Games for Lunch: PixelJunk Monsters
In a nutshell: PS3-top Tower Defense
3/21/2008 12:00 AM | 0 Comments | Page 1 of 2
0:00 After a heated, split debate on the Game Trust mailing list, I had to check this one out for myself. I love the various
Desktop Tower Defense games I've tried online, and I'm hoping this will capture the same feeling on my TV.
0:01 For some reason, the screen seems stuck in a widescreen ratio, meaning thick black bars sit at the bottom and top of my TV. Not all of us have fancy widescreen TVs, PixelJunk!
0:02 How to play: "d-pad or analog stick moves, X selects, O cancels." Can't get much simpler than that! I have to walk around and turn trees into enemy-destroying bases so I can protect a flock of cute, bouncing head things. There's lots of stuff to learn, but there's a tutorial. Let's go!
0:04 "They'll come soon! Get ready!" Creepy! I build an "arrow" tower and watch as a helpless monster wanders into its attack radius and explodes with a cute little yelp. Collect the coins it drops, build another tower, lather, rinse, repeat!
0:06 Right away I like the connection of having an actual, movable avatar rather than just being an unseen, omnipotent god manipulating the map. Still, I wish my little dude would walk a little faster.
0:07 I get the ability to build anti-air guns just in time for the air enemies to start attacking. I love the convenience of the tutorials.
0:09 Oh noes! A few monsters make it through my gauntlet. I guess I overinvested a bit in air defense, because the ground guys don't seem to have much trouble anymore. It's a tough balancing act, it seems.
0:10 Ah, I can get rid of those old, useless anti-air towers and get cash in exchange. Handy!
0:11 I kill one final, hulking ice monster and the forest is safe. Hurrah! On to the first stage, the appropriately named "Easy 1." Wasn't that your mom's nickname in college? BURN!
0:13 Interesting level design here -- while the tutorial looked like an empty glen with a few scattered trees, this looks like a thick forest, with plenty of options for base placement. It feels organic, but still playable.
0:14 Apparently if you're not busy building something, you can stand in front of an existing tower, do a little dance, and eventually upgrade the tower to be more powerful. Don't ask me how/why that's supposed to work, but it does!
0:17 This game definitely keeps you on your toes. I have to focus on building forts, upgrading forts, collecting coins and getting new upgrades, all while watching for next wave of enemies. And I'm still on the Easy stages!
0:21 Walking behind a line of monsters and picking up the coins they drop as they explode is almost too fun.
0:27 A bouncing gold Inca statue is the final boss here. I pour my saved gems and anti-air fort money into upgrading and building up some last-minute fortification. It takes him out no problem. On to "Easy 2"!
0:29 Yikes! I let three guys through on my very first wave. The potential path for enemies splits in many directions this time, so they can go around my defenses. This is definitely gonna be tougher.
0:32 More get through in Wave 3, but I staunch the flow with a hefty cannon investment and upgrades. Whew!
