The "Retro Game Reviews" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
This thread has been linked to the game 'de Blob 2'.
de Blob 2 bounces onto the xbox 360 and PS3 with the vibrancy and energy of a Saturday morning kids TV show. With little in the way of challenge, cute and charming alien creatures and a paint by numbers gameplay mechanic, you could be forgiven for disregarding this game but that would be an unfortunate loss.
In their pursuit of Comrade Black, de Blob and his side kick, Pinky, discover that their nemesis and his evil INKT Corporation have removed all colour from the world. Grey is the new black declares Comrade Black as he extracts all colour and subsequently all sense of life from the inhabitants, think John Major from the Spitting Image sketches if you’re old enough. Loss of colour is all part of Comrade Black’s plans for world domination, remove the colour from the world and from the people and you remove their spirit. There are some fairly adult themes on hand for a game which looks and plays like it is for youngsters. You’ll find Comrade Black has meddled with polling stations and with the TV broadcasts to achieve his goal.
de Blob 2 is full of charm and humour and it starts right from the instruction booklet where Comrade Black attempts to stop you reading and wanting to play the game. Each level is introduced with a cut scene and you’ll often find yourself sniggering at the bumbling INKT Corporation, they are not the sharpest tools in the toolbox. The creatures in the game all speak gibberish (although at times you can make out the words if you listen closely) and like the cut scenes in the Lego games, actions speak louder than words. The cut scenes are well presented, tell the story well and are a joy to watch.
The star of the show is the aptly named, Blob. He is like a ball of rubbery goo who, most of the time, resembles a child’s space hopper toy as he shrinks, expands and squeezes his way along each level. de Blob is on hand to eradicate the INKT Corporation and the best way to do this is to restore colour and life to each area.
Blob is like a sponge, when he makes contact with a pool of colour he becomes that colour and is then able to apply colour to each item he touches. Make contact with a house and the house is instantly painted, touch a dead looking tree and it instantly changes to full bloom. As Blob progresses through each level the transformation in the grey location is quite staggering, the dull lifeless locale is rapidly replaced by a bustling area full of glorious colour. You would need to be some sort of cold hearted person to not take any joy from seeing each area come to life.
A lot of modern games, particularly first-person shooters are criticised for being brown. Lack of colour is certainly not a complaint that can be made against this game. In some ways the levels are akin to the progression of my gaming, I have gone from the monochrome games on the Atari 2600 and Spectrum to consoles which can display way more colours than I can name.
The levels are 3D based environments with a well behaved camera. Each level also has some underground or inside building sections where the game changes to a 2D platformer with some puzzles thrown in. The colour theme applies to the 2D sections too but they are well implemented and add some mix to the game.
Colour is very much the key to this game. Without colour, Blob himself is grey and powerless. This is recognised by your enemy who will ignore you when you are grey, you pose no threat. The first aim in any level is to restore some colour fountains which can be done courtesy of squeezing down a drain into a 2D section and removing the INKT presence. At times, any old colour will do, other times you’ll need to use a specific colour and that can require a little mixing. As well as colour fountains, there are some ink bots running about and these little bots are the key to colour mixing, if you need green then you’ll be looking for a red and yellow source of colour. You’ll become quite adept at knowing your colour mixes.
Once Blob has absorbed some colour and he can not only paint, he is also able to splat. The standard platformer execution move of jump on the head is present. Rather than rely on your aim in the 3D environment, the game allows you to target the enemy and then a quick press and the enemy is gone. It may feel like automation but it does allow for some rapid eradication of several enemies, something which would be a bit of a chore with a manual method.
Some of the enemies can fight back and there are also some boss battles to face. Colour is also Blob’s health so you need to keep an eye of the colour meter, take a hit with a low colour level and it can be back to the checkpoint. The game doesn’t come with much of the way of challenge but it is possible to die and when you do it will come as a shock although it will only really be through your own ignorance or carelessness. In addition to attacks, the INKT Corporation also have flying objects which can drag you into the black inky rivers. Black ink doesn’t do much for Blob’s health either but all he needs is some water to clean him. The water will also clean off any colour, it can be handy when your colour level is low and the INKT are launching an attack, as I mentioned earlier, they’ll ignore you when you are grey and colourless. Or if you make a mess of mixing your colours sometimes it is easier to clean off and start again.
Pinky is on hand to direct you through each level. Each level is broken down into missions and side quests. In between missions you are free to explore and the temptation to do so is strong, even if just to take pleasure in transforming each and every grey item you find. However there is a time limit to each level which for a while you’ll not bother with, you’ll never run out of time. But if you do lose a life you will find yourself back at a checkpoint and find the time has not reset which then does become a challenge and in some cases, renders the level impossible. It feels out of place with the general chill-out feeling of the game, it adds some pressure and urgency which the game doesn’t require. Thankfully you’ll have to consider the time later in the game so it’s not a big inconvenience.
Side quests become active when the main missions are complete. After a couple of levels you will get an idea as to what they entail and will find you are able to work on them as you progress from mission to mission. There is a surprising amount to do in each level if you want every side quest completed and every collectable found. You will find some of the later levels can take a good couple of hours to complete but even with the earlier levels, if you are aiming to do everything then you’ll still be facing a good hour’s worth of play. With a dozen or so levels, there is certainly much more gameplay than in the single player component of your average AAA title these days.
De Blob is able to level up as you progress but it will require finding collectables and completing side quests. If you want to fully power up then you will be faced with finding every item, something I have not managed yet. De Blob also has some power ups available, each of which is available for a certain level of time. The steel ball and magnetic rails add a little unexpected twist to proceedings.
The gameplay, taken on its own, is repetitive but the diverse locations ensure that tedium never sets in. The charm and humour play their part but the joy in seeing an area return to its full splendour never dampens. There is a nice mix of puzzle considering it is all based on being the right colour.
Each completed level sees a ranking awarded based on how much you completed and found. There is plenty of replay factor but if you are simply going back in to explore then it would be nice to simply do that. The game, however, makes you replay each level. The collectables you have found will no longer be there but you don’t have a free run of the entire area, you have to complete the main quests again to open each section within each level. The ability to return to a completed level in the start you left it is an oversight.
A 2nd player is able to join the game and take control of Pinky. Like Super Mario Galaxy 2, the 2nd player has more of a bit-part role which is really just to aid the main player. It would be good to see some full on co-op in the main game though but co-op is saved for the party mode which is based around mini games.
de Blob 2 is a fine game to just sit back and simply enjoy the ride. It has little in the way challenge but it doesn’t need one, it is simply a pleasure to experience from start to finish. It is a feel good game which offers something a different to the crowded shooter and racer markets.
8/10
In their pursuit of Comrade Black, de Blob and his side kick, Pinky, discover that their nemesis and his evil INKT Corporation have removed all colour from the world. Grey is the new black declares Comrade Black as he extracts all colour and subsequently all sense of life from the inhabitants, think John Major from the Spitting Image sketches if you’re old enough. Loss of colour is all part of Comrade Black’s plans for world domination, remove the colour from the world and from the people and you remove their spirit. There are some fairly adult themes on hand for a game which looks and plays like it is for youngsters. You’ll find Comrade Black has meddled with polling stations and with the TV broadcasts to achieve his goal.
de Blob 2 is full of charm and humour and it starts right from the instruction booklet where Comrade Black attempts to stop you reading and wanting to play the game. Each level is introduced with a cut scene and you’ll often find yourself sniggering at the bumbling INKT Corporation, they are not the sharpest tools in the toolbox. The creatures in the game all speak gibberish (although at times you can make out the words if you listen closely) and like the cut scenes in the Lego games, actions speak louder than words. The cut scenes are well presented, tell the story well and are a joy to watch.
The star of the show is the aptly named, Blob. He is like a ball of rubbery goo who, most of the time, resembles a child’s space hopper toy as he shrinks, expands and squeezes his way along each level. de Blob is on hand to eradicate the INKT Corporation and the best way to do this is to restore colour and life to each area.
Blob is like a sponge, when he makes contact with a pool of colour he becomes that colour and is then able to apply colour to each item he touches. Make contact with a house and the house is instantly painted, touch a dead looking tree and it instantly changes to full bloom. As Blob progresses through each level the transformation in the grey location is quite staggering, the dull lifeless locale is rapidly replaced by a bustling area full of glorious colour. You would need to be some sort of cold hearted person to not take any joy from seeing each area come to life.
A lot of modern games, particularly first-person shooters are criticised for being brown. Lack of colour is certainly not a complaint that can be made against this game. In some ways the levels are akin to the progression of my gaming, I have gone from the monochrome games on the Atari 2600 and Spectrum to consoles which can display way more colours than I can name.
The levels are 3D based environments with a well behaved camera. Each level also has some underground or inside building sections where the game changes to a 2D platformer with some puzzles thrown in. The colour theme applies to the 2D sections too but they are well implemented and add some mix to the game.
Colour is very much the key to this game. Without colour, Blob himself is grey and powerless. This is recognised by your enemy who will ignore you when you are grey, you pose no threat. The first aim in any level is to restore some colour fountains which can be done courtesy of squeezing down a drain into a 2D section and removing the INKT presence. At times, any old colour will do, other times you’ll need to use a specific colour and that can require a little mixing. As well as colour fountains, there are some ink bots running about and these little bots are the key to colour mixing, if you need green then you’ll be looking for a red and yellow source of colour. You’ll become quite adept at knowing your colour mixes.
Once Blob has absorbed some colour and he can not only paint, he is also able to splat. The standard platformer execution move of jump on the head is present. Rather than rely on your aim in the 3D environment, the game allows you to target the enemy and then a quick press and the enemy is gone. It may feel like automation but it does allow for some rapid eradication of several enemies, something which would be a bit of a chore with a manual method.
Some of the enemies can fight back and there are also some boss battles to face. Colour is also Blob’s health so you need to keep an eye of the colour meter, take a hit with a low colour level and it can be back to the checkpoint. The game doesn’t come with much of the way of challenge but it is possible to die and when you do it will come as a shock although it will only really be through your own ignorance or carelessness. In addition to attacks, the INKT Corporation also have flying objects which can drag you into the black inky rivers. Black ink doesn’t do much for Blob’s health either but all he needs is some water to clean him. The water will also clean off any colour, it can be handy when your colour level is low and the INKT are launching an attack, as I mentioned earlier, they’ll ignore you when you are grey and colourless. Or if you make a mess of mixing your colours sometimes it is easier to clean off and start again.
Pinky is on hand to direct you through each level. Each level is broken down into missions and side quests. In between missions you are free to explore and the temptation to do so is strong, even if just to take pleasure in transforming each and every grey item you find. However there is a time limit to each level which for a while you’ll not bother with, you’ll never run out of time. But if you do lose a life you will find yourself back at a checkpoint and find the time has not reset which then does become a challenge and in some cases, renders the level impossible. It feels out of place with the general chill-out feeling of the game, it adds some pressure and urgency which the game doesn’t require. Thankfully you’ll have to consider the time later in the game so it’s not a big inconvenience.
Side quests become active when the main missions are complete. After a couple of levels you will get an idea as to what they entail and will find you are able to work on them as you progress from mission to mission. There is a surprising amount to do in each level if you want every side quest completed and every collectable found. You will find some of the later levels can take a good couple of hours to complete but even with the earlier levels, if you are aiming to do everything then you’ll still be facing a good hour’s worth of play. With a dozen or so levels, there is certainly much more gameplay than in the single player component of your average AAA title these days.
De Blob is able to level up as you progress but it will require finding collectables and completing side quests. If you want to fully power up then you will be faced with finding every item, something I have not managed yet. De Blob also has some power ups available, each of which is available for a certain level of time. The steel ball and magnetic rails add a little unexpected twist to proceedings.
The gameplay, taken on its own, is repetitive but the diverse locations ensure that tedium never sets in. The charm and humour play their part but the joy in seeing an area return to its full splendour never dampens. There is a nice mix of puzzle considering it is all based on being the right colour.
Each completed level sees a ranking awarded based on how much you completed and found. There is plenty of replay factor but if you are simply going back in to explore then it would be nice to simply do that. The game, however, makes you replay each level. The collectables you have found will no longer be there but you don’t have a free run of the entire area, you have to complete the main quests again to open each section within each level. The ability to return to a completed level in the start you left it is an oversight.
A 2nd player is able to join the game and take control of Pinky. Like Super Mario Galaxy 2, the 2nd player has more of a bit-part role which is really just to aid the main player. It would be good to see some full on co-op in the main game though but co-op is saved for the party mode which is based around mini games.
de Blob 2 is a fine game to just sit back and simply enjoy the ride. It has little in the way challenge but it doesn’t need one, it is simply a pleasure to experience from start to finish. It is a feel good game which offers something a different to the crowded shooter and racer markets.
8/10
Thanks pb.
It's a shame the game hasn't sold too well, it deserves better.
It's a shame the game hasn't sold too well, it deserves better.
Great review.
I did like the first game, so I wouldn't be at all surprised to find I enjoy the second.
Seems like it's going down in price pretty quickly after launch too. Shame really for the publisher/developer, but hopefully means that more people will be tempted to pick it up.
I did like the first game, so I wouldn't be at all surprised to find I enjoy the second.
Seems like it's going down in price pretty quickly after launch too. Shame really for the publisher/developer, but hopefully means that more people will be tempted to pick it up.
de Blob 2 bounces onto the xbox 360 and PS3 with the vibrancy and energy of a Saturday morning kids TV show. With little in the way of challenge, cute and charming alien creatures and a paint by numbers gameplay mechanic, you could be forgiven for disregarding this game but that would be an unfortunate loss.
In their pursuit of Comrade Black, de Blob and his side kick, Pinky, discover that their nemesis and his evil INKT Corporation have removed all colour from the world. Grey is the new black declares Comrade Black as he extracts all colour and subsequently all sense of life from the inhabitants, think John Major from the Spitting Image sketches if you’re old enough. Loss of colour is all part of Comrade Black’s plans for world domination, remove the colour from the world and from the people and you remove their spirit. There are some fairly adult themes on hand for a game which looks and plays like it is for youngsters. You’ll find Comrade Black has meddled with polling stations and with the TV broadcasts to achieve his goal.
de Blob 2 is full of charm and humour and it starts right from the instruction booklet where Comrade Black attempts to stop you reading and wanting to play the game. Each level is introduced with a cut scene and you’ll often find yourself sniggering at the bumbling INKT Corporation, they are not the sharpest tools in the toolbox. The creatures in the game all speak gibberish (although at times you can make out the words if you listen closely) and like the cut scenes in the Lego games, actions speak louder than words. The cut scenes are well presented, tell the story well and are a joy to watch.
The star of the show is the aptly named, Blob. He is like a ball of rubbery goo who, most of the time, resembles a child’s space hopper toy as he shrinks, expands and squeezes his way along each level. de Blob is on hand to eradicate the INKT Corporation and the best way to do this is to restore colour and life to each area.
Blob is like a sponge, when he makes contact with a pool of colour he becomes that colour and is then able to apply colour to each item he touches. Make contact with a house and the house is instantly painted, touch a dead looking tree and it instantly changes to full bloom. As Blob progresses through each level the transformation in the grey location is quite staggering, the dull lifeless locale is rapidly replaced by a bustling area full of glorious colour. You would need to be some sort of cold hearted person to not take any joy from seeing each area come to life.
A lot of modern games, particularly first-person shooters are criticised for being brown. Lack of colour is certainly not a complaint that can be made against this game. In some ways the levels are akin to the progression of my gaming, I have gone from the monochrome games on the Atari 2600 and Spectrum to consoles which can display way more colours than I can name.
The levels are 3D based environments with a well behaved camera. Each level also has some underground or inside building sections where the game changes to a 2D platformer with some puzzles thrown in. The colour theme applies to the 2D sections too but they are well implemented and add some mix to the game.
Colour is very much the key to this game. Without colour, Blob himself is grey and powerless. This is recognised by your enemy who will ignore you when you are grey, you pose no threat. The first aim in any level is to restore some colour fountains which can be done courtesy of squeezing down a drain into a 2D section and removing the INKT presence. At times, any old colour will do, other times you’ll need to use a specific colour and that can require a little mixing. As well as colour fountains, there are some ink bots running about and these little bots are the key to colour mixing, if you need green then you’ll be looking for a red and yellow source of colour. You’ll become quite adept at knowing your colour mixes.
Once Blob has absorbed some colour and he can not only paint, he is also able to splat. The standard platformer execution move of jump on the head is present. Rather than rely on your aim in the 3D environment, the game allows you to target the enemy and then a quick press and the enemy is gone. It may feel like automation but it does allow for some rapid eradication of several enemies, something which would be a bit of a chore with a manual method.
Some of the enemies can fight back and there are also some boss battles to face. Colour is also Blob’s health so you need to keep an eye of the colour meter, take a hit with a low colour level and it can be back to the checkpoint. The game doesn’t come with much of the way of challenge but it is possible to die and when you do it will come as a shock although it will only really be through your own ignorance or carelessness. In addition to attacks, the INKT Corporation also have flying objects which can drag you into the black inky rivers. Black ink doesn’t do much for Blob’s health either but all he needs is some water to clean him. The water will also clean off any colour, it can be handy when your colour level is low and the INKT are launching an attack, as I mentioned earlier, they’ll ignore you when you are grey and colourless. Or if you make a mess of mixing your colours sometimes it is easier to clean off and start again.
Pinky is on hand to direct you through each level. Each level is broken down into missions and side quests. In between missions you are free to explore and the temptation to do so is strong, even if just to take pleasure in transforming each and every grey item you find. However there is a time limit to each level which for a while you’ll not bother with, you’ll never run out of time. But if you do lose a life you will find yourself back at a checkpoint and find the time has not reset which then does become a challenge and in some cases, renders the level impossible. It feels out of place with the general chill-out feeling of the game, it adds some pressure and urgency which the game doesn’t require. Thankfully you’ll have to consider the time later in the game so it’s not a big inconvenience.
Side quests become active when the main missions are complete. After a couple of levels you will get an idea as to what they entail and will find you are able to work on them as you progress from mission to mission. There is a surprising amount to do in each level if you want every side quest completed and every collectable found. You will find some of the later levels can take a good couple of hours to complete but even with the earlier levels, if you are aiming to do everything then you’ll still be facing a good hour’s worth of play. With a dozen or so levels, there is certainly much more gameplay than in the single player component of your average AAA title these days.
De Blob is able to level up as you progress but it will require finding collectables and completing side quests. If you want to fully power up then you will be faced with finding every item, something I have not managed yet. De Blob also has some power ups available, each of which is available for a certain level of time. The steel ball and magnetic rails add a little unexpected twist to proceedings.
The gameplay, taken on its own, is repetitive but the diverse locations ensure that tedium never sets in. The charm and humour play their part but the joy in seeing an area return to its full splendour never dampens. There is a nice mix of puzzle considering it is all based on being the right colour.
Each completed level sees a ranking awarded based on how much you completed and found. There is plenty of replay factor but if you are simply going back in to explore then it would be nice to simply do that. The game, however, makes you replay each level. The collectables you have found will no longer be there but you don’t have a free run of the entire area, you have to complete the main quests again to open each section within each level. The ability to return to a completed level in the start you left it is an oversight.
A 2nd player is able to join the game and take control of Pinky. Like Super Mario Galaxy 2, the 2nd player has more of a bit-part role which is really just to aid the main player. It would be good to see some full on co-op in the main game though but co-op is saved for the party mode which is based around mini games.
de Blob 2 is a fine game to just sit back and simply enjoy the ride. It has little in the way challenge but it doesn’t need one, it is simply a pleasure to experience from start to finish. It is a feel good game which offers something a different to the crowded shooter and racer markets.
8/10
In their pursuit of Comrade Black, de Blob and his side kick, Pinky, discover that their nemesis and his evil INKT Corporation have removed all colour from the world. Grey is the new black declares Comrade Black as he extracts all colour and subsequently all sense of life from the inhabitants, think John Major from the Spitting Image sketches if you’re old enough. Loss of colour is all part of Comrade Black’s plans for world domination, remove the colour from the world and from the people and you remove their spirit. There are some fairly adult themes on hand for a game which looks and plays like it is for youngsters. You’ll find Comrade Black has meddled with polling stations and with the TV broadcasts to achieve his goal.
de Blob 2 is full of charm and humour and it starts right from the instruction booklet where Comrade Black attempts to stop you reading and wanting to play the game. Each level is introduced with a cut scene and you’ll often find yourself sniggering at the bumbling INKT Corporation, they are not the sharpest tools in the toolbox. The creatures in the game all speak gibberish (although at times you can make out the words if you listen closely) and like the cut scenes in the Lego games, actions speak louder than words. The cut scenes are well presented, tell the story well and are a joy to watch.
The star of the show is the aptly named, Blob. He is like a ball of rubbery goo who, most of the time, resembles a child’s space hopper toy as he shrinks, expands and squeezes his way along each level. de Blob is on hand to eradicate the INKT Corporation and the best way to do this is to restore colour and life to each area.
Blob is like a sponge, when he makes contact with a pool of colour he becomes that colour and is then able to apply colour to each item he touches. Make contact with a house and the house is instantly painted, touch a dead looking tree and it instantly changes to full bloom. As Blob progresses through each level the transformation in the grey location is quite staggering, the dull lifeless locale is rapidly replaced by a bustling area full of glorious colour. You would need to be some sort of cold hearted person to not take any joy from seeing each area come to life.
A lot of modern games, particularly first-person shooters are criticised for being brown. Lack of colour is certainly not a complaint that can be made against this game. In some ways the levels are akin to the progression of my gaming, I have gone from the monochrome games on the Atari 2600 and Spectrum to consoles which can display way more colours than I can name.
The levels are 3D based environments with a well behaved camera. Each level also has some underground or inside building sections where the game changes to a 2D platformer with some puzzles thrown in. The colour theme applies to the 2D sections too but they are well implemented and add some mix to the game.
Colour is very much the key to this game. Without colour, Blob himself is grey and powerless. This is recognised by your enemy who will ignore you when you are grey, you pose no threat. The first aim in any level is to restore some colour fountains which can be done courtesy of squeezing down a drain into a 2D section and removing the INKT presence. At times, any old colour will do, other times you’ll need to use a specific colour and that can require a little mixing. As well as colour fountains, there are some ink bots running about and these little bots are the key to colour mixing, if you need green then you’ll be looking for a red and yellow source of colour. You’ll become quite adept at knowing your colour mixes.
Once Blob has absorbed some colour and he can not only paint, he is also able to splat. The standard platformer execution move of jump on the head is present. Rather than rely on your aim in the 3D environment, the game allows you to target the enemy and then a quick press and the enemy is gone. It may feel like automation but it does allow for some rapid eradication of several enemies, something which would be a bit of a chore with a manual method.
Some of the enemies can fight back and there are also some boss battles to face. Colour is also Blob’s health so you need to keep an eye of the colour meter, take a hit with a low colour level and it can be back to the checkpoint. The game doesn’t come with much of the way of challenge but it is possible to die and when you do it will come as a shock although it will only really be through your own ignorance or carelessness. In addition to attacks, the INKT Corporation also have flying objects which can drag you into the black inky rivers. Black ink doesn’t do much for Blob’s health either but all he needs is some water to clean him. The water will also clean off any colour, it can be handy when your colour level is low and the INKT are launching an attack, as I mentioned earlier, they’ll ignore you when you are grey and colourless. Or if you make a mess of mixing your colours sometimes it is easier to clean off and start again.
Pinky is on hand to direct you through each level. Each level is broken down into missions and side quests. In between missions you are free to explore and the temptation to do so is strong, even if just to take pleasure in transforming each and every grey item you find. However there is a time limit to each level which for a while you’ll not bother with, you’ll never run out of time. But if you do lose a life you will find yourself back at a checkpoint and find the time has not reset which then does become a challenge and in some cases, renders the level impossible. It feels out of place with the general chill-out feeling of the game, it adds some pressure and urgency which the game doesn’t require. Thankfully you’ll have to consider the time later in the game so it’s not a big inconvenience.
Side quests become active when the main missions are complete. After a couple of levels you will get an idea as to what they entail and will find you are able to work on them as you progress from mission to mission. There is a surprising amount to do in each level if you want every side quest completed and every collectable found. You will find some of the later levels can take a good couple of hours to complete but even with the earlier levels, if you are aiming to do everything then you’ll still be facing a good hour’s worth of play. With a dozen or so levels, there is certainly much more gameplay than in the single player component of your average AAA title these days.
De Blob is able to level up as you progress but it will require finding collectables and completing side quests. If you want to fully power up then you will be faced with finding every item, something I have not managed yet. De Blob also has some power ups available, each of which is available for a certain level of time. The steel ball and magnetic rails add a little unexpected twist to proceedings.
The gameplay, taken on its own, is repetitive but the diverse locations ensure that tedium never sets in. The charm and humour play their part but the joy in seeing an area return to its full splendour never dampens. There is a nice mix of puzzle considering it is all based on being the right colour.
Each completed level sees a ranking awarded based on how much you completed and found. There is plenty of replay factor but if you are simply going back in to explore then it would be nice to simply do that. The game, however, makes you replay each level. The collectables you have found will no longer be there but you don’t have a free run of the entire area, you have to complete the main quests again to open each section within each level. The ability to return to a completed level in the start you left it is an oversight.
A 2nd player is able to join the game and take control of Pinky. Like Super Mario Galaxy 2, the 2nd player has more of a bit-part role which is really just to aid the main player. It would be good to see some full on co-op in the main game though but co-op is saved for the party mode which is based around mini games.
de Blob 2 is a fine game to just sit back and simply enjoy the ride. It has little in the way challenge but it doesn’t need one, it is simply a pleasure to experience from start to finish. It is a feel good game which offers something a different to the crowded shooter and racer markets.
8/10