- Publisher: THQ
- Developer: Blue Tongue
- ESRB Rating: “E10" for Everyone 10 and Up
- Genre: Platformer
- Pros: Fun gameplay; great concept; good music; nice clean graphics
- Cons: Checkpoints a bit far apart; levels are too big; co-op kind of worthless
The first de Blob game appeared on the Wii in 2008 where the main character, Blob, used his awesome color absorbing abilities to overthrow an evil corporation and kick its leader, Comrade Black, out of Chroma City. In de Blob 2, now multiplatform, Comrade Black is trying to take over a new city and it is up to Blob to stop him once again.
Black's power comes from draining all of the color out of the city and enslaving the people living there. By repainting the buildings and bringing color back to the world, the people are freed and the day is saved.
The single-player campaign is decently long and you can also play it in a co-op mode. In co-op, player 2 controls a reticle that can change Blob's color or shoot enemies and other things. The problem is that the game moves so fast and the camera has to shift so much that actually targeting anything is near impossible for player 2. There is also a competitive 2-player mode where you both try to complete specific goals as fast as possible.
The campaign also has an easy mode that gives you tons of lives and time and simplifies things a bit, which makes it perfect for younger kids.
Gameplay
THQ
There are some issues here, unfortunately. The game uses a checkpoint system, but sometimes the checkpoints are really far apart so if you die between them you may have to replay a large chunk of a level. Also, the levels themselves are kind of ridiculously long. Each level takes anywhere from 45-90 minutes to complete, and that is just doing story objectives. Going back and completing everything on a level takes even longer. As fun as the gameplay can be, it does start to drag when you spend that much time in an area. By the end of the game you are kind of relieved it is finally over. The levels also each have a time limit, but by completing objectives you add more time to the clock. Most of the time the timer doesn't matter, but it can definitely bite you if you spend too much time goofing off.
Graphics
Visually, de Blob 2 is a great looking game. It uses simple textures and isn't super detailed, but everything is very clean and smooth looking and surprisingly attractive. When you color the world and make everything bright and vibrant it really is something special. The game also has a 3D mode for folks with 3D televisions. We couldn't try it out, but it is something to consider if you do already have a 3D TV.
Sound
The sound is also very good. The music is absolutely spectacular in that it slowly builds from a simple beat when the world is gray to a full symphony when everything is bright and colorful. Each color has its own sound, and when you color a building you get a neat little flourish of music that adds to the overall song. Very cool.
Bottom Line
THQ
