Amber feels basic and almost like shovelware at times due to the lacklustre controls and the visuals feeling lacking even for a throwback title. The thing is, it is clear that developer Gouache Airship really did try something with this game and put the effort in, but things just did not come together. The controls feel so awkward and frustrating, and the camera feels like it is fighting with you at all times.
The platforming is difficult because of the aforementioned issues, and there are major issues with collision detection that cause no end of problems. This is disappointing because the game has some truly interesting and creative worlds to explore, but when the game is fighting you rather than letting you play, you tend to want to stop. I tried to find other ways to enjoy the game but these issues kept popping up and made me throw my hands up in frustration.
There is some good music in the game, and there are sections where the visuals actually do look fine, and this just makes it more disappointing that the game is not up to par. I love indie platformers, and indie 3D platformers influenced by the early 3D era can be a good thing, if the developers learned from what did not work and added in elements to help the game stand out. Amber doesn’t do that though, and chill music is not enough to save this title in the end.
Ultimately I cannot recommend Amber at all, especially considering the price the publisher is asking. This just doesn’t feel like a good game and needs a lot more work to make it better. If the controls weren’t a problem and the camera wasn’t constantly fighting you, then the other issues could be overlooked perhaps. But as it stands, this is a game that has too many issues keeping it from being worthwhile and instead encouraging you to just pass on over it for something better. That sucks to say, but it is what it is in the end.
Why even bother reviewing a beginners attempt on 3D platforming when there are so many better games which still need a review that helps them standing out from the masses of mediocre or bad games?