VVVVVV is a retro styled 2D platformer by Terry Cavanagh, creator of dozens of free games. You play as the fearless leader of a team of dimension exploring scientists who inadvertently crash, and are separated. The game involves exploring the strange world you've found yourself in, and reuniting your friends. VVVVVV explores one simple game mechanic: you cannot jump - instead, you reverse your own gravity at the press of a button. The game focuses on playing with this mechanic in a variety of interesting ways. The game is designed not to artificially gate your progress. In VVVVVV there are no locks, no power-ups, no switches, nothing to stop you progressing except the challenges themselves.
I completed this game (which does not happen all that often) and REALLY enjoyed it from the beginning till the end. It has excellent retro-design graphics and an awesome soundtrack. I also enjoyed the mechanics - the controls are very simple with just 3 buttons and the idea is quite simple as well(go through an area, avoid all obstacles). While the idea MAY be simple completing the game is not simple at all (especially, if you are after all "bonus" items, all areas) etc. This game COULD easily get very frustrating, if it did not feature a very smart system of save points. You can save in front of and after completing almost every screen (and sometimes even parts of one screen). This makes the game a lot more player-friendly in my opinion as you just get to repeat the "this little tricky bit" over and over instead of having to go through the whole level/level section again (remember how it was sometimes?).
In this game you die A LOT and I personally did die a whole lot of times, but due to the mechanics at a certain point you do not care anymore (well, it is just the 10001st time, so what?) and after a while you get curious - so where did I die most? The game provides you with the punishment statistics as well, which is nice.
There is also quite a degree of replayability with "reversed", time attack, "gather all bonus" modes and so on. They all are quite fun, but, needless to say, EVEN MORE tricky than the main game. I am not sure everyone would have enough patience and passion to complete those as well, but it is not like you "have to", anyway.
Once again I must emphasize the soundtrack of this game. It is just stunning brilliant. The 8-bit music is back with a set of smash hits to spin in your head endlessly. The OST blends beautifully with the on-screen action and creates a glorious sensation of free flight.. and free fall.. and sudden death.
Overall, I am really thankful to Terry Cavanagh for making this little masterpiece. "Retro" is a new "modern".