SourNotHardcore
October 4th, 2010, 03:28 PM
http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/9103/comju.jpg
Twisted Pixel Games, the creators of The Maw and 'Splosion Man, brings us their newest IP, Comic Jumper: The Adventures of Captain Smiley. This comic book tale tells the story of Captain Smiley, a righteous super hero who is forced to make guest appearances in other comics until he can raise enough cash to once again star in his own. Speaking of stars, his sidekick is a loud-mouthed star strapped to his chest who comments on Captain Smiley and the situations he gets in. Oh, boy, what a duo.
When we first join up with our caped crusader, we learn that although he plays the lead in his own comic, it doesn't last for long. Captain Smiley fans are beginning to lose interest and his comic book sales are rapidly declining. In order to get back in the game, he is picked up by Twisted Pixel and given a base of operations. From here on out, he is forced to guest star in other comic adventures until he can get enough money to relaunch his once esteemed franchise. With the help of his associate Gerda and the “support” of his arch-nemesis, Captain Smiley sets off to reconquer his old glory.
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/470/comju2.jpg
Comic Jumper's gameplay is mashup of a couple of different styles and they all transition together quite smoothly. You'll find yourself punching and kicking enemies when the game switches to beat-'em-up mode. When it's time to go all out, the game plays out like a dual stick shooter. Since we all know good things come in threes, Comic Jumper will occasionally turn into a rail shooter Ã* la Space Harrier. The controls remain the same, if not similar, during these gameplay switches so the action never comes to a halt. Comic Jumper does a great job at balancing each of these gameplay elements so you won't find yourself playing in one style for too long before switching it up.
The level design in Comic Jumper is simply beautiful. Each of the four comic book worlds has their own unique art style representative of their source material. Be prepared to find yourself deep within a barbaric fantasy adventure, a silver age style comic, a Japanese manga and a modern action comic. While these worlds do an excellent job at portraying their individual style, they're not without some sort of comical (pun intended) twist. For example, the manga world is modeled after the shojo style, which is marketed to a young female audience. You can expect to find yourself fending off against schoolgirls with your heart shooting gun as you make your way across the screen from right to left. Even Captain Smiley dresses up for the occasion when he flips through the pages of Cutie Cutie Kid Cupids by playing the role of the tied and true spiky haired hero.
http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/1341/comju3.jpg
You can tell Twisted Pixel had a lot of fun at the office when you listen to sounds of Comic Jumper. The game's music brings about the sense of action and adventure you'd expect to find without taking itself too serious. This is especially true with the character themes and top-notch voice acting. All of the game's characters feel alive and rich in personality. I personally loved Captain Smiley's comments to the player upon expiring from the game world as well as Star's hilarious banter. Here's to hoping Brad's theme becomes an iTunes download.
While this is an excellent title, it's not without faults. The game will definitely feel a bit on the difficult side, specifically on the first level. Captain Smiley will have to fend off against hundreds of foes without the use of health packs and knowledge of checkpoints. When the game switches over to rail shooter mode, the aiming can feel a little off. Even when I got used to it, it was still hard to get my crosshair exactly where it needed to be. Later on, the game will start to feel a bit repetitive at some points, but it doesn't take away too much from the overall experience.
When it comes to total playtime, you can expect to spend about five hours with this game from start to finish. While that may feel like an afternoon play to some people, the crazy amount of unlockables will keep you coming back for more. Concept art, interviews, character models and much more await your purchase in the game's credit shop. If you're one of the many who picked up 'Splosion Man, be prepared to load it back up because two exclusive levels can be unlocked within Captain Smiley for your gaming pleasure.
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/8306/comju4.jpg
If you're a fan of Twisted Pixel Games, you are definitely not going to want to miss out on this one. Even if you have never even heard of these guys, give the trial version a shot. Comic Jumper: The Adventures of Captain Smiley is a must have for any Xbox Live Arcade enthusiast. Priced at 1200 MSP ($15), this game surely will not disappoint.
Score
9/10
Twisted Pixel Games, the creators of The Maw and 'Splosion Man, brings us their newest IP, Comic Jumper: The Adventures of Captain Smiley. This comic book tale tells the story of Captain Smiley, a righteous super hero who is forced to make guest appearances in other comics until he can raise enough cash to once again star in his own. Speaking of stars, his sidekick is a loud-mouthed star strapped to his chest who comments on Captain Smiley and the situations he gets in. Oh, boy, what a duo.
When we first join up with our caped crusader, we learn that although he plays the lead in his own comic, it doesn't last for long. Captain Smiley fans are beginning to lose interest and his comic book sales are rapidly declining. In order to get back in the game, he is picked up by Twisted Pixel and given a base of operations. From here on out, he is forced to guest star in other comic adventures until he can get enough money to relaunch his once esteemed franchise. With the help of his associate Gerda and the “support” of his arch-nemesis, Captain Smiley sets off to reconquer his old glory.
http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/470/comju2.jpg
Comic Jumper's gameplay is mashup of a couple of different styles and they all transition together quite smoothly. You'll find yourself punching and kicking enemies when the game switches to beat-'em-up mode. When it's time to go all out, the game plays out like a dual stick shooter. Since we all know good things come in threes, Comic Jumper will occasionally turn into a rail shooter Ã* la Space Harrier. The controls remain the same, if not similar, during these gameplay switches so the action never comes to a halt. Comic Jumper does a great job at balancing each of these gameplay elements so you won't find yourself playing in one style for too long before switching it up.
The level design in Comic Jumper is simply beautiful. Each of the four comic book worlds has their own unique art style representative of their source material. Be prepared to find yourself deep within a barbaric fantasy adventure, a silver age style comic, a Japanese manga and a modern action comic. While these worlds do an excellent job at portraying their individual style, they're not without some sort of comical (pun intended) twist. For example, the manga world is modeled after the shojo style, which is marketed to a young female audience. You can expect to find yourself fending off against schoolgirls with your heart shooting gun as you make your way across the screen from right to left. Even Captain Smiley dresses up for the occasion when he flips through the pages of Cutie Cutie Kid Cupids by playing the role of the tied and true spiky haired hero.
http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/1341/comju3.jpg
You can tell Twisted Pixel had a lot of fun at the office when you listen to sounds of Comic Jumper. The game's music brings about the sense of action and adventure you'd expect to find without taking itself too serious. This is especially true with the character themes and top-notch voice acting. All of the game's characters feel alive and rich in personality. I personally loved Captain Smiley's comments to the player upon expiring from the game world as well as Star's hilarious banter. Here's to hoping Brad's theme becomes an iTunes download.
While this is an excellent title, it's not without faults. The game will definitely feel a bit on the difficult side, specifically on the first level. Captain Smiley will have to fend off against hundreds of foes without the use of health packs and knowledge of checkpoints. When the game switches over to rail shooter mode, the aiming can feel a little off. Even when I got used to it, it was still hard to get my crosshair exactly where it needed to be. Later on, the game will start to feel a bit repetitive at some points, but it doesn't take away too much from the overall experience.
When it comes to total playtime, you can expect to spend about five hours with this game from start to finish. While that may feel like an afternoon play to some people, the crazy amount of unlockables will keep you coming back for more. Concept art, interviews, character models and much more await your purchase in the game's credit shop. If you're one of the many who picked up 'Splosion Man, be prepared to load it back up because two exclusive levels can be unlocked within Captain Smiley for your gaming pleasure.
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/8306/comju4.jpg
If you're a fan of Twisted Pixel Games, you are definitely not going to want to miss out on this one. Even if you have never even heard of these guys, give the trial version a shot. Comic Jumper: The Adventures of Captain Smiley is a must have for any Xbox Live Arcade enthusiast. Priced at 1200 MSP ($15), this game surely will not disappoint.
Score
9/10