E3 2008 Preview
At E3, we journalists see a lot of
different games. The problem is, many aren’t really that different from each
other. Some don’t even feel like games. Thus, when a publisher or developer
shows us something that truly stands out, we can’t wait to talk about it. N+ is
one such game. Already available for Xbox Live Arcade, this action/platformer is
a genius mix of impeccable level design and top-notch platforming action. It
looks basic — each level is dressed in a similar, highly simplified color
scheme. The lead character is merely known as a ninja. He (or could it be a
she?) doesn’t have the history of other action games to back him up. His
appearance is nothing more than a silhouette. And it doesn’t matter — N+ isn’t
about the story, the characters, or some other external element. It’s all about
the gameplay.
One-Upping Spider-Man
Everyone knows that Spider-Man can
climb walls. But can he slingshot himself off of walls, slide down the sides,
hop over landmines, and dodge a heat-seeking laser blast? Alright, maybe he
could. But in video game form, it’d never be as fun as doing it in N+.
The seamless control scheme is a tad
deceiving. It’s used to lure the player into the experience, which includes 350
single-player levels. The Nintendo DS levels differ from those on PSP, giving
players of both access to 700 different levels. You’ll also be able to create
your own stages and share them online. And in a Nintendo DS first, the
developers have managed to avoid the default "friend code" system. This forced
them to come up with their own way of uploading content, which was exactly what
they wanted. Now you’ll be able to upload and retrieve the goods to a real
server.
There will also be 150 multiplayer
stages, and though not all of them are unique to the DS or PSP versions (some
are shared among them), that’s still a lot of gameplay for a $20 title.
