 1: Bottom left exit.
Camera 2: Bottom right exit.
Camera 3: Bottom Left exit (destroying forcefield).
Camera 38: Shoot out all the forcefields to exit on the left.
Camera 6: Avoid water; it is currently deadly. Jump over the gaps to near the left edge of the screen, then drop down to just above the water. Then jump to the right, avoiding the water and crawlers to exit at the bottom right.
Camera 9: Drop down avoiding the crawlers and spikes to exit at the bottom left.
Camera 10: Walk left, ducking to avoid the shots. Jump over the turret and exit top left.
Camera 11: Drop all the way down this shaft.
Camera 13: New enemies, seekers. These fly towards you when you get too close, but die on their own if you avoid them for a few seconds. Dodge the seekers, exit bottom right.
Camera 18: New enemies, bouncers. These bounce around at random getting in your way. Shoot them. Shoot the bouncer in your way, and exit bottom left. You don't need to provoke many enemies for now.
Camera 20: Dodge the crawlers and exit bottom left.
Camera 16: New enemies: chargers. As soon as you stand in line with them they charge at you until they hit a solid object, which kills them. Either dodge them or trigger them from behind a wall if possible. Shoot the bouncer in the middle of the room from a safe vantage point. Jump carefully past the spikes and up to the left to grab the powerup.
Waterproofing
Camera 16: Dash jump over the spikes to exit by the top right.
Camera 20: Top right exit.
Camera 18: Top left exit. To avoid the enemies you can dash jump left from the tip of the mound left of the water straight out of the door.
Camera 13: Top right exit.
Camera 14: Shoot the bouncer in the middle of the screen, then exit top right.
Camera 15: Jump up and dash jump over the spikes to grab the powerup.
Slidepack
Camera 15: Bottom left exit.
Camera 14: Bottom left exit.
Camera 13: Bottom right exit.
Camera 18: Dodge the enemies around the room, and drop into the water. Navigate around to the bottom and kill the bouncer. Exit bottom left.
Camera 19: Drop down while avoiding chargers and exit bottom left.
Camera 21: Grab the powerup right in front of you.
Jetpack
Camera 21: Top Right exit.
Camera 19: Top Left exit.
Camera 18: Head over to the bottom left exit. You will need to dash jump to get up on some of the underwater ledges.
Camera 20: Bottom Right exit.
Camera 21: Crouch and slide through the tunnel to the bottom right exit.
Camera 22: Walk right and drop into the large area. The faint platforms will fade after you stand on them for a few seconds, then reappear shortly after that. Another robot similar to you will attack you. He will shoot similarly to you and run around. You need to shoot him 3 times to defeat him. Deaths will make you respawn but the enemy robot keeps the same health. He will drop a powerup.
Plasma Cannon Level 2 (Purple)
Camera 23: Double jump out of the battle area and walk around to exit bottom right.
Camera 24: Jump into the fan to get pushed up to the top left exit. Hold jump while being pushed to gain more height.
Camera 19: Jump up through this room, avoiding chargers. Double jump is very useful here to avoid enemies and shorten your path.
Camera 22: Jump up to the top left exit, avoiding the enemies.
Camera 17: Slide through the narrow tunnel and exit left.
Camera 12: Double jump up and jump into the fan. You will need to hold the jump button to gain enough height to reach the top ledges. Jump the rest of the way up and out top left.
Camera 9: Slide through the narrow tunnel and exit middle left.
Camera 6: Dashing and double jump can save you a lot of time while backtracking. Exit top right.
Camera 38: Exit right.
Camera 3: Exit top left.
Camera 2: Exit top right.
Camera 1: Jump up using the jetpack to reach the powerup in the top of the room.
Hydravitor
Camera 1: Exit bottom right.
Camera 2: Exit bottom right.
Camera 3: Exit bottom left.
Camera 38: Exit left.
Camera 6: Exit bottom left.
Camera 7: Exit left.
Camera 25: Avoid the bouncer and jump up to just below the narrow tunnel. Wait for the cannon to fire, then slide through as quickly as possible. Avoid the rest of the cannons and exit top left.
Camera 26: Dodge the chargers and cannons and exit at the top left.
Camera 27: Avoid the many enemies in this room and jump over the tunnel with forcefields at either end. Exit left.
Camera 28: Drop down, avoiding the chargers, then the cannon fire. Exit bottom right.
Camera 31: Jump through the enemies (or persist until they've all died) and grab the powerup.
Jetpack upgrade: Triple Jump
Camera 31: Exit top left.
Camera 28: Exit top right.
Camera 27: Exit right.
Camera 26: Avoid the chargers and dash against the conveyors to get back over to the right. Drop down and exit bottom left, avoiding cannon fire.
Camera 29: Drop down through this room, walking and dashing against the conveyors to avoid falling into the spikes. Exit bottom left.
Camera 30: Slide straight through the tunnel and exit left.
Camera 31: Drop down, avoiding the chargers and bouncers. Swim all the way down to the bottom right exit.
Camera 32: Avoid the swarms of bouncers and make your way around to the exit bottom right.
Camera 33: Ride the fan up to the top and drop into another robot fight. Again, hit him 3 times to defeat him. Grab the powerup he drops.
Plasma Cannon Level 3
Camera 33: Triple jump up and drop into the next battle. This time you will have to dash against the conveyors in order to move around. Get 3 hits in and then pick up the powerup.
Hypershield
Camera 33: Destroy the yellow force field, then drop down for the last battle in the room. Only 2 hits this time. He may start firing before you enter the arena and will hit you if you enter too slowly. Grab the last powerup.
Endgame
Camera 33: Crawl through the narrow tunnel and fall onto the now harmless spikes. Exit right.
Camera 34: Drop through this room, ignoring the enemies. Exit bottom left.
Camera 42: If you grab the powerup in this room, the final sequence will start and the game will end. However loading after this will bring you back to this room before the sequence happens. This is the best time to go secret hunting as you now have everything. Shoot out the yellow forcefields and jump up to grab the powerup. A countdown will start, and you need to escape. It's not very tight, and if you fail you either respawn outside this room or nothing happens and you continue escaping. This seems to be a bug. The escape is trivial as you can now jump very high and cannot take damage. Dashing frequently helps with the time limit. I will list the shortest route out: Please see the spoiler.
Camera 42: Exit bottom left.
Camera 35: Exit left.
Camera 36: Exit top right.
Camera 37: Exit top right.
Camera 31: Exit top right.
Camera 30: Exit right.
Camera 29: Exit right.
Camera 26: Exit right.
Camera 25: Exit right.
Camera 7: Exit bottom right.
Camera 6: Exit top right.
Camera 38: Exit right.
Camera 3: Exit top left.
Camera 2: Exit Top right.
Camera 1: Exit Top left.
Camera 0: Exit left.
Camera 39: Exit top left.
Camera 40: Exit left.
Camera 41: Exit left.
Optional/Secret Items:
N Plate: No powerups required other than access to Camera 10. Bottom right of room.
O Plate: No powerups required other than access to Camera 13. Bottom right of room, under a block; you can pick it up just by walking next to it.
F Plate: No powerups required other than access to Camera 16. Bottom of room. Trigger and dodge the chargers, then grab from near where they started.
D Plate: Jetpack required. Camera 12, ride the fan up and drop onto the ledge on the left about halfway up the shaft.
D Plate: Jetpack and Slidepack required. Camera 38, jump up on the left side and slide through the narrow tunnel to the middle alcove.
O Plate: No powerups required other than access to Camera 34. Very top of the room, just above the cannon fire.
I Plate: Jetpack upgrade required. Camera 36, top left of room. Triple jump up the narrow column to grab it.
R Plate: Jetpack upgrade required. Camera 32, left side of room, lower floor. Jump up through the narrow column and land on the temporary block. Jump again to the very top to grab it.
T Plate: No powerups required other than access to Camera 30. Jump up to the top middle of the room, avoiding cannon fire and seekers. The powerup is directly above the middle platform.
M Plate: No powerups required other than access to Camera 26. Powerup is located in the small alcove between the seekers, under the conveyor.
K Plate: Plasma Cannon Level 2 (Purple) required. Start in Camera 7, make your way up to the top left exit, shoot out the purple forcefield and exit to Camera 6. Item is then directly in front of you.
T Plate: Dash and slide pack required. In Camera 7, dash jump over the spikes near the bottom to land on the small ledge. Slide through the narrow tunnel, then jump up to the small alcove where the item is located.
S Plate: Jetpack and slidepack required. In Camera 4, Double jump up to the high ledge, then slide through the tunnel to the item.
I Plate: Jetpack and dash required. In Camera 0, starting on the left ledge, dash double jump across to the opposite side of the room. The powerup is on the ledge here.
'' Plate: Double jump required. In camera 40, jump up to the ledge, then drop onto the powerup floating just above the spikes. You will die unless you have invincibility.
L Plate: Jetpack and Hydravitor required. In Camera 18, drop into the water and move to the right. Double jump up to grab the powerup just out of the water in the right alcove. Easier with triple jump.
E Plate: Slidepack required. In Camera 24, slide down the narrow tunnel in the bottom right corner.
K Plate: No powerups required other than access to Camera 22. Directly opposite the top left door, past some chargers.
I Plate: Triple jump required. In Camera 20, triple jump up into the cave with 2 seekers in it. The powerup is in the centre.
E Plate: Triple jump required. In Camera 28, triple jump up the small chimney in the top left of the room.
Thanks to Max for the walkthrough!
Posted by: Mike
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November 30, 2010 4:16 PM