PixelJunk Monsters Review
PixelJunk Monsters
Platform: Sony PlayStation 3 (PlayStation Network download)
Publisher: Q-Games
1-2 Players
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone
PixelJunk Monsters is a Real-Time Strategy game, more accurately categorized as a "Tower Defense" game available on the PlayStation Network. The game allows for remote play with a PlayStation Portable.
Players have to protect their island and its villagers from the monster horde at each stage. Players begin roughly in the center of an island where there are about 20 villages to defend in 3 areas; designated easy, medium and hard. At each stage there is a base, that the monsters travel toward, where all the villagers stay. If a monster is able to reach the base, the life of at least one villager is taken.
At the beginning of each stage, players start out with a minimum number of coins and can collect more by finding them randomly throughout the stage or by defeating enemies. Coins are used to build towers, which will attack the oncoming monster horde. Towers are constructed by going to any tree on a stage and selecting what type of tower is to be built at that location.
As with coins, Gems are also found randomly throughout the level or by defeating certain monsters. Gems can be used to upgrade current towers or research new types of towers to build. Upgrading towers will increase their attack power and range of projectiles. Players can also have their character stand near towers to help level up the towers more quickly.
The wave gauge, on the bottom left corner of the screen, displays how much time players have left before the next wave of monsters appear. Once the gouge is depleted, the next wave will appear. The quicker the current wave is defeated, the quicker the next wave will emerge.
Although the music for the game fits nicely, there isn't much variety between song selections on some stages and the constant looping of the same song can become annoying.
Score system: The player's score increases with each coin and gem they acquire. One coin is worth 1 point and one gem is worth 100 points. Players will lose points if they are hit by an enemy or if they sell one of their towers. The score also depends on the player's success from wave to wave. Villagers remaining at the end of the stage is worth 10 points. Clearing a wave with all villagers remaining (perfect bonus) is worth 100 points. Clearing all enemies in a wave is worth 10 points. Each coin gained in interest at the end of a wave is worth 1 point. And for clearing the boss and completing the stage, there is a clear bonus of 1000 points.
Players have the option to "play online," which will allow their scores to be ranked on the Playstation Network. Players can access the high score board by pressing triangle at any point on the map screen (the island) and can choose to display overall scores from everyone, their own scores, and their friend's scores.
PixelJunk Monsters is a straightforward, enjoyable game that can become quite challenging and addictive. The graphics are simplistic, yet very colorful, and the art style is unique. Fans of tower defense games should find this entertaining. With a free demo available on the PSN, there's no reason why any one should not try out the game. If players enjoy playing the demo, the full game is available for the asking price of $9.99, which isn't too much to ask for. An expansion pack entitled, "PixelJunk Monsters: Encore!" was released on May 8th 2008 in North America for $5.99. Encore includes one new island, fifteen new levels, and five new music tracks. With the original game and it's expansion pack, players should find plenty of gameplay to indulge themselves for many hours.
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