Clustertruck Review - The merits of drunk driving

Sometimes game developers try almost to jump over their heads, pursuing the goal of designing a radically new gameplay. Or at least radically fresh, radically entertaining, radically radical...

This endeavor sometimes stimulates the creation of something absolutely strange, laughable and even moronic.
Clustertruck is that kind of game, with bizarre setting, missions, and weird general concept.

Graphics: 3

Alas, but there isn't much to say. Because there's nothing to look at.
When you launch the game for the first time, the troll-detector in you begins to tingle slightly. I mean seriously? For your honestly earned 15 bucks, you get:

1) Barren surroundings.
2) Impoverished decorations in the form of cacti, pine trees or castle towers.
3) Elaborate and annoying obstacles.
4) A horde of trucks driven by some invisible satanic will.

And that's the end of the story. Your eyes have nothing to feast on in Clustertruck.
However, this game compensates its visual poverty with amazing physics. I got to admit - sometimes the stunts you have to perform to survive will give you the feel of thrill.
If you're looking for a beautifully designed game with well-developed atmosphere, then Clustertruck won't you give you much enjoyment.

Occasionally the physics engine goes glitchy-glitchy, and as a result, you cannot even complete a mission. Especially infuriating it becomes when you're trying to beat an insanely tricky level and when you think the victory is within your grasp - pssh... It all turns to ashes.
In case you feel really upset about the level-design in Clustertruck you can always do some editing through the Level Editor. It's very intuitive and can be exploited to create mind-blowing levels and scenarios. Consider it as a free additional creative game.
(You can share your levels online too). 

Gameplay: 4

Imagine a parallel dimension dominated and populated entirely by trucks. They are in a state of perpetual motion, chaotically moving towards some mysterious "Goal" that you have to reach too by the way.

Furthermore, it seems like everything in this bizarre world is made of trucks - at some point, you'll have to survive a real truck-rain. Apparently, the god-demiurge who created this world is a lorry driver himself.
Throughout the 90 levels, you'll have to:
· Overcome treacherous obstacles (similar to those on a mini-golf course).
· Jump from one truck to another.
· Feel suicidal because of the reckless tempo.
· Unlock and use various power-ups that make the game even more chaotic.

Speaking of power-ups - these special abilities significantly enhance your chances for survival making your adventure more entertaining. You will get double-jump, slow-motion, levitation, etc.
One more thing to keep in mind: the game's central gimmick is hectic and complete unexpectedness. That's why to be prepared for the trucks blowing up, the insanely high tempo of their moving, slipperiness, etc. 

Controls: 4.5

Controls are more or less ergonomic and easy-to-master. All you need to do is to learn how to interact with the game's physics to best advantage. Whenever the game doesn't glitch, you do not experience any discomfort while manipulating your Clustertruck avatar.

Replay Value: 4.5

To be honest, the authors managed to create a nice, gradually growing difficulty, seasoned with various gravity tricks. Although in terms of visuals the game is radically austere, truck-to-truck jumping proves to be addictive.

Conclusion

Clustertruck is a chaotic and boisterous frenzy, coming at the price of $14.99. It lacks back-story, fancy props, any other NPCs apart from the trucks and also gorgeous visuals. But it's good for numbing your brains, and I find it amusing how the game's authors managed to turn repetitive gameplay into such a festival of disorganized insanity.