4/10

I played Super Kiwi 64 and Beeny before this (not realizing this was a part of the same series) and, while obviously this is because this is an earlier game in the studios ventures into game development, it is very much a downgrade, and it's not exactly less frustrating just because it's older. The controls don't feel nearly as smooth as they did in Super Kiwi 64 but honestly the worst part is the camera controls. Instead of it being mapped to the mousepad, it's instead mapped to the Q and E buttons, with Shift being a way to recenter it. This removes the concept of willing vertical camera movement, removes the option of sprinting (which is what's mapped to Shift in Super Kiwi 64), and also oddly enough when you click Shift to recenter the camera, the aspect ratio changes for a moment. This isn't consistent, though, which tells me it probably wasn't even on purpose. Also, in cutscenes where the aspect ratio is clearly meant to be different, the black borders aren't aligned properly, leaving these weird awkward lines on the sides that were a bit distracting. In terms of the game itself, it was fine, but it felt needlessly tedious, especially considering the limits on Macbat's flying ability. None of these games are particularly hard (which I appreciate), but they're at least FUN, in a way this one just wasn't. The final boss was extremely easy to the point where he felt silly even being in there, especially with his intimidating design. The bad camera controls really made some parts difficult to get through. The bonus levels were just... Not good. They were bland, pointless, and the third one was just outright frustrating. Yes, completing that one gives you unlimited flight, but this is already after you've beaten the game and most of the bonus levels so at that point is it even worth it? I'm glad this game exists because it kicked off a series I overall like, and it's not like it was TERRIBLE or anything, but I don't recommend playing it unless you're the type who wants full context before playing later games in a series (Super Kiwi 64 in particular is quite good, highly recommend).