Voodoo Vince impressions

[IKEA_boy]

After spending a good five hours with Voodoo Vince, I can honestly say I'm pretty impressed.

The graphics are great! Vince looks amazing, even on my budget system. The style is great too! I was a little worried about the environments at first. They look warped and "purple toned," much like the world of Blinx. I hated Blinx in terms of style. Hated it. It took an otherwise decent game and drove it into the ground. Another thing that initially worried me, (and another Blinx reference,) were the enemies. From the box shots, it looked like the enemies had this generic, shiny look, much like the multi-colored blobs populating Blinx. But Vince's style grew on me quickly. The environments fit the game and the enemies are varied well. The whole thing has a LucasArts' Day of the Tentacle / Grim Fandango feel to it.

The sound is excellent as well. Smooth southern style jazz and strange "blips" and "beeps" make up most of the soundtrack. The voice acting is top notch and Vince's one liners had me chuckling a bit. The dialogue is well written.

Vince plays like the usual double-jump fetch quest platform adventure game. Something that I haven't had in a long time so my overall opinion might be influenced by the "I'm in the mood" factor. Control is well polished, with only a few, very minor, camera frustrations. The "lives system" is incredibly pointless though. Even if you lose all your lives, the game will save before booting you to the main menu, meaning you lose no work. This essentially means unlimited lives to me. It wipes out any challenge in this otherwise reasonably easy game.

When all is said and done, there are two things that make a game fun for me. Gameplay and presentation. Voodoo Vince is lacking on the deep gameplay but it's style, comedy, and overall polish make it a must for my collection.

[Ruined]

Agreed, an excellent game and by far the most accessible platformer on XBOX to date.

[Reaver]

My official review:

Black magic. Rampaging skeletons. Shambling zombies. Misty moonlit graveyards. Dank swamps. Ghost-filled mansions. Possession. Characters and concepts normally reserved for the likes of a Stephen King novel or a John Carpenter film, these aren’t what one might normally consider the trappings of a family-friendly, light hearted romp of a game. But, through some feat of magic or marvellous coding, Beep Industries has not only used all of these things to great comical effect in their game Voodoo Vince, but they have also managed to create a game that drips with charm, laughs, and more than its fair share of thrills.
Voodoo Vince is the latest entry into the crowded platforming genre, but what the titular character lacks in tenure, he more than makes up for in personality and gumption. The third best voodoo doll of high priestess Madam Charmaine, our ten-inch hero has his work cut out for him when wanna-be world conqueror Kosmo the Inscrutable and his two goons, Jeb and Fingers, kidnap Madame Charmaine and steal her magically potent zombie dust, both of which he hopes to use to take over the world. But, as bumbling villains are wont to do in capers such as this, much of the zombie dust was scattered in the theft, resulting in the bringing to life of many things that were best left inanimate. Luckily for the world, and more specifically Madame Charmaine, Vince has also been brought to life by the zombie dust, and it is now his mission to stop Kosmo’s dastardly plans and rescue the high priestess. Will Vince succeed? Is he made of stern enough stuffing? Take the controls and find out for yourself.

One of the most unique cities in the world, a city that has a flavor and atmosphere you can’t find anywhere else on Earth, is New Orleans, Louisiana. A mixture of French, Spanish, Caribbean, and Native American influences, New Orleans has a colourful heritage to say the least, and today it is world renowned for its Jazz, its Creole cooking, and its festivals. One other aspect of New Orleans, one that might not be so well known, is its history with Voodoo that began in the early 1800’s. Marie Laveau, otherwise known as the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, was probably its most popular and prominent figure, and she resides in the city to this day, in a mausoleum in St. Louis Cemetery #1.

And so it is to New Orleans that we go in Voodoo Vince, a game that utilises all of the best and most entertaining aspects of the city to its advantage. The game starts off in a fictionalized version of New Orleans’s French Quarter, where Madame Charmaine’s shop is located. From there you will jump and float and fight your way across locations as diverse as an underground laboratory, a cemetery, a haunted mansion, a demented circus gone amok, as well as dipping down south a bit to the bayou for some serious swamp-blasting action, amongst other strange and wondrous places.

Voodoo Vince’s graphics are a visual treat, with particle effects aplenty and nicely detailed textures all around and a solid frame rate. All of the buildings and other structures are dreamlike in their design, with many slants and tilts to confuse the eye and draw you into the warped reality Beep is trying to create. Vince’s animations are smooth and varied, though those of the enemies you’ll face are average at best, most reduced to simple hops and scurries. A nice blend of colours suffuses the screen on many levels, though the palette does tend to veer toward the dark side, though that is fitting considering the macabre locations and tones. All in all, nice, but nothing to shake the rafters.

Sonically, though, the game is incredibly strong, with the highlight being the music. Scored and arranged by Steve Kirk, a renowned Jazz musician and composer, the game’s toe-tapping score is a delightful mixture of jazz, zydeco, and jazz/rock fusion. Each level and area has its own unique music that greatly helps to develop the ambiance of the game, but all of it fits together seamlessly and never seems out of place or gets tiring on the ears. The voice work is satisfactory on the main. Vince’s voice is deeper than you might expect, but it works in the long run, unlike Kosmo, whose squeaky threats get dull rather quickly. Environmental sounds, all output in Dolby Digital, work very well. Beep Industries certainly deserves high marks for their attention to sound detail.

Controlling Vince as he runs and leaps across the various levels is a very tight affair, which is a good thing considering the brutal maps he will face, many of them requiring nothing but absolute precision to navigate successfully. This is especially evident later in the game where the difficulty level shoots through the roof as skittish platforms move along every axis and obstacles come to you instead of waiting around. Using the left thumbstick to move Vince about, and the right to adjust the camera (which, thankfully, is perfect and easy to use), the sensitivity is spot on. Vince can, using the A button, jump and double jump, and he can slow his descent with a float function mapped to the L trigger. Y allows him to pick up various objects, and X activates switches and other mechanisms. There is also a first person view when you need to see the world from ten inches up. Combat is handled via a Spin Move that does little damage, a Head Stomp that does a bit more, and a Punch that really lays out the hurt. Each hit causes an opponent to spew Mardi Gras beads that Vince can use to power himself up. All in all, the little guy has some moves. For a doll, that is.

But top billing must go to Vince’s Voodoo Powers, which is the game’s main draw, and what most people can’t wait to see in action. Sadly, Vince’s Voodoo attacks amount to little more than localized death fields, and that is a real shame. There are 30 different Voodoo Powers at his disposal that you’ll acquire over the course of the game, though all of them boil down to nothing more than different animations that all do the same thing, which is to kill all of the enemies around Vince within a decently sized radius. The animations themselves, which range from a meat cleaver down the middle to a Chicago mob-style drive-by, are certainly entertaining to watch, for the first dozen times or so, but they eventually grow rather old, and which animation you get is completely random, so you’ll invariably see the same ones repeatedly. Boss battles also centre around the fact that Vince is a Voodoo doll, with the means of killing them lying in figuring out how to hurt himself in the given environment. Entertaining, but not as innovative as it could have been. Hopefully, if Vince gets a chance at a sequel, Beep Industries will work to implement a more varied and imaginative Voodoo Power system. Harming himself to harm others is a nice trick, and unquestionably unique, but it could have been more.

As things stand, Voodoo Vince is an enjoyable, though fairly standard platformer, but one that has a great amount of charm to it. You’ll spend an average of 15 or so hours running around, collecting power-ups and items, jumping from high ledges to other high ledges, and fending off beasties along the way. That isn’t very long, especially for a game that has little in way of replay value, but the variety of environments and bosses will make those hours seem much longer. There are a variety of vehicles that you will use, from a saddled rat to a fishing lure submarine to a swamp boat and more, and all of them are fun to drive and help to break up the constant running and leaping. Combat isn’t difficult at all, especially when the Voodoo Powers are employed, but the only real highlights are the bosses, which at least require some thought in beating. There are also a few puzzle solving segments, and they bring a smile to the face, though few tax the brain too harshly. Vince is a very entertaining fellow to watch, and given time and effort he could easily join the pantheon of platforming legends, but more work will need to be done. Still, his first game is a strong foundation to build on, so the future could be a bright one for our favorite little doll of pain.

[Blackbelt Jones]

Holy crap, I wouldn't how to begin to follow that reveiw, Reaver! Nice one! We have it and we love it... it is a very very clever game that never lets you get too lost (which is good if, like my wife, you are new to the whole gaming thing). And, of course, "Vince is cute!"

I am surprised that it did not get stronger reviews overall from the gaming sites (y'know, at least a "9" from someone), as it seems to be a truly unique twist on the platform genre... especially considering the XBOX has very few to pick from in the first place. But then again, what do I know... we've owned the XBOX for all of a week and a half!

[Blackbelt Jones]

All right... you knew it was gonna happen:




Someone posted this pic over at the xbox.com forum, but had no information on how to get it. My wife would love this...

[IKEA_boy]

I've seen those on eBay. Check there. I doubt they're "for sale" alone. They were probably sent out with shipments of the game to game stores to give to customers.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by Blackbelt Jones

Holy crap, I wouldn't how to begin to follow that reveiw, Reaver! Nice one! We have it and we love it... it is a very very clever game that never lets you get too lost (which is good if, like my wife, you are new to the whole gaming thing). And, of course, "Vince is cute!"

I am surprised that it did not get stronger reviews overall from the gaming sites (y'know, at least a "9" from someone), as it seems to be a truly unique twist on the platform genre... especially considering the XBOX has very few to pick from in the first place. But then again, what do I know... we've owned the XBOX for all of a week and a half!

It seems these days truly unique games rarely get good reviews, while the SOS gets the 9s

i.e. Azurik, Blinx, Toejam and Earl III, all very cool unique games that got mediocre reviews. While I understand that they are games that not everyone would like (some may be bored by Azurik's immense exploration, frustrated by Blinx's puzzles, or find Toejam and Earl too strange for their tastes), they all are excellent in my book simply because they are not the same old crap I've been playing for the past 10+ years. Voodoo Vince, as I mentioned above, is cool because it is unique but at the same time not super-hard and care has been taken to make it more accessible to everyone (unlike the above few games). But, it still seems to not be getting the cred it deserves, and again I can only suggest that is because it is different from the pack.

[Reaver]

Originally Posted by Ruined

Voodoo Vince, as I mentioned above, is cool because it is unique but at the same time not super-hard...

I will agree that it isn't hard, until you get to the Circus at the end, and then the damn difficulty goes through the roo. Whether it's the shifting tiles in the funhouse, or having to make these insanely hard jump from ride to ride, I almost went insane at the end. The levels before it are all so wonderful with just the right amount of difficulty, but you really hit a mountain at the Circus.

Still, it is a lovely game, and I hope my review reflected that. I can't wait fot another one.

[jazz]

Originally Posted by Blackbelt Jones

All right... you knew it was gonna happen:




Someone posted this pic over at the xbox.com forum, but had no information on how to get it. My wife would love this...

oh, you post there as well, blackbelt? i post under the username 'jazz0r.'

[Blackbelt Jones]

Originally Posted by jazz

oh, you post there as well, blackbelt? i post under the username 'jazz0r.'

Cool! that's good to know. My wife has the account there actually... Hairpimptress... though she has only ever posted two or three times. She is not much of a forum person. Me? I am a 'File guy!

My wife is slowly making here way though the game... she is now building the ballon for that creepy turtle looking scientist with the horn-rimmed glasses. For her first video game experience ever, she is doing pretty good. Though I had no idea she could swear the way she does when she sends poor little Vince into a bottomless pit...

[IKEA_boy]

I beat it last night... 100%. Everything collected. What did I unlock? Nothing.

Don't spend $50 on this one. It took me no more than four days to finish this and there is nothing other than the experience to lure me into a second round. It was fun, but it was extremely short.

[Reaver]

Originally Posted by IKEA_boy

Don't spend $50 on this one.

Well, seeing as how the MSRP is $39.99, that would be a bit hard to do anyway.

And for me, it was worth it. I loved it. Short, yes, but what it packs in that time is sometimes amazing. Brilliant music, great characters, inventive levels, and some really manic gameplay. For $40 it's a good deal, and when it drops to $30 (which I'm sure won't take long) it'll really be worth it.

[IKEA_boy]

Originally Posted by Reaver

Well, seeing as how the MSRP is $39.99, that would be a bit hard to do anyway.

Weird. I've been seeing it for $50. (At my store and at least one other.)

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by IKEA_boy

I beat it last night... 100%. Everything collected. What did I unlock? Nothing.

Don't spend $50 on this one. It took me no more than four days to finish this and there is nothing other than the experience to lure me into a second round. It was fun, but it was extremely short.

I disagree about length being a factor into buying price. Some of my favorite games of all time (monkey island, day of the tentacle, etc), I completed in less than 2 days, but I still have fond memories to this day of them and replay them occasionally. Or, Crazy Taxi is an example of a modern game that can be completed in less than 2 days, Crazy Box and all, but still well worth $50 in my book.

[Reaver]

Originally Posted by IKEA_boy

Weird. I've been seeing it for $50. (At my store and at least one other.)

Then you're getting screwed, as everywhere around me I've seen it for $39.99.

[IKEA_boy]

Originally Posted by Reaver

Then you're getting screwed...

I didn't get screwed. I payed a very reasonable price for it.

Originally Posted by Ruined

I disagree about length being a factor into buying price.

But why spend that much money on a brand new game when it's bound to drop to the sub-$20 range, Blinx style? It'll be the same game a few months from now as it is now. I'd much rather spend that $40 on a few older titles of the same quality. (I should note that I stand by this philosophy, for the most part, regardless of length.)

The only way I could justify dropping release day cash on a game is if I know I won't be able to get it cheaper in the future or there is some incentive for it, (like the Zelda deal.)

There has only been two other instances of me paying full price for a game; Rogue Squadron II because I had no games at the time, and Animal Crossing because it was that damn cool.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by IKEA_boy

I didn't get screwed. I payed a very reasonable price for it.



But why spend that much money on a brand new game when it's bound to drop to the sub-$20 range, Blinx style? It'll be the same game a few months from now as it is now. I'd much rather spend that $40 on a few older titles of the same quality. (I should note that I stand by this philosophy, for the most part, regardless of length.)

The only way I could justify dropping release day cash on a game is if I know I won't be able to get it cheaper in the future or there is some incentive for it, (like the Zelda deal.)

There has only been two other instances of me paying full price for a game; Rogue Squadron II because I had no games at the time, and Animal Crossing because it was that damn cool.

I generally (as in this case) don't buy a release game either unless I get 20% or more off, which I did in this case.

[incubus0]

Just picked it up last night (for $39.99) and was drawn right into it. Interesting levels and puzzles, the only down side so far (only up to the 'Boss' dinosaur bones) is the voice acting. It seems like the deveolpers did their own here. It is good enough, but gets a bit distracting at times.