Game Reviewed: Storm
Release Date: June 14, 2013
Developer: Indie Pub
Publisher: NAMCO BANDAI Games
Platform: [Reviewed: Xbox 360 Arcade], PlayStation 3 Network, PC
Genre: Puzzle Platform
Rated: E for Everyone
Storm is the newest puzzle platform game to hit the xbox live arcade and it is more than just good exercise for your brain. This newest title is not only going to test your puzzle skills but it is going to do so all while impressing you with some of the finest graphics the arcade world has seen.
Storm, like previously mentioned, is a puzzle platform. Except in Storm you use weather to your advantage. The idea is simple, you must move a seed to fertile soil so that it can grow!
Despite the simple concept of Storm it really isn’t that easy. The game starts out pretty easy introducing you to the different weather techniques you have such as wind, rain, and lightning. But the farther into the game you get the more difficult the puzzles get. You will have to use plenty of logic to figure out exactly which weather moves to use. And in some cases may even have to replay some of the levels over.
The weather elements you will encounter range and you gradually are introduced to them throughout gameplay. This allows you to learn and perfect each one. Although, really not that difficult it is helpful. Basically you will start out a level with a set amount of weather abilities. You will use them to move the seed around the map to collect other weather abilities and plant the seed in fertile soil.
Each weather ability is linked to a button on your controller, A,B,X&Y. You simply push the button of the ability you want to use and let the weather do the rest. You will see all your available weather abilities along the top of your screen as well as dots that look like bubbles below. Each dot represents the number of times you can use that weather ability in a row before you have to wait for the cool down. Yes, you heard that correct there is a cool down, which means you are going to have to carefully time the use of your abilities in order to successfully complete some of the puzzles.
The further you get into the game the more challenging the puzzle. And with 49 different puzzles you can expect there to be some difficult ones ahead. You will have to put more thought and time into each one and will eventually even have to use a combination of weather abilities to get that seed planted! Not to mention later on you will be introduced to hazard in the environment that will destroy your seed forcing you to restart the puzzle. Some of these hazards are fires, cliffs and even poisons. So you will want to keep your eyes peeled. Also keep your eyes open for other objects, like hidden orbs, as these unlock other in game content.
Over all Storm is a great puzzle game. It gets your mind going and challenges you with every puzzle. It meets all the criteria of a great game; great gameplay, beautiful graphics, easy and manageable controls, decent audio (in the sense that it isn’t annoying or redundant) but it is seriously lacking in replay value. Once you play a puzzle you can go back and replay it but chances are you will remember exactly how to beat it. So unless your goal is to get the fastest time possible replaying these puzzles isn’t going to happen.
Despite the lack of replay value, Storm has great value in every other aspect and it will challenge you and keep you busy for hours. At a mere 800 MSP all you puzzle platform gamers out there can’t go wrong with this title.
Gameplay: 4/5
Visuals: 5/5
Controls: 5/5
Audio: 4/5
Replay Ability: 3/5
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
