Bizarre but compelling 3D experience
It might look crude and dated now, and is certainly fairly bizarre, but Continuum is a bold and ambitious mix of 3D platforming and exploration that was way ahead of its time. It's certainly not a game for everyone but if you can attune yourself to its hypnotic and rather abstract nature then it should provide you with a compelling gaming experience. The essence of the game is very simple. Players move their little craft around a series of 3D environments, moving them onto platforms which act like trampolines and searching for 16 crystals and 16 cubes. There are also enemies and other surprises, like areas with reversed gravity, just waiting to catch you out. The game offers two modes, with the basic gameplay being the same in both but with a few subtle differences. In 'Action' mode, you are up against a time limit and there is no overall goal other than to survive for as long as possible, with time bonuses awarded for collecting crystals and entering new rooms. 'Emotion' mode dispenses with the time limit and is more about exploration than anything else. Continuum is presented in a rather 'New Age' fashion, which may put off some players but if you can get past this then there is an intriguing game to be discovered here. The visuals were ground-breaking for their time, with full 3D environments that can be explored freely, but now look rather simple and dated unfortunately. The gameplay itself though is strangely addictive and fascinating, with the action mode providing plenty of tension and pressure through its time limit and the emotion mode proving enjoyable for the sheer joy of exploration. Continuum is not a conventional 3D platformer in any sense, like Super Mario 64 or the like but if you want something original and unusual, then check this out.
