05.12
ipod touch review
iTunes Link
Pandemonium is a platform game by Electronic Arts. $2.99
Pandemonium is the first recently released game that we weren't expecting to come onto the iDevice platform. I have never heard of Pandemonium before and was really interested in seeing how it played as a 2.5D platformer. By 2.5D I mean that Pandemonium is set in a fully fledged 3D environment but with a 2D style of gameplay (A crystal collecting platformer). When I first read that Pandemonium features 18 worlds I automatically assumed that it was 18 levels, but this game is far from that. Each world has multiple levels to complete, that range in length but generally the levels are 5 minutes in length. For those like me who have no idea what is to be achieved in Pandemonium, the aim of each level is to get as many crystals as possible. There is no required amount to progress onto the next level, but rather the pressure is taken off and you just have to try and get a personal best. After each level is also tells you the amount percent of crystals collected for the whole game for those who want to try and beat a long term goal. While this sounds basic and not very entertaining, Pandemonium packs alot of punch for this type of game.
As I stated above, Pandemonium is a 2.5D platformer. Most platform games I have played, especially on the iDevice, are either 2D or 2D but with graphics that make it seem 3D. Pandemonium takes the graphics of crystal collecting platformers to a whole new level with large 3D environments. There are many turns and twists in the game that send you on a full 3D experience. The levels are quite large and the detail in the game is very good. With each level being unique, there is surprisingly a heap of variety in the game. Camera angle in a 3D game like this is very important, and Electronic Arts has perfected it. As you progress through each level the camera tilts and moves as you do, which makes it very easy to play without getting confused what way you are going. For a game that I thought was going to be simple and not very good looking, Pandemonium has certainly proved me wrong. Reading other reviews by 148Apps and SlideToPlay obviously gives a different opinion of these graphics, but since I never played the original version on the Playstation 13 years ago I didn't know what to expect.
Pandemonium has been ported over using the basic D-Pad controls are found on a Playstation controller. To move in every direction you have four arrow buttons. To jump there is an A button to press and to move while jumping involves holding one of the arrows. When a special weapon is picked up you can fire it using the B button. The weapon has unlimited use except if you lose a life, you lose the weapon. For Fargus the Jester he has a special spin attack that can be used by pressing the C button. Nikki's special move is a larger jump which is done by pressing the normal jump button. The controls are quite good and are probably better for this type of game rather than the accelerometer. I haven't really found any problems with it.
The sound is very basic with a single tune repeating itself throughout the game. There are a few sound effects when losing lives etc. but that is about it. From what I have been told the sound has been watered down from the Playstation game, probably to save space and to not let the game lag more than it currently does. The sound is alright, but not as good as I expected from Electronic Arts. Most probably a game to play silently.
Pandemonium has alot of gameplay, thats a given but after a few worlds the actual reason to keep playing kind of leaves the game. The basic way Pandemonium works is that you must run, jump obstacles and either destroy or avoid enemies to get from Point A to Point B. Along the way you can find crystals and hearts that replenish your life. If you die you start from the last checkpoint. Some of the levels are quite fun. One instance of this is a level where you wind your way up to a top of a tower before a massive big wall covered in spikes chases you down to the bottom of the tower. The gameplay is very fun and quite challenging in some levels but after a while the incentive to complete levels disappears. Having no achievements, unlockables or even high scores really means that you are completing this game for the sake of completing it. While there are two characters to play with in the many worlds, they provide a bit of variety but nothing that will really keep you going World after World. After playing the first three worlds I was really loving this game as an unique platformer but it soon wore off on me. While the levels got more challenging as I progressed they didn't really give me an urge to continue. There is no storyline that continues through the whole game, but more of an intro video at the start. The game itself is alot of fun and really gave me what I expect from a platformer game, the reason to actually play the game is what's lacking. The game also lags a bit on most levels which generally causes you to lose lives if you are trying to jump to a certain place or avoid a creature. The lag could be fixed I believe
Pandemonium has alot of content in it for a $2.99 game. I quite enjoyed the early stages of the game, but unlike 13 years ago when this game was released, gamers require a reason to play their games, not just because they enjoy platformers. Sadly the replay value is not in this game, that is if you finish the game first time around. The graphics are quite good but the sound is only up to the standards of the board game music, quite repetitive. In a future update I would like to see unlockable characters or items as well as achievements. In its current Playstation port mode the game doesn't really give me a platformer that will keep me attention for long. It needs to be updated to suit todays gamers. Buy this if you really like platformers or this type of game, if you are on the border then possibly hold off for now.
Gameplay- 7/10
Graphics- 8/10
Sound- 6/10
Overall- 7/10
I would recommend this game if you enjoyed- Shaky Summit
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Thanks- iPhone_Reviews
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