Gunpey (PSP)
Today brings a review of a game I've honestly been looking forward to since I knew it was being released for the PSP. This title started out as a launch title for the WonderSwan in Japan, and it was named, in honor, after the late (and great) creator of the Game Boy, WonderSwan, Game & Watch series AND the Virtual Boy (but we can forgive him for how the VB turned out, right?). It's a simple game, and it's called...
Gunpey (Sony PSP, released 10/31/06, Bandai/Namco Games, rated E-10+)
Gunpey is a simple, straight-forward puzzle game that I do believe has been seen before in the US, but not often on major systems. Before I get into the interview, just a little backstory...
The reason why I was so interested in this title was because of my odd desire to own a WonderSwan. I saw screenshots in EGM, and I would constantly drool, having absolutely no idea how to go about getting anything imported, let alone my desire. I saw shots of a quirky puzzle game named Gunpey, and it made me happy; just seeing the black-and-white pictures, for some reason, made me happy.
That little bit of backstory (I don't know why I added it, but what the hell, right?) leads me to today, where I'm pleased to be playing a game I thought I'd never get to play. And no, I don't count emulators, that's just cheatin'.
Gunpey is basically about connecting lines from one side of the grid to another as fast as possible, and connecting as many lines to one attachment to gain a bigger and better bonus. Sound simple? It is. But the pieces come from the bottom and scroll up, and they come faster, and in random combinations, so you beter pay attention to just how high each piece is, otherwise your game will end faster than Yosemite Sam falls off the cliff chasing Bugs Bunny.
You know, without the accordion effect on impact.
The presentation, while so simple, is laid out very similar (note: copied in style from) to the incredible PSP puzzler Lumines, with background skins abound and strong techno bets for each level of play. The only thing is... it doesn't really fit. Some of the skins are cool and all, but the music is very unremarkable as a whole and doesn't give a real sense of urgency, or... yeah. The music won't keep interest for very long.
The gameplay itself is frantic, but sadly, it feels like a lot of repitition. With Gunpey basically competing with Lumines for the "best PSP puzzle game" title, it can't stand up; Gunpey features a basic strategy for making the best of the pieces a player if given, while Lumines is so expansive in what you can do what with you're given. In some ways, t's a bit like comparing non-alcoholic beer with a bottle of fine wine: if might still taste good, but you know there's something better down the line. It's not that Gunpey has bad controls, it really doesn't... they're responsive and easy to handle, but it just doesn't bring anything new.
Wow. I started this as a happy, positive review, and it's just started to spiral out of control. Crap.
Gunpey is a puzzle gamer's delight, but it's not anything that'll convert those that haven't played a puzzler before. Tetris might do it; Lumines can do it...
but Gunpey?
Sadly, nope.
But for a little bit, it's still fun. Pop the tab and guzzle that, have a drink on me, and pick this up if you're a fanatic for a good puzzle. If you're not, then don't bother. It's nothing you'd hear about from any gamer buddies.
Gunpey (Sony PSP, released 10/31/06, Bandai/Namco Games, rated E-10+)
Gunpey is a simple, straight-forward puzzle game that I do believe has been seen before in the US, but not often on major systems. Before I get into the interview, just a little backstory...
The reason why I was so interested in this title was because of my odd desire to own a WonderSwan. I saw screenshots in EGM, and I would constantly drool, having absolutely no idea how to go about getting anything imported, let alone my desire. I saw shots of a quirky puzzle game named Gunpey, and it made me happy; just seeing the black-and-white pictures, for some reason, made me happy.
That little bit of backstory (I don't know why I added it, but what the hell, right?) leads me to today, where I'm pleased to be playing a game I thought I'd never get to play. And no, I don't count emulators, that's just cheatin'.
Gunpey is basically about connecting lines from one side of the grid to another as fast as possible, and connecting as many lines to one attachment to gain a bigger and better bonus. Sound simple? It is. But the pieces come from the bottom and scroll up, and they come faster, and in random combinations, so you beter pay attention to just how high each piece is, otherwise your game will end faster than Yosemite Sam falls off the cliff chasing Bugs Bunny.
You know, without the accordion effect on impact.
The presentation, while so simple, is laid out very similar (note: copied in style from) to the incredible PSP puzzler Lumines, with background skins abound and strong techno bets for each level of play. The only thing is... it doesn't really fit. Some of the skins are cool and all, but the music is very unremarkable as a whole and doesn't give a real sense of urgency, or... yeah. The music won't keep interest for very long.
The gameplay itself is frantic, but sadly, it feels like a lot of repitition. With Gunpey basically competing with Lumines for the "best PSP puzzle game" title, it can't stand up; Gunpey features a basic strategy for making the best of the pieces a player if given, while Lumines is so expansive in what you can do what with you're given. In some ways, t's a bit like comparing non-alcoholic beer with a bottle of fine wine: if might still taste good, but you know there's something better down the line. It's not that Gunpey has bad controls, it really doesn't... they're responsive and easy to handle, but it just doesn't bring anything new.
Wow. I started this as a happy, positive review, and it's just started to spiral out of control. Crap.
Gunpey is a puzzle gamer's delight, but it's not anything that'll convert those that haven't played a puzzler before. Tetris might do it; Lumines can do it...
but Gunpey?
Sadly, nope.
But for a little bit, it's still fun. Pop the tab and guzzle that, have a drink on me, and pick this up if you're a fanatic for a good puzzle. If you're not, then don't bother. It's nothing you'd hear about from any gamer buddies.
posted by Unknown at 10:19 PM
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