Short Title: Short Life—Wow, That Hurts
Short Life is one of those games that looks like it will be fun for about three seconds before it turns into a comedy with accidents, crashes, and ragdolls making bad decisions. You play as a floppy little figure who is just trying to stay alive as he goes through each level. But it's clear that the world around him has other ideas. You can't always count on spikes and arrows to be there for you. Mines, on the other hand, don't believe in second chances.
Not just surviving is what makes it fun; barely surviving in the silliest way possible is what makes it fun. You're boldly jumping forward one second, and then you see your character lose a limb while still making their way to the finish line. It's crazy and a little mean, but funny in a way that makes you think, "I can't believe that just happened."
How to Play Short Life
In Short Life, each level is a trap-filled test that is meant to see how patient and quick you are. At first, it seems easy: just walk, jump, and stay away from obvious danger. But the game starts to mess with you very quickly. When timing is important, floors fall apart and spikes appear in strange places. The real trick is to not rush, since that's what turns your ragdoll into a flying mess most of the time.
Gather stars along the way as you try to reach the end of each stage. On paper, it sounds easy. It's more likely that you'll restart a lot, but most of the time it will make you laugh instead of angry.
Guide to Controls
The settings are very basic so that the chaos can speak for itself:
- Use the left and right arrow keys to move forward or backward.
- Up Arrow: Jump or stand back up.
- Down Arrow: Get low to stay safe.
What Makes People Play Anyway
That's why Short Life works: every mistake feels like a little story. And the physics of the ragdoll make everything look so crazy that even losing is fun. The game slowly gets harder as you go through the levels, adding new traps and situations that keep you guessing.
You can also earn stars, which let you play as new characters and give you a reason to play through levels you thought you'd never want to see again. You do it anyway.
Information about the developer
The company that made the game, GameTornado, clearly loves turning simple ideas into crazy physics playgrounds. Their style is all about having simple controls, hard levels, and just the right amount of humour to make you want to play again after each tragedy.
In the end, Short Life is not so much about being perfect as it is about getting through the crazy. And maybe, just maybe, finding humour in the worst of times.
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