A complete ‘cute’ makeover which further adds to the charm of the overall game

by Lame360Gamer

©2009 Warren Marshall

Twisted Pixel has decided to treat us with a simple game with ‘Splosion Man. They have taken a simple side-scrolling concept, a simple plot and one of the most simplistic button control system since the NES days – mixed it all together and have managed to produce a fantastic edition to the XBLA range.

The first thing that jumps to mind when playing this was another XBLA title available, N+. However ‘Splosion Man sees you play the role of a science experiment loose in the lab trying to take down the creators themselves while also trying to make his escape from the lab.

The only ability available to the hero is the ability to explode. You use this talent not only as your means of taking out scientists and other mechanical bad-guys but also as a means to navigate your way through the labs by using this power as a way to propel yourself across rooms, off walls and onto platforms.

Side-scrolling with a difference

Even though this is presented as a side-scrolling game you would be forgiven to call a puzzle game.

You will be faced many times with a room that you must escape from where the exit is not easily presented, or perhaps you must escape in a set time before the room fills with water and the only way to do this is to keep your momentum going, continue to climb higher with no room for error. In this game there certainly is a lot of trial and error, however it does make the game that much more rewarding when completing a level (and for those really stuck, die too many times and you are given the option to skip the level altogether).

With each new XBLA I am more impressed with the level of graphics and animation these creators are getting to in order to give the customer their money’s worth with a complete solid game and ‘Spolsion Man certainly does not disappoint.

While the game certainly sounds violent with all the exploding people, the game has gone for the total opposite and has given this the complete ‘cute’ makeover which further adds to the charm of the overall game.

Everything fits perfectly

From the crazy little twitches ‘Splosion Man has, to the look of the bad guys turning into chunks of various meats like you would see in an old Warner Bros. cartoon, everything in this game seems to fit in well and compliment each other.

The backgrounds may soon become repetitive but you are exploding yourself around the level so fast you really don’t have time to stop and look.

If there was any complaint to be had in this game it would probably have to be that while the puzzles can at times be challenging they are the same formula or set-up that you have already previously encountered.

Long stints on this game would see gamers finding much of it repetitive and easy to breeze through, however the game does try to counter this with each puzzle soon becoming harder and the checkpoints fewer and further between. The difficulty of this game certainly does jump and I am sure there will be many people that throw their controller in frustration.

Some of the puzzles are unforgiving when it comes to timing your explosions or hitting a platform at just the right time. Miss it and it is all the way back to the start of the level or the most recent checkpoint (which as stated earlier aren’t placed right were you want them!)

And cheap to!

For 800 MS points you really can’t go wrong with this title. Whether you are looking for something to simply hold you over for a weekend and maybe pick up once in a while or for those looking for a real challenge who won’t put it down until the final level is complete, ‘Spolsion Man certainly does cater to any age and any player-style out there.

There aren’t a lot of XBLA titles that have me playing for hours on end however when I first loaded ‘Spolsion Man I didn’t put the controller down for quite a few hours. A solid investment.

©2009 Warren Marshall

“8.5/10

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