Obsessive Collecting Disorder (XBLIG): "A Stylish & Challenging Indie Game With a Parody Twist"

As a reviewer I sometimes go above, and beyond the call of duty to bring you guys the latest reviews. In some instances this includes enduring extreme video game challenges that are darn near impossible to complete. This time around the developers at Super Smith Bros. kindly asked me to review their new indie game Obsessive Collecting Disorder. I actually knew what I was getting myself into when I agreed to review their game. There was something about it that screamed quality to me though. As I did my playthrough of OCD I found it somewhat fun in a "Glutton for Punishment" sort of way. In the end the game not only tried my patience in numerous ways, but it also made me laugh which is definitely a plus in my book.

In Obsessive Collecting Disorder you take on the role of a nameless, and faceless stick figure that represents one of the many afflicted people in the world as you endure "Craperture's" intense 7 step program. The affliction I speak of is appropriately referred to as "Obsessive Collecting Disorder", and it is running rampant. It seems that the world's population has gone made with the disease, and have even started diving of of skyscrapers trying to collect bird feathers! You can be sure that the unwillingly dimwitted population of the world are also collecting other things in equally idiotic ways. As dismal, and dire as this circumstance may sound there is hope. Craperture Science has devised a 7 step program that is sure to cure your illness. With a company slogan like "We've Been Testing Crap Since 1982" who wouldn't trust them?

OCD (as I'm going to refer to it) is a parody of sorts. It borrows "PORTAL's" signature blue, and orange portals, a corporation's name that is oddly reminiscent of the previously mentioned game, and a color scheme similar to the same said game. With that being said the similarities fairly much end there. When you first load up OCD you'll notice that the screen is framed by what looks to be an old television monitor. Even the displayed game itself seems to feature a fuzzy black & white screen filter giving it a unique retro appearance. When it comes to actual gameplay though things are both simple, and complicated.

This 2D side-scrolling platformer will have you controlling, and guiding a stick figure through 7 sets of increasingly more difficult challenges. The goal of the game, as simple as it may sound is to collect a set amount of coins/tokens that are scattered throughout multiple trap filled stages. You'll encounter deadly spikes, lasers, saw pendulums, and even falling spiked blocks. These things are not your only concerns though. You'll find that the tasks at hand, if done properly require quick reflexes to beat the clock so that you can gain 1-3 stars/medals. In the harder difficulty settings you must also complete the 7 challenges with a set number of lives. The "Casual" setting will give you an infinite amount of tries though.

As far as controls go they couldn't be any simpler. It reminds me of the good old days when controllers weren't as complex (NES). In OCD you'll be using either the (Left Thumbstick), or the (DPad) for movement. If I were you though I'd use the (DPad) as it is more accurate when it comes to controlling the stick figure. In a similar fashion to games such as "Super Mario Bros." you'll also be using an additional run function. Running can be achieved by holding down (X), or (RT) as you move. In retrospect OCD keeps controlling things simple allowing the player to focus more on the frustrating tasks at hand. It's a control scheme that definitely works in this game's favor.

I think I may have actually found a favorite amongst all the challenging game titles that XBLIG has to offer. The upbeat music, the gameplay, and the overall presentation are definitely of high quality in OCD. While the game will likely drive you nuts (as it did me) as your repeat the stages multiple times you'll still be having fun doing it. I honestly think OCD had a lot going for it. The music certainly suited the difficult tasks at hand giving the player that extra drive to succeed. Small touches such as the bloody stick figure death animations, and the portal-esque entrances/exits really made this game stand out from a lot of the vaguely similar indie games out there. If you like a good challenge with some video game parody related material then you definitely won't go wrong in getting this game. It's absolutely worth the asking price, and f I were a ranking site I'd give it a "4.5 out of 5".