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»Crush
"Don't touch, CRUSH!"
Let's be honest, folks. When it comes right down to it, the PSP is not a haven of good original games. The most popular titles on this system are either ports from the PS2, sequels or spin-offs to PS2 hits, which may or may not be ported to the PS2, for some strange reason, or awesome remakes. Needless to say, when people say "good," "original game," and "PSP" in the same sentence, expect to either hearing nothing or "Lumines." Amid all this chaos, Sega has proclaimed that it loves the PSP in some odd advertising gimmick. By bringing over Zoe Mode's Crush to the PSP, I think they aren't kidding.
In Crush, players take on the role of Danny, a troubled young man with a terrible problem: an extreme case of insomnia. Insomnia so severe, that he's sent to an institution and put into the care of a psychologist by the name of Dr. Reubens. In order to alleviate Danny's severe case of insomnia, the good doctor decides to use his greatest invention: a device named by the name of C.R.U.S.H. (short for Cognitive Regression Utilizing Psychiatric Heuristics...oh wait, well Doc Reubens was apparently never good at spelling). C.R.U.S.H. allows Danny to enter the depths of his warped psyche, in order to find out the roots of his horrible affliction.
This game isn't your standard "stack-‘em-up" puzzle game. Instead, it's more of a platformer or action game that requires you to solve puzzles in order to continue. The goal in each stage is to collect enough marbles to open the exit. The exit looks oddly like a sewer manhole, and explodes with a continuous beam of light when active. There are three kinds of marbles, each offering a specific amount of marbles: blue (one), purple (three) and red (a whopping ten!). There are a set number of marbles per stage, but all need not be collected to activate the exit. Sounds simple enough, right?
WRONG. Many of the marbles are in far off places that Danny's meager jumping ability would never be able to reach. So, what's an insomniac to do? Why, crush the world, of course. Yes, in a twist that many have compared to Super Paper Mario's 2D/3D engine, Danny can compact his twisted mindscape from a full 3D world into a much more manageable 2D one. See, while the analog nub is used to control our hapless hero, the D-Pad is put to better use, controlling the camera angles, allowing for five different ways to crush the world. The way that the world is crushed allows Danny to access new areas. For example, crushing the world from a top-view can take Danny up to the highest point of the level if it's contiguous with his current location. The other views, on the other hand, make the game look like a traditional 2D platformer, even creating new platforms out of flat protrusions in the walls as well as eliminating certain obstacles.
There are also many other items in the stages: switches that change the surrounding of the levels, various large spherical objects that can be used to set off larger switches or crush other objects, giant cockroaches that wake up Danny upon impact (but can be destroyed in a number of ways), and boxes filled with wired tentacles that attack Danny if he comes anywhere near them. There are also two collectables per stage: a trophy and a puzzle piece. The trophy pieces unlock trophy modes where a trophy emblem is hidden and can only be found by crushing the level at a certain angle. The puzzle pieces unlock an image in the art gallery. There are also other special emblems in the same vein as the trophy one: a foot with wings that increases Danny's jumping ability and another with a lock over a cube that disables Danny's ability to uncrush. Of course, all the emblems are only active when visible.
Needless to say, this game is fun and works great on the PSP's hardware. The controls are solid, there are minimal load times, and above all, it's an original PSP game that doesn't feel like it was developed for the PS2 and then bumped down to the portable. I'm hoping to see what else Zoe Mode can do, and hope they keep up their partnership with both Sega and the PSP.
The graphics are actually pretty good. The environments in the background fit with the game's strange concept and the character models are well-rendered. However, this is only clear in 3D mode. When the game shifts to 2D, much of the game's detail is lost, which would be understandable in the more simplistic of the 2D styles like the overhead view, but crushing also takes away much of the detail from the other 2D modes. Considering how well I've seen 3D graphics/2D gameplay rendered in other PSP games of that style (i.e. MegaMan Powered Up, Ultimate Ghouls 'n Ghosts, and Exit), it's just a bit disappointing.
The storyline segments, on the other hand, are amazing. The character designs are unique and a little twisted. It gives the game an offbeat mood which fits this game like a glove. Also, while the cut-scenes aren't fully animated (generally, there are only zoom effects, fade effects and flashes), this actually works to the game's advantage. The still images have a much greater impact than full-motion video ever could. The colors, the shading… everything looks beautiful.
The sound is great. The soundtrack follows suit with the artwork, really adding to the game's twisted atmosphere. There's a wide range of styles, which varies significantly between each theme. For example, while there's an electronic jazz/ska/funk/reggae-styled soundtrack in the City area, the Seaside puzzles serenade you with some creepily-arranged sea shanties. Yes, that's right, SEA SHANTIES. Yet, it's still acceptable because it adds to the game's environment. Sound effects are standard, so there's not much to talk about. The voice acting, on the other hand, is excellent. Danny and Doc Reubens' voices fit their characters well, and their dialogue, it's actually…funny. Not "bad voice acting" funny, but "well-acted and well-written" funny.
Puzzle games are made to be replayable, and Crush is no exception. Crush only boasts around 40 levels which seems meager for a puzzle game, but considering the difficulty of many of the levels, as well as the extra marbles and collectables lying around in each stage, completing the game 100% is a daunting task that will eat up many hours. There's also the trophy mode, which sets a time limit on you in order to obtain every item (mandatory or otherwise) in a given time limit. Besides, the most important factor in a puzzle game's replay is there: the game is FUN. So, if you've got a PSP, whether it's battered from constant use or just collecting dust, do yourself a favor and pick up Crush.
Article by: Wolfdogg
Posted on: Jun. 20th, 2007 |
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Review Recap |
| Gameplay |
| Innovative, yet fun. This game is an amazing twist on the current puzzle-solving subgenre. |
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Graphics |
| The hand-drawn cutscenes, though static, are a pleasure to look at. The in-game graphics, on the other hand, are a little behind. |
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Sound |
| Awesome atmospheric music in a variety of styles, great sound effects and brilliant voiceovers make this game a treat to listen to. |
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Replay Value |
| With over 40 levels, collectables, unlockable time trials for every stage, an unlockable art gallery and an impressive fun factor, this game’s built to last. |
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Comments |
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June 26, 2007 |
Bill |
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Great game. Definitely worth it.
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June 28, 2007 |
Bloodspoor |
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It's not often that I back such high scores on any platform, but this game seriously deserves this. Good work, SEGA! Let's hope there are more great things in store for portable gamers.
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