[PS3] PixelJunk Monsters Review
When you think of next-gen games, most of them probably come in the form of a DVD or Blu-Ray, but that’s not always the case. On the PS3, Q-Games has been working on a series of small games titled “PixelJunk” which include: PixelJunk Racers, PixelJunk Eden and PixelJunk Monsters. All three games are priced at a modest $9.99 (each).
PixelJunk Monsters is a Tower Defence (T.D.) game, which puts you in a level with a simple objective: Prevent the enemy from reaching a point in the map. While PC T.D. games have you point and click, in Monsters, you take the role of a little unnamed Tiki fella that runs around the map and builds the defensive structures.
The towers that you can use in the game range from anything like an Arrow Tower that does basic damage, to a Laser Beam that can blast the baddies down from the sky. To upgrade to other towers and afford new ones, enemies that you take out will drop coins and gems that you can stock up for the good stuff later on. Oh yeah… you dance to level up the towers you already have… that’s not a joke… DANCE!
So what are you defending? Even smaller little unnamed fellas! They camp just outside of a base, and you can beat the level just as long as one little guy is left alive. You must however, get a perfect score (not lose any little guys) to advance to some of the later stages.
So that’s the basic premise of the game. Pretty… basic, don’t you think? Well… not really. Monsters is one of the hardest games that I’ve played in a loooong time. Some websites like 1UP.com had to delay their reviews, just because they couldn’t find anyone in the office to beat the game! Yeah… it’s hard. You really have to study the patterns that the enemies take, find out which tower does the most damage to what enemy, it’s a thinking person’s game. I haven’t wanted to throw a controller to the ground in so long, but that’s what made the game so great… and I know how crazy that sounds. In case you’re wondering, the enemies always follow the same path, which is why memorizing where they go is essential. You might think the same patterns leads to an easy game, but that’s where another part of Monsters takes over.
While there isn’t any form of online multiplayer, there are online scoreboards that let you know how you stack up against other players. You might not think much of it, but think of this little scenario: You figure out the patterns, study everything and win a level without losing any of the little guys. You cry in joy and think you’re the best player until the scoreboard pops up… and you’re ranked 7,800. The scoreboard alone will keep you coming back, even to the most basic levels JUST so you can get a higher spot in the boards.
Luckily, the game also features 2-player offline co-op which is very fun. The levels and enemies follow the same pattern, but the game splits the starting money between the two players, making teamwork a must.
Another thing that makes the game special are the highly detailed 2D sprites. Q-Games did an amazing job of making this game look unique and cool at the same time. I first started playing this game on a regular-definition TV, but once I switched to HD… ho-ly-crap it looked freakin’ awesome. It was like a brand new game! It’s hard nowadays for a 2D game to leave this sort of impression, what with all these fancy shmanzy games like Crysis and such.
An interesting (but good) thing about the game is the music. It’s very relaxing… in a game where you build cannons and towers. You can actually download the soundtrack on the PS3 Playstation Store for a mere $2.99. Not a bad deal. It’s the type of music that makes you all warm and fuzzy on the inside.
So how many hours will this game take to finish you say? You tell me. Like I said before, it’s a thinking game. You could beat it in anywhere from 7 to 500 hours.
So is that all that Monsters has to offer? Nope. Here’s a couple of other things to point out: The game features remote play, which means you can play it on the go through your PSP. There’s also an expansion pack for it titled “Encore” which adds new music, a new island packed with new levels, and some modifications to the game.
Look, for $10… this game is a steal. You can play it when you want, level-by-level at your own pace. It’s just fun to play alone or with a friend. There are $60 dollar games that can’t achieve this type of addictive gameplay.
So with all that being said, here’s the rundown:
Graphics: 9/10 Unique, beautiful and detailed.
Sound: 8/10 The music is soothing and relaxing, but it might not be for everyone.
Presentation: 8/10 It’s not bad or anything, just very basic. A map with levels, there ya go.
Gameplay: 9/10 It’s fun, addictive and challenging.
Lasting Appeal: 9/10 It will last you a while, hard or not. Most $10 games don’t even get near this much playtime.
Overall Score: 9/10
- “JC Magnus”
