BATTLEBLOCK THEATER : Review

Announced for what seems like an eternity, BattleBlock Theater arrives without warning. That is you could almost miss it, the guy, and relegated to the status of output not very interesting week on Xbox Live Arcade platform that has so. It would miss the new production from the creators of Castle Crashers, a stupid game necessarily full of humor, personality - and of course poop.

AIR ON A KNOWN

Having donned a cinematic intro as far-fetched as nicely animated, put his hands on anyone BattleBlock Theater will first feeling of being dropped a little. Idiots characters whose boat runs aground on the shores of a mysterious island governed by cats, a prison from which he must escape to participate in deadly theater, a strange hat, gems and balls of wool doubt The team at The Behemoth goes deeply. An indescribable mishmash that will serve backdrop for gameplay finally entirely conventional. It is not that we are royally foute scenario, but almost: BattleBlock Theater is a puzzle platform 2D, and that's about all it is important to know. The rest is just an excuse to allow the narrator to unleash his crazy talk, which we can also reduce the frequency in the options if by chance it gets too lofty.

What is it? Basically, to further acts themselves cut to levels where it will pick up at least three gems to activate the exit and go to the next map. All with alternating phases of pure platforms, jumps millimiters but also puzzles, and a few moments of extreme tension to approach the next checkpoint avoid having to start over in case of sudden death. Death also without any consequences, which will begin the difficult areas as many times as necessary. Collect three gems is obviously within the scope of the first comer, diehard, them, find all (most of the time there are six or seven) and also get their hands on items stashed history to improve their score. After ten levels of the act will conclude with a final and a few more levels in which it will play before all this time against the clock and put his skill to the test.


JUST RUN LIKE YOU HAVE DIARRHEA

In general, having the highest score in each level requires not only to collect all objects, but also to do so in record time. Those scoring in the skin so what will dig, especially the items recovered will be used to unlock new weapons in the shop (fan, fireball, grenades ...) and release prisoners of the infamous prison, . After all, if one believes the scenario, it is mostly just that. Each prisoner is actually a playable character with a new cum, most of the time hilarious, that we can choose as your avatar. The differences in shape of head or face will however a cosmetic effect. Prisoners have the same capacity: jump, hit and push / pick up objects. It can not be simpler, which will not prevent developers make us lose our cool, of course, with a challenge that clenches the fingers on the handle.

Oh, things start rather slowly, with the first acts in tourist mode. Then to act 5 and 6 the chosent gets tough. The learning period is over and now the basic mechanics are perfectly mastered, you will have to work a bit. BattleBlock Theater invited the cream of the crop, called the Best: blocks pikes, moving, rolling, bouncing, explosive, sticky ... Fans, saw blades, electric rays, homing missiles, guns ... The game does not invent anything but plays perfectly the score platformer demanding and sadistic. Everything is negotiable quarter of hair, and the millimeter pixel: jump, double jump, avoiding a slide or bounce on a wall. You sweat, but it's for a good cause, and as often the game becomes even more addictive it really takes to get the fingers of foundation. And it is often cruel, BattleBlock Theater is never unjust, the gameplay never punitive.

YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG. DO IT RIGHT!

One dies, (very) often roasted, cut, flattened, or exploded so puzzle. But like Super Meat Boy, which it is hard not to think, feel progress is real and the feeling of learning from mistakes is permanent. It improves over tests and techniques are perfected. To finally get a break handsome or maneuver bling which can not even imagine not able to beginner Act 1. It will, however, patience, courage, and put 50 times his body to the checkpoint before they get an A + in every level. To finally test, let crazy Insane game mode where death is now restart the level to zero. For the players and players with very cool, and nobody else, of course.

Sometimes BattleBlock Theater employs methods a little sneaky, whether planquant gems in the background or pasting in the legs of the player a new concept without explanation. Figure it out, and thank you for the pin. Blocks and vicious traps are obviously not the only obstacles, the levels are infested with enemies cats, always present to stress the player a little more. Not really a problem, if the kind of ersatz combat melee doing his job properly. However, collisions between a little lame, hitting moldy and IA outrageously aggressive (even suicidal), it is clearly not the most successful part of the game, far from it. The weapons are a bit more funs, varied and amusing, even if going through the menu to change current level is somewhat surprising. A dedicated button was much more appropriate. You get used to it anyway flawed system, especially as the fight passages are fairly anecdotal, at least solo. In multiplayer, however, is another story.


CATS IS NOTHING WANKERS

Unsurprisingly, BattleBlock Theater offers a fairly extensive multiplayer mode. The cooperative can (re) make the campaign more locally or online. It propels itself, we help to climb the platforms on several Ponder and the challenge is discreetly redesigned to fit the multiplication of characters. Will enter the high score group in joy and good humor, with all that this implies of crappy shots, avatar that hamper of "I swear I will not express." We regret the passing of cameras not always ideal, especially when the players decide not to go on the same side. Embarrassing. BattleBlock Theater also loads of competitive modes, for once quite unconvincing. If you appreciate his generosity with a multitude of variations of basic mechanics which players compete to control a ball to collect as much gold on the map, or paint the scenery while walking the blocks (cuckoo Mario Party) is the complete mess on the screen and not necessarily in a good way.

Especially since the battle system is not deep enough or pretty much done for the several bastons make you want to dive several hours. It is annoying that more fun, and this is necessarily bad. Game modes for cocktails, somehow, not unpleasant but certainly not outstanding. As if all this content is not enough, the game also features a level editor with which you can create your own maps and share them with the community, which will obviously be the same. Will ensure a long life to a game whose life is already perfect. And as people of The Behemoth love their fans, owning one of their previous titles will unlock characters from Castle Crashers or Alien Hominid in BBT and vice versa. Class altogether.

BattleBlock Theater does everything you need, as it should. The game is cute, colorful, beautifully animated, with that inimitable own the studio. Of course, difficult not to think - a little - to Blocks That Matter and also blocks any cabbages. The new production of The Behemoth has in any case definitely a personality, and especially a tone, obviously completely crazy. More non-sensique than Castle Crashers but equally irreverent (we always have diarrhea, honor is safe), humor BattleBlock Theater also shows the care taken in this mini blockbuster. Kinematic débilissimes, stamped narrator, idiots dialogues fuse and are mostly smile. Sometimes a little less, but it is the law of nature. The best remaining still spread these cynics who come after us tickle a new idiotic death or jump messed up. Add to that funky music and funny sound effects too, and we agree that a good thought it is there.