Does anyone remember that game-making competition held by Doritos? I’m gonna guess here a big fat “uh, what?” Not surprising as it’s a brand-name for a potato-chip style snack not readily available in India. But even if you didn’t, you’d have to agree that making a functioning game based upon a popular food product sounds borderline bananas. Not necessarily so, says Nate Bradley! His entry, Secret Agent Dorito, combines several commonly known forms of gaming pop-culture for those downing, disdainful dukes and/or damsels. And that’s two-dimensions, a cornball story, and an arsenal of guns and melee weapons.

And truth be told, it’s a solid entry. I especially like how the whole thing throws players into the game’s premise with its amateurish-looking cut scenes and cleverly written dialogue exchanges. Long story short, the President has been kidnapped (“Again?”) by a group of flavorless chip terrorists, and Agent Dorito is the only one that can lay the smackdown and stop their world-threatening plans. Dorito has you control the character through WSAD-style keys along with mouse-aiming (think of it somewhere along the lines of multiplayer indie-fave Soldats), with weapon-firing assigned to the left-click, weapon switching to the middle-click (or spacebar) and dropping/picking up items with the right click. Now here’s where things can get a bit tedious. See, savepoints are littered throughout the entire game, but you’re required to have your limbless hand in order to drag the switch down that activates it. Meaning, you’ll have to drop/switch whatever item is already taken out for use (this also applies to rope-climbing). Also, you can’t automatically pick-up ammo to guns you’re currently in position of. Two guns can be carried, but if you’re using something like a AK-47 rifle – both hands will be used and you’re limited to carrying just one gun.

Odd developer choices aside, it was an enjoyable 15-minute playthrough for me with an interesting set of weapons at your disposable like a power-glove, a basketball, and even an umbrella that let’s you temporarily hover over long gaps. Even if Nate doesn’t win this competition (not like I’ve seen what the other entries are offering to make that kinda statement, but that’s not the point here), there’s enough represented for him to build something possibly even better in in the future. What that will be is entirely up to him, but he’s got my support!

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By N2H

• the ANGRY pixel » Doritos Announces Unlock Xbox Finalists Says:
  August 22nd, 2007 at 11:13 pm

  [...] our little rant on Secret Agent Doritos? Well, the Doritos brand finally announced that five lucky guys have been selected from over two [...]