Today we launch Total Hype with a review of a very interesting game by Introversion Software, Darwinia+. This game has been on my radar ever since it won top prize at IGF 2006. It was announced for XBLA in 2008. But I had totally forgotten about it. Once I seen it on the release schedule though I was instantly excited.
I am a huge fan of indie games this being matched with my favorite console was a perfect situation for me. So has my excitement panned out? Check out my review and find out…
Okay first thing you will notice about this game is it’s visual style. It has a retro style look on the surface. But it’s all part of this games charm. Once you get into it though it’s like a dream scape. Just imagine you’re a hero fighting in a computer world where everything is made out of pixels. That’s what Darwinia+ is. It’s a great looking game with a surprising amount of depth.
The visuals are great as you can see from the picture above(Click to make bigger). I really think they nailed the feeling of what it would be inside a computer having a war against viruses. The thing that really makes this game for me though is the sound. Check out the video below and just listen to that awesomeness. It goes with the visuals perfectly.
To add to the value you not only have Darwinia+ you have Multiwinia. The 49 map multi player with 2-4 players. This is the real star of this package. I played through a hand full of games and it’s very addicting. The power ups that you earn from the crates are awesome. This game will be near the top of the XBLA charts for a long time. If people give it the chance that it deserves.
I’m a huge Call of Duty player so at first glance I was a little skeptical on how I would like this game. Sure I’ve been a strategy game fan for a long time. But for the last few years it’s been mostly Call Of Duty for me. But going in with an open mind I was very happily surprised. The military strategies you can use in this game to win are very similar to call of duty.
You can rush in to the game and sure you might do okay. But more than likely you will get killed quickly. But if you look at the flow of the game and watch how the enemies are going you will do great. I’ll be playing a lot of this game especially til they fix the care package glitch in MW2.
| Rating Out Of 10 |
Final Thoughts |
| Graphics:9 |
It’s a beautiful world that’s been made. People will look at it and think it’s simple wireframe. Which it is but it’s perfect for the story they are telling. Once you see it in motion and play it for awhile I think you will really get into the style. I know I did. Heck i’m so impressed with the style of the trees in this game I made them my desktop pic. Don’t judge this games graphics without seeing them in motion. |
| Sound:9.5 |
I love how the sounds of this game compliment it’s graphical style. It really pulls you into the game and helps make this the most enjoyable game i’ve played so far this year. It’s a very retro/electronica feel and I totally dig it. I played it for a few hours and I didn’t get tired of it at all. Like I do with most games these days. |
| Gameplay:9 |
There is a bit of a learning curve. But they give you great onscreen instruction. Plus if you hit start they give you a nice section that will explain how to play the game. Plus a nice controller graphic showing you what buttons do. The action strategy of having to kill the virus and get from place to place through the satellites is a great gameplay mechanic. |
| Replay Value: 9.5 |
This game has a ton of replay value. The single-player campaign has 10 locations. The multiplayer features five action packed game modes and over 49 unique maps. Multiwinia part of this game is where it really shines. 4 people going at it gets hectic and it’s just addicting. With 49 maps his game will stay fresh for a long time. I hope it’s a huge hit on XBLA so there is a strong community of great players for years to come. |
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| Total Hype? |
Nope. This game is the real deal and is as of right now my favorite game on XBLA. I think of it as if Robotron 2084 and Rez had a baby. It’s just great and bravo Introversion Software you’ve done a great job. It’s well worth the 1200MSP ($15) |
Check out the game and let me know what you think of it here in the comments. I would love to hear about how you feel about my review process. I don’t try to make it a masterpiece of journalism. I’m a gamer and I am just trying to convey my love for games and helping you guys stay away from crappy games.
25. Feb, 2010 
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