Games worth discovering

Can a Humble Frog with No Name Stop Time from Collapsing? - Froglike: The Frog Roguelike Review

3K View2022-08-09

Froglike: The Frog Roguelike is a mish-mash of the 1981 arcade classic, Frogger, with a fast-paced action roguelike. There are elements of several different games here, really, (one certainly being Katamari Damacy which the developers, Jimjum Studios, “borrow” both narrative and overall aesthetic components from) and they fit together well enough to make a cute, little game that’s entertaining in small doses…but nowhere near as engaging as its arcade great-great granddad.

In this experience, you’re in control of, you guessed it, a frog – swipe in a direction (up, down, left, and right) on the screen and your frog will hop in that direction. You need to guide said frog across lily pads and floating logs while avoiding flies, sprites, and other nasties that are trying to impede your progress. The main goal here is to sit on the big lily pad (aka, The Lily of Time in this game’s universe) that you’re trying to charge then plant your amphibian butt on it for as long as possible which scores you points. Just so you know, this frog can’t swim for some odd reason, so jumping into the water isn’t a good idea, and the enemies won’t kill you outright, but they will ram into you and that will send you down to a watery grave if you’re caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

There are power-ups (i.e., shields, life rafts, etc.) scattered around the levels, and you’ll unlock more as you play. These can stop time, speed it up, or give you armor to protect you from attacks. Arrows flash on the sides of the screen when an enemy is about to zip past, so you’re constantly looking to see where the next dangerous fly-by is coming from. Complete a level and you’ll get a moment of rest and a free power-up then it’s back into the fray, trying your level best to outdo your last score.

Playing Froglike feels quite natural on a touchscreen and is in portrait mode, making it a perfect one-handed game. The game itself is free...BUT…there are opt-in ads for everything. You can revive if you watch an ad, double your score if you watch an ad, and earn more crowns by watching an ad. The crowns are used to unlock new and improved frogs. I’ve never been a fan of these kinds of “baiting” tactics in games so, in my mind, this drags the overall experience down a notch or two.

And while the action can be fast and furious at times, there really isn’t much complexity to be found in Froglike. After you’ve played it for an hour or so, you know what rather familiar tricks this game has up its sleeves. In small doses it can be fun, but it isn’t the sort of game that’s going to steal massive chunks of your life and you’ll be thinking about morning, noon, and night.

Regardless, Froglike is a decent upgrade over the majority of the hyper-casual pabulum that clogs the Android and iOS digital storefronts these days and it is worth checking out – just don’t expect it to get in your head the way the best roguelikes often do.

SCORE: 3 STARS OUT OF 5

PLAY IF YOU LIKE:

• Katamari Damacy. Play Froglike if you also desire the Prince of the Universe to roll you up in a big ol’ ball with houses…and cows…and trucks while the catchiest, most hummable tunes play in the background.

• Frogger. Froglike may not be as memorable and/or fun as the Konami arcade classic, but it definitely plays like it the best of ways.

💬 Have you played Froglike? Let us know what you think of it in the comments! Even if you haven't played it, leave a comment sharing your thoughts on roguelikes and/or classic arcade games!

CHECK OUT SOME OTHER RECENT REVIEWS FROM TAPTAP: