Vertiginous Golf

Vertiginous Golf is a visually striking and conceptually unique mini-golf game set in a steampunk-inspired dystopian world. Players appreciate its challenging courses, innovative mechanics like the rewind and hummingbird scouting features, and a clean, immersive interface that complements its gorgeous graphics. The game offers both single-player and multiplayer modes, with multiplayer adding chaotic and fun dynamics through weapons and traps. The inclusion of a course editor and plans for community-generated content promise extended replayability.

Despite its creativity and charm, the game has notable drawbacks. Some players find the controls overly sensitive and unintuitive, leading to frustration, especially with the mouse-based aiming and power meter. The difficulty spikes sharply in certain holes, sometimes resulting in perceived unfairness. Others criticize the sparse and poorly integrated storyline, limited content at launch, and occasional bugs like camera issues or glitches. Online multiplayer suffers from a low player base and limited lobby controls, affecting the multiplayer experience. Overall, it's a labor of love with strong potential but needs refinement.

Highlights

Players praise the game's beautiful steampunk art style and immersive world design, highlighting the innovative gameplay mechanics such as the rewind feature and the hummingbird scout. The courses are complex and challenging, offering multiple ways to approach each hole, which keeps gameplay fresh. The soundtrack and sound design complement the atmosphere well, and the interface is clean and non-intrusive. Multiplayer mode is particularly enjoyed for its chaotic fun and variety, with weapons and traps enhancing the experience. The level editor and community content are seen as promising additions that could greatly extend the game's longevity.

Criticisms

Common criticisms focus on the steep difficulty curve and frustrating hole designs where success and failure margins are razor-thin, leading to player frustration. Controls, especially mouse aiming and power sensitivity, are often described as fiddly or awkward. The story is minimal, poorly integrated, and features weak voice acting, detracting from immersion. Technical issues include occasional bugs, camera clipping problems, and some glitches that hamper gameplay. Online multiplayer suffers from a sparse player base, lack of lobby management tools, and region matchmaking issues. Some players also feel the game content is limited, with few courses and repetitive gameplay after extended play.