Smiley's Shooty Adventure

Title
Developer
Publisher
Genre
ESRB Rating
Demo Release Date
Full Release Date
Platforms
Official Website
Demo Download Size
Review Date

Smiley's Shooty Adventure
Caffeine Monster Software
Caffeine Monster Software
Shooter
Not Rated
28th April 2008
28th April 2008
PC (Reviewed), Mac
http://www.caffeinemonstersoftware.com/smiley.php
4MB
22nd July 2008

What did I think before playing?
I had never heard of this one. It sounded stupid from the title and was a tiny download so it seemed like a quick indie effort. Sounds perfect for a rushed lunchtime review.

What is included?
15 levels, (of 80,) from the campaign mode with a link to buy the full version.

What did I think afterwards?
This was actually a fun, Robotron-like shooter. The graphics are a mix between bad programmer art and funky particle effects. There are several game modes listed on the main menu, (along with Credits and a "How to Play" button,) but only the campaign mode is available in the demo. You can play through the fifteen levels within about 10 minutes, at which point you are prompted to buy the full version, or go back to the main menu. If you choose any of the other modes you get a splash screen detailing what you get if you buy the full version along with a link.

Would I buy the full game?
A fun game, a well thought out demo, but I wouldn't buy a game like this when I already have similar titles such as Robotron and Geometry Wars on my Xbox 360.

Demo Pros
Easy enough to finish quickly, but you just about see the difficulty curve start to increase. Interesting enemies too. A tiny download. A link in the game to buy the full version takes you right into PayPal.

Demo Cons
Nothing wrong with the demo, but the game feels throwaway because of the graphics and the small window you play in.

Demo Rating 9 / 10

Thoughts after playing the full game?
If I play the full game I will put comments here about whether I feel the demo was representative of the final product and if I am happy with the purchase.

Sales Figures
If I can find sales information about a game after it has been released I'll add that here. It may be useful to track demos to sales performance.