E.Z by Totally Normal Creature

First, the publisher’s pitch: “E.Z is a simple hardcore platformer game the goal being get across to the other side of each of the 100 levels while each death throws you back to the previous levels.“

What Worked For Me:

I enjoyed the minimalist aesthetic; it helped me to focus on the platforming on offer. I especially liked how most of the stages gave the appearance of being “built on the fly” when I started them, with pieces of the stage moving a bit before settling into place.
I thought the mascot was cute (even if it was little more than a square with eyes and legs).
Unlike Micro Platformer (another game I recently reviewed), this game had music. It wasn’t anything mind-blowing and I wouldn’t pay extra for the OST, but having something to listen to while I played enhanced the experience immensely.
The game was modestly priced at $1.99 USD; I was able to purchase it on sale for even less ($1.33 USD). On one hand, I could argue that I got my money’s worth since I spent about two hours with the game. On the other hand, I could also argue that I might not have, since I’m not sure how much of the game will actually stick with me going forward. Ultimately, I think the question of value might be beyond the scope of this review and deserves its own discussion.
I had mixed feelings about the game’s core mechanic (where death sent me back to a previous, random level). On one hand, it was a key differentiator between E.Z and its contemporaries, and beating a streak of levels without dying felt good. On the other hand, it never felt great to goof up a level only to have to replay a different level before I could try again. The game addressed this to a point by offering a mode titled “I Just Want To Have Fun,” where the death mechanic was disabled, but E.Z could also really use a level select option (see: cons). Ultimately, the death mechanic encouraged a slower, more methodical play style, since that’s what kept me alive. I’m not sure if that’s what the Devs intended, but that’s where I landed.

What Didn’t:

I found some of the levels kind of bland. This was especially true for levels that were mirrored down the middle or that involved a gimmick like flipping gravity or inverting controls (left was right and right was left). I’m guessing that some “easier” levels had to be sprinkled throughout the 100 included levels given the game’s core mechanic (of death throwing players back to previous levels), but easy didn’t have to mean boring.
The game doesn’t include accessibility options, and buttons cannot be remapped. The closest the game gets is allowing the player to adjust the “gamepad dead zone” (a feature I’ve rarely, if ever seen, in other games). I’d love to see this addressed in future updates. (I’m not holding my breath for such an update, though, as the game was released back in 2018.)
The game was achievement-happy (there are over 100), and I got one for each level I beat. While this may please achievement hunters, I felt it landed somewhere between “mildly annoying,” and “cheapening the experience.”
There was no way to practice individual levels. I found this choice baffling, especially since the game included a number of “speed run” and no / low-death achievements.
(nit-pick) The game’s name made it very hard to search up guides or tips. I was ultimately able to figure out all the levels myself, but it definitely took some doing. (I didn’t find the guides on Steam until after I beat the game. C’est la vie.)

Conclusion:

If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to spend a few hours, E.Z may be right for you. If you enjoy minimalist precision platformers, E.Z may be right for you. If you love achievements and aren’t satisfied unless one is popping every minute, E.Z may be right for you. Though the game requires a slower, more methodical approach (at least at first) and some may find the game’s core mechanic annoying, those looking for a change of pace in the platforming space are likely to enjoy the game.

Check it out here.