Thursday, 31 Oct 2024

IDARB Review

Other Ocean’s #IDARB, or It Draws a Red Box, is an eSports game that started as a simple tweet from developer Mike Mika seeking input from his followers. With continuous feedback from the community, it evolved into #IDARB—a game with a quirky sense of humor and an exhilarating energy.

The objective of the game is straightforward: get the ball in the goal. The points you earn depend on where you take your shots, the ball’s trajectory, and how you utilize your team members and outsmart your opponents.

As rounds progress, the game becomes chaotic, and adding more players only escalates the madness. Matches resemble a children’s soccer game, with players swarming around the ball, desperately vying for control. While teamwork and tactics can come into play with the pass button, there’s no denying the joy of hurling the ball towards your goal with reckless abandon.

Despite the mayhem, #IDARB also shows promise as a competitive game with strategic depth when facing single opponents. However, for personal enjoyment, I found the most satisfaction in the raucous atmosphere of playing alongside friends on the couch, volleying the ball while the announcer spouted references to shows like “Mr. Show” and movies like “Chinatown.”

What sets #IDARB apart is its hashtag bomb feature, which allows spectators, even those watching via live stream, to interact with the game. By tweeting specific hashtags to @idarbwire, viewers can trigger peculiar events. For example, #puketrain causes the screen to zoom in and out, while #lights darkens the arena. These hashtag bombs, akin to items in Super Smash Bros., add spontaneity and chaos to the game. Some players may prefer to disable them for fairness, but I appreciate the unpredictability they bring. I even incorporate them when playing against online opponents to inject extra craziness.

Creating your own players, teams, and soundtracks is a major draw in #IDARB. Although I’m not particularly skilled at in-game creation, I had a blast experimenting with the game’s tools. I crafted an avatar resembling myself, while other editors used the online creation tool to create their own characters. They shared their creations with me via QR codes, which I then added to my Game Informer team. I even made a rendition of the musical theme that plays before Game Informer’s Test Chamber show, which now accompanies my team’s victories.

While #IDARB offers the ability to play against AI opponents in a single-player mode, the overall experience lacks variety. Unlocking new features or achievements isn’t possible through this mode. If you’re not interested in playing with others, I cannot recommend #IDARB. Additionally, online matchmaking restricts solo players to 1v1 games unless they have someone beside them, which is a disappointing limitation.

Nonetheless, #IDARB excels as a fantastic party game, thanks to its large player count, simple yet solid mechanics, and the interactive spectating feature. It’s the ideal game to have on hand for a lively gathering, as long as you have someone nearby to join in the fun.

FAQs

  1. Can I play #IDARB alone?

    • Yes, you can play against AI opponents in single-player mode, but it lacks variety and does not offer significant rewards or achievements.
  2. Can spectators interact with the game?

    • Absolutely! Spectators can trigger unique events by tweeting specific hashtags to @idarbwire.
  3. How can I create my own players and teams?

Conclusion