Do Not Fall
PSN Download
Rating: E
Developer: XPEC Entertainment
Publisher: Playstation Network
Release Date: July 23, 2013

Fun for the whole family. That’s what I saw when I first downloaded Do Not Fall last week. It’s rated E for Everyone so I went in expecting a pretty mild time. Not the hair-pulling, controller-throwing fit that I now associate with the game. No, seriously. It makes Candy Crush seem like a relaxing walk on the beach.

You start the game in a very basic, cartoon-ish screen that makes you think about kittens, flowers and unicorns. It seems like this will be a great way to unwind after getting worked up on whichever Call Of Duty you happen to be playing this week. Everything is easy to understand, controls are quite simple at the beginning…basically just running and jumping. The goal on this platformer is to collect ingredients to make drinks (you are trapped in a vending machine, more on that later), all the while avoiding a misstep and falling off the walkways. A little twist here: the floors disappear after you walk on them. Well, more of a slow fade away, though they do reappear a few seconds later. This is all well and good on the first level. Easy peasy.

Now these items you have to collect for the special drinks are often located behind gates. Gates that need keys. Keys that are in strange, extremely uncomfortable places (not like the back of a Volkswagen). More and more obstacles are introduced until it feels like there’s almost no room for you on these disappearing tiles. As you progress, and after gaining these ingredients, you are rewarded upon completion of each level with a letter grade. Trust me here, it’s going to tick you off when you don’t get an A. Add in a few combo moves needed to reach those out of the way tiles and you find yourself sitting on the edge of the chair as you, time after time, overshoot from one spot to the next. Aaargghh!!!

The developer that brought this to life is XPEC Entertainment, known for their work on Kung Fu Panda and Shrek games, though they have also had a hand in Call Of Duty, Uncharted, Tomb Raider, and more recently The Last Of Us. This company, based in Taiwan, has given the world one of the most nerve wracking games I have ever played.

Even though the main character is a cute little bunny, don’t let it fool you into thinking it’s simple. I’m a bit confused as to why there is not just a rabbit but an entire ecosystem inside of a drink vending machine, but hey…who am I to judge? It’s a pretty interesting concept and after throwing a controller down in disgust (aimed at myself for not making a jump for the four billionth time) I have taken a more zen perspective that perhaps this isn’t the game for me.

In summation, I was a nervous wreck after an hour, probably pretty wild-eyed after two but I know I was a basket case after three. My nerves were shot. I mean, completely gone. I still have a little twinge in my back from being hunched over and tense for so long. I got stuck on one level for what seemed like an eternity. I had to take a break and come back to it before I lost my sanity over this little ten dollar download. Worst part about it? My third grader cleaned the floor with me, she had no trouble at all with a lot of the things that wore me down. Life just isn’t fair sometimes. But I definitely must say that if you like tense, fast paced games, this is for you. No doubt about it. I’m going to need to get a full night’s sleep and down a couple of energy drinks to beat the next stage, though. And maybe the help of my nine year old.

Gameplay Images

Trailer