Platypus gives us Gradius-style gameplay with awesome claymation graphics, and its PSP re-release lets us all try it one more time.
Just last week we reviewed the new claymation game Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures, and this week the classic 2002 claymation side-scroller Platypus was re-released on the PSP. Does it stand up today with the PSP's controls?
The Clay is Cool
Everything you see on screen was originally shaped out of clay and photographed, unlike the Wallace & Gromit game, which only used computers to make everything look a bit like clay. This makes Platypus the coolest looking side-scrolling shooter I've ever seen, way cooler even than Gradius. The music is upbeat and catchy, so much so that I once put earphones in just to listen to the repeating beat on the level select screen. Though the storyline doesn't really exist (unless you read about the game somewhere online) your clay ship still feels cool and personal.Pure Gameplay for the PSP
There aren't really a ton of games for the PSP. But this game is mostly perfect for the system, as it's only $10, and a very small file that you can just download and play any time, instead of messing with the PSP's UMD discs. You can always play it for any amount of time, so it's perfect for portable play, where you may only have five minutes to spare. The game's story isn't exactly short, and there's a survival mode you can play as well, so $10 is a bargain for this much gameplay.
Kinda Really Hard
If you played Gradius ReBirth, you know how hard these side-scrolling shooters can be. Thankfully, in Gradius, you could restart a level basically anywhere, allowing you to try over and over to beat a single boss or other hard part. Unfortunately, in Platypus, you don't really have it this easy. You can restart the game at any level you've beaten, but a single level can be too hard to get through for some people, even on easy difficulty. The PSP's screen is small enough (compared to the original PC version) that it gets hard to see enemy bullets, too, which can make things impossible for certain boss battles. Side note: In its original version, the game was about the same as what is now on hard difficulty. The easy and medium difficulties were only added later, and it's still a tough game.
Rating:
Price: $9.99
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
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