Platypus Review

Platypus is one of the few modern games I've ever played that plays like an old side-scrolling shooter. But, though the gameplay may be rather primitive, don't be mistaken; Platypus is still a thoroughly enjoyable game.

GRAPHICS (5/5):

Undoubtedly, the first thing one notices when launching the game will be the claymation-style graphics. Though claymation isn't a completely new way of designing graphics, it's also definitely not overused. The damage detailing was very impressive for a claymation game; there are many different damage stages before a large ship is destroyed, yet they all look great. All the various backgrounds look superb as well.

SOUND (2/5):

The music, unfortunately, is rather bland and repetitive. It sounds really more like something you would hear in a SNES game than a PC game. But, the music itself is far worse than the quality, and after a while it will really start to annoy you. The sound effects are also rather bland, with the standard "laser" noise for firing and the usual "thump" for an explosion. This is probably the low point of Platypus.

GAMEPLAY (4/5):

The gameplay, though it just abides by the mechanics of any side-scrolling shooter, is actually surprisingly addicting. The level design is great, and there is plenty of variety in the game's levels. The controls feel perfect, and the game even offers gamepad support. Also, the difficulty feels perfectly balanced (Easy Mode offers little challenge while Hard Mode offers up a difficult time). Probably the most fun of the gameplay is the co-op mode, which is quite fun on Hard Mode (though it is far too easy on Easy and Normal modes). The game only takes 2-3 hours to finish, but the replay value is extremely high, due to the high score leaderboard in the main menu. Really, one of the few things holding back Platypus is its previously mentioned lack of innovation.

OVERALL (4/5) *not an average*:

Platypus's music and sound are well below average, but this problem is overshadowed by the superb graphics and addictive, fun gameplay. Fans of side-scrolling shooters will undoubtedly enjoy Platypus, and even those who don't particularly enjoy the aging genre might still be drawn to the game due to its unique, slightly innovative graphical style.