Twisted Pixel Games are back again with Ms. Splosion Man - the follow up to arguably their most popular title 'Splosion Man'. If you didn't enjoy the hit 2009 platformer then look away now, Ms. Splosion Man is more of the same. That said simply labelling it as more of the same would be selling it short. The game features more humour, new mechanics, a lengthy singleplayer campaign along with a unique set of levels and challenges built specifically for the game's 4 player multiplayer. On paper for 800msp Ms. Splosion Man seems like a steal, but does it really live up to expectations?
The core mechanics are exactly what you'd expect if you've played the original. However for those who are yet to experience Splosion Man (shame on you!) let me break it down for you. You control Ms. Splosion Man - a character made entirely out of an explosive material, who was created accidentally by a group of scientists. Hitting any of the face buttons on the gamepad will make her 'splode' in the direction you're aiming in - allowing you to bounce off walls and other objects. You're able to splode 3 times before needing to be in contact with a surface to recharge.
These mechanics are then spiced up with the inclusion of various elements both familiar and new, such as explosive and kickable barrels, jump pads and the ability to ride along rails, amongst others. The developers certainly do a better job in keeping things fresh this time round, with new mechanics being thrown into the mix throughout the entire campaign right until the very last boss. This added variety is certainly a welcome addition. Another way things are kept entertaining from beginning to end is the inclusion of an overworld style map screen allowing the player to move between levels, similar to that seen in Super Mario World 3. This includes 3 different worlds with 50 levels in total. Each world offers a change in scenery and new mechanics. One of the biggest complaints about the original was the lack of variety in the environments, it's certainly good to see Twisted Pixel listened to fans criticisms.
Whilst you're running around and sploding everywhere Ms. Splosion Man will belt out amusing cultural references, such as singing "all the single ladies", "if you wanna be my lover", "I whip my hair back and forth" along with "I won't let you go Jack". Initially these comments are pretty funny, and certainly provided some genuine laughs from myself. However once you get further into the game and hear the same lines repeated over and over again they can indeed become a little bit irritating. Thankfully the developers included the option to simply turn down the voice volume - something which I ended up taking advantage of. Also a welcome addition is 'The Mall' - here players can spend their gold earned through level completion on a myriad of awesome unlockables such as concept art, songs, videos, gamer pictures, avatar items, themes and even a new game mode!
The level of difficulty in the game is certainly something which I found myself suffering with during the later levels. World 3 consists of some seriously tough stages. Super Meat Boy managed to thrust itself into the limelight last year thanks to it's perfect platforming controls combined with a genuinely tough level of difficulty. The difference here is Ms. Splosion Man controls loosely, whereas Meat Boy felt precise this instead feels floaty. As a result of this some difficult stages become unbelievably frustrating. It doesnt help that the developers decided to throw in a ton of cheap deaths. In Ms. Splosion Man you'll regularly be zipping through the levels at great speed, therefore the inclusion of some downright dumb obstacles, which you simply have no way of knowing will be in your way without falling victim to them first, just come across as cheap. Many challenges end up being a trial and error affair. There are even extra tough levels clearly denoted on the map screen which can be avoided if you choose so, along with a hardcore difficulty mode unlocked after completing the game once for those which want to put themselves through gaming torture. Put simply there's a fine line when it comes to difficulty, and I feel Ms. Splosion Man crosses the wrong side of it at some points.
The game looks and sounds great consistently throughout. All of the visual effects pop colourfully onto the screen, the framerate stays consistently smooth, and the game has a unique visual flair to it. Some of the songs you'll hear are incredibly catchy and hilarious, including the return of the infamous doughnut song on the pause menu. Quite frankly Ms Splosion Man has fantastic style.
The multiplayer offering here is also brilliant. Up to 4 players can enjoy the game online or locally through a completely unique multiplayer campaign, featuring seperate challenges which require multiple players to work together, and even a brand new ending not seen in the singleplayer campaign. If you're looking for a multiplayer platformer to play with some buddies your prayers have been answered.
Ms. Splosion Man is a fantastic platformer, and at 800msp it's great value for money. That said it's not without flaws thanks to some loose controls and cheap difficulty spikes. The ending video alone is something every fan of the series should experience, featuring an amusing cameo appearance from an Xbox personality we all know and love. Fans of the genre will certainly find alot to like here.
Ms. Splosion Man Gets An Official Game-Pad: 8.2/10
Comments
It's a game with a ton of charm and character, but in 2 years some things have changed and titles such as Super Meat Boy have absolutely nailed the controls and level design down to an art.
If this was the game Twisted Pixel released 2 years ago the score would have definitely been abit higher. As it stands it's a damn good XBLA game that all fans of the genre should check out without any hesitation.
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