Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not a 'game' in the traditional sense, 4 Jan 2007
Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars
Electroplankton is not a conventional video game. The graphics and method of control are highly stylized, and there is no standard game 'ethic' to follow. There are no levels, scoring or 'enemies'; the result is a beautiful and enjoyable, if a little limited.
It is best to consider this game as an experiment, or concept; it is definitely not to everyone's taste, but those who do like it will understand how important these type of games are to the industry in the development of next-gen systems. The same people will understand when I say that the obvious amount of time, effort and care that has gone into creating this game makes it almost worth the price alone.
Incidentally, Gary Hilton's comments below, voicing a dissenting opinion than the general consensus here, have been cut & pasted from a variety of poor reviews for this game (they can be found on Metacritic.com). This leads me to believe he hasn't even played the game, so any potential buyers should perhaps discount his 'review' when coming to a decision.
In short, a very rewarding game, when played in the right frame of mind.
|
|
|
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Electroplankton, 26 April 2007
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
To call Electroplankton a game is in many ways pushing the definition of the word. The closest I can think of would be to call it something like a toy or plaything, but that really does undermine the charm and thought behind the game, perhaps something like 'Interactive media' would be more appropriate.
Designed by the artist Toshio Iwai, electroplankton does without the many trappings of a normal game, there are no levels as such to complete, and no real aim to what you do, other than to play about with the various types of plankton, and listen and watch the results as you manipulate them in the different ways, so I can say right away that someone looking for a challenge and set game to work their way through will be sorely disappointed, on the other hand, if you are looking for something incredibly charming and enjoyable to pick up and toy about with for a few minutes, or for an hour could be in for a treat.
In electroplankton you are given a choice of a variety of 'plankton' to play with, small happy creatures that you can manipulate in different ways that will create different sounds and sights for you. These range from a plankton that can record a small audio clip through the mic and distort it in various ways (Volvoice), to plankton that follow a line drawn by the stylus (the speed, shape and starting time all affecting the resulting sound)(Tracy), plankton that grow slowly emitting sounds as they grow and mature (Sun Animalcule), and a looper that plays through some familiar tunes from the nes, that you can improvise over by tapping the buttons onscreen, creating small passages that loop before fading away (Beatnes).
None of these are particular complex, but are fantastic fun to play around with to create enjoyable sounds. All pretty uncontrolled and fairly unusable as a serious musical instrument, yet very enjoyable.
Not really a game for the 'gamer' out there, but for someone wanting something enjoyable to play around with, without having to get into completing levels and gaining points, this is a fantastic choice.
|
|
|
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Opposite of 'Game', 28 Mar 2007
Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars
Electroplankton is astoundingly beautiful to look at, to listen to, and gently wonderful to play. It's the exact opposite of most games: you have nothing to collect, no enemies to kill, no time constraints, special moves or upgrades, just gorgeous little sprites to manipulate and tinkle about with.
The complaints of Electroplankton that you can't save, and that there are no levels, no save options and no goals: these are the very reasons for this game to exist! It's an anti-game. A relaxing, playful, imaginative, inventive riot of beautifully rendered sprites and glorious musical doodling. It's an experience that you can lose yourself in for hours at a time, everybody who plays this game has a smile on their face, it's infectiously happy and brilliant. I wish I could give it more than just 5 stars.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
