A superb way to tell a story through gameplay only.
Don't Look Back can be easily overlooked as a generic 2D platformer at first sight but it would be a shame to anyone interested in indie games to miss it. From the title screen--with its pixelated raindrops contrasting to some surprisingly clean sound--you may notice that there's something more to this game than in most flash games out there.
The simple controls (walk, jump, shoot) you make use of to break through the platforming action within the game--even with a couple eventual boss fights--shouldn't keep you from paying attention to what's really important here: art direction. Slowly it starts to show its face, be it through SFX or by its neat, moving soundtrack; but in the 2nd half of the game it really brings uniqueness to the experience by putting the title premise ('don't look back') to work into the gameplay and leading us to a story-telling with no words.
I can't tell much more than that without spoiling you; but, speaking for myself, I can say I was surprised by such a twist in the gameplay--and for seeing something that simple giving me the chills.
Minor complaints couldn't make Don't Look Back fits under any tag below "superb".
- Reviewed for The Autonomous Regime Union