Developer Q-Games’ PlayStation Network-exclusive PixelJunk Eden defies any easy explanation. There’s physics-based platforming, puzzle-
solving, 2D arcade action, calming techno music, artful visuals, integrated UGC features, co-op play, Trophies… a veritable smorgasbord of pleasing elements which combine together into our latest obsession. And it all boils down to building your own, personal Garden of Eden.
Click through for the goods.
After PixelJunk Eden loads up, players are immediately deposited in a small 2D garden populated by plant- and rock-shaped silhouettes in different colors. This area serves as both a home base and a central hub for accessing additional gardens, 10 of them in all. Though initially somewhat bare, completing goals in each of the game’s 10 gardens causes additional plants to grow in the central hub.
Each garden is broken down into five levels, with the goal being to collect an increasing number of Spectra on each repeat visit (to a maximum of five). Each successfully completed stage causes another part of the Eden hub area to grow, which in turns lets players access additional gardens. Up to three players can work cooperatively in their abstract garden-building.
Your agent for accessing and exploring these locations is a little creature called a Grimp, which gets around by leaping from place to place Pressing X triggers a jump; players cannot influence the power of jumps though they can adjust direction in-flight with the left analog stick. Grimps can also attach a string of silk to any plants they leap off of, using it to swing around in a circle for a brief amount of time (roughly three revolutions before the silk breaks). By swinging, players are able to control the direction of jumps and use momentum to achieve greater distances. Silk can be retracted at any time to bring the Grimp back to its starting position by pressing and holding one of the trigger buttons.
Swinging is also necessary for racking up combos of broken pollen balls. These pollen balls appear randomly throughout each garden; they are broken whenever the Grimp or its silk string comes into contact with them. Broken balls release a cloud of pollen which, when collected, fills up any nearby seeds, represented in the game as empty circles. Once a seed has been filled with pollen, jumping into its heart causes the plant contained within to grow. The goal then is to continue seeding plants until the nearest Spectra can be reached.
The first step is to locate the Spectra by swinging around in a circle and watching for radar-like directional indicators to appear. Once a general location is determined (usually some variation on “up,” at least initially), nearby seeds must be pollinated. All the while a timer drains away, though it can be refilled by collecting either a Spectra or clusters of pre-placed, time-restoring pickups. If time runs out before the goal number of Spectra are gathered, the stage ends. Enemies called Prowlers will also occasionally attempt to knock your Grimp back to the ground. They can be defeated – releasing pollen in death – by spinning through them while jumping, by holding X when in flight.
The calmingly beautiful presentation and precision-based gameplay in PixelJunk Eden complements an included video recording feature very well. At any time, players can access the pause menu and start recording. Once recording is finished, players are then given the option of either sending their video to the PS3’s hard drive or uploading it directly to a YouTube account. The interface is simple and fully integrated into the game; players simply sign in when prompted and Eden takes care of the rest.
PixelJunk Racer was cool and PixelJunk Monsters sucked away a good few months, but PixelJunk Eden is straight-up digital crack. The ever-increasing difficulty challenges without ever becoming overly frustrating, probably because the sights and sounds are so damn calming and the controls, so charmingly simple and intuitive. If it sounds too abstract, do yourself a favor try the demo on PSN. PixelJunk Eden is a wholly unique gaming experience, one which is difficult to accurately describe. Like the best things in life, it must be sampled to be truly understood.
Gameplay: APresentation: A
Fun Factor: A
Value: A
Overall: A
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