Genre: Platformer
Full Game Price: $9.99
No. of Players: 1
Explodemon is a platformer that pays homage to the 16-bit glory days of platform gaming. You play as Explodemon, a comical, unwanted, malfunctioning hero, and you must defend your planet against an alien invasion. Explodemon comes across as a bit Mega Man-ish with a hint of puzzle here and there and while retrofun abounds, the game also brings some interesting quirks to the table. First off, Explodemon does not carry any weapons. He is the weapon, must get dangerously close to enemies to defeat them, and he doesn't have full control of his explosive nature. Second, Explodemon's life meter doubles as a strength meter for his dangerous explosions: the better you are at avoiding damage, the more damage you do.
Explodemon is a game that doesn't take itself too seriously: it is full of funny, clever dialogue and other humor that keeps things light. The action vacillates between frantic fun and catch-your-breath calm, pacing the gameplay nicely, and the 2.5D graphics are colorfully cartoony and immersive (no complaints here). The controls are pretty much what you expect from a platformer and are easy to get the hang of. Finally, the music and sound effects are fun and do not detract from the experience.
The Explodemon demo lasts about 10-15 minutes, but may take much longer to download depending on your internet connection and how well PSN is working. The demo gives a good idea of what you can expect from the game, except for one glaring omission: upgrades. They are mentioned in the demo but not actually demonstrated. I would have loved to see how the upgrade system works before buying.
My verdict? As a tribute to platformers, Explodemon works well. As a game in and of itself, it leaves a little to be desired. It is fun, but not really novel enough to command my attention. Perhaps if I knew a little more about how Explodemon upgrades himself, I would be more interested. That being written, at $9.99, you can hardly argue with the price, especially if you like platformers.
Demo Gamer Stats:
Age range: 8+
Demo length: 10-15 minutes
Demo worth playing? It is fun, so yes
Full game worth buying? I'm not sold, but the price looks right.
What's your take on Explodemon? Sound off in the comments!
--Demo Gamer
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