Naughty Bear

After reading some of the other reviews of this game i was torn as to whether i was going to buy this game or not. Curiousity got the better of me in the end and i bought it with suitably low expectations meaning it would either be as bad as i thought it would be or better.

To begin with it is reasonably original, i haven't seen any other games about a serial killing stuffed toys. You basically play a stuffed bear who, after being mocked by his fellow bears once too many times, decides to go on a killing spree getting revenge on all those bears who dared to mock him. I must say the concept behind the game does sound intriguing.

My biggest problem with the game is that after a few levels it does begin to lose its appeal as things start to get repetitive. There is very little variation in the scenery, it's all woods and houses. Therefore levels became a bit samey after a while. Also there is only a certain number of times you can watch a bear die in a certain way before that too becomes boring and repetitive. Particularly seen as your weapons are limited to begin with and the maps are not overly big so there aren't that many on it to begin with. I must also say that the storytellers voice is very annoying. It is suppose to sound partonising like the voiceover in young childrens programs but it just grated on me.

In my opinion it is not as bad as some people have made it out to be. Ok it is not brilliant but i don't think it was ever meant to be. The graphics are not great but are tolerable and you wouldn't buy this game for the graphics anyway. However the game does grow very repetitive quite quickly. Therefore i would recommend that anyone who buys should play it in small doses alongside another game and this should stop it from becoming repetitive so quickly. I think that in the end all it boils down to is being in the right sort of mood/mindset to play it. Also if you are looking for a good indepth storyline and character development then i would definitely look elsewhere

I got this for my birthday and absolutely love it. For me it has a nostalgic vibe to it as the narrator reminds me very much of Geoffrey from Rainbow.

In the game, you're a poor bear, called Naughty, who is turned on by the other bears on the island and this makes Naughty rather demented and hell bent on tormenting the other bears before either driving the other bears insane, killing them or both - it can be especially fun if you make them kill themselves. There are a variety of weapons and objects for special kills which adds some variety and creativity. There are also different costumes you can unlock which give you different attributes so you can challenge yourself more or make a level that bit easier. There are at the time of writing three downloadable expansion packs (one of which is free) so the fun just keeps expanding. Naughty Bear 2 has been announced and I for one cannot wait.

Naughty Bear won't be winning game of the year, but it certainly doesn't deserve the harsh reviews critics and gamers alike are giving it. Yes, the camera is a bit shaky, but this is something that skilled gamers can adjust to. Yes, the graphics are nothing to write home about. Yes, the play area is essentially the same for each level, but this takes little away from what the game is - a strategic, bear-slaughtering gem.

The game sees you tackling 7 levels, each with a similar goal of punishing a particular bear because they are trying out a new way to get rid of your character, Naughty Bear. There is a different set of enemies for each level, and further to the story missions there are 4 other ways to play the same level (35 missions overall), ranging from friendly (using no weapons to kill the bears), stealth (where you must not be seen more than 5 times), and untouchable (one hit and you fail), among others. The meat of the game boils down to high scores - can you get enough points to unlock the platinum cups, or to be on top of the leaderboards? The strategic element to playing the game is key to getting these high scores. Smash and sabotage objects, scare bears, trap bears, injure bears and drive them crazy. Keep your multiplier up high as you cause more and more chaos, slowly driving them all insane, until they're all completely bonkers! Then use the freeze power-ups to lock your multiplier up high and take them all out one by one. Stringing together multiple combos ending up with a very high score is a satisfying experience, and one you simply won't achieve by rampaging around like a bull in a china shop, which is why Naughty Bear is a satisfying strategic / high score experience.

This brings me to the trophies. If you like to collect them, this game doesn't fall under the category of easy. Getting a platinum cup in 28/35 levels calls for some serious dedication and strategic skills. If you're up for the challenge and are looking for a game which rewards strategy over brute force, then this is the underrated game of 2010 for you. Pick up your copy now before the Naughtycorn escapes!

For sheer fun I'd give this game 4 stars, but I can't deny that there are flaws that would have made this game better, so overall I'd give Naughty 3 stars.