PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe Review

Q-Games has created Racers, Eden, Monsters, and, the still in development, Shooter all under the PixelJunk title on the Playstation 3. Now they have released PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe in a portable size, but with more content than its console counterpart.  You can now enjoy the much beloved tower defense game on your Playstation Portable.  PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe tasks the player with defending their tribe and hut.  To do so the player must transform the surrounding trees into towers with different abilities. So how does it fare against the PS3 version released last year?

Let’s take a look at the HOTs and NOTs of this recreation.

HOT

Graphics

The art style is still as vibrant and clear as ever.  Although it is being displayed on a smaller screen you are still able to see the same amount of detail as you could in the console version.

The music in PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe follows the same path as the original with a few added tunes. You don’t even have to actively play the game to enjoy the music.  You’re now able to go into the Tikihut from the main menu and listen to your favorite tracks there.

Controls

The game fits perfectly with the PSP layout.  Even those of you who feel the need for a second analog stick on your PSP will feel content with the way the buttons are mapped out.  Once you begin playing it becomes obvious that this game should have been on this system all along.

Co-op

Not only are you able to join people via ad-hoc play (a feature added to the PS3 version through PixelJunk Monsters Encore), but the PSP version now allows two people to come together over the internet.  You’re able to join lobbies and text chat with players.  Once you’ve decided on the person you’d like to play with you simply click on their name and request to play together.  In this mode each player is given a starting coin count and any coins earned are not split between the two which adds a little competitive nature to the game.  However, gems are shared so it is necessary to plan the spending of those wisely.  During my online sessions I experienced no lag at all.  This further boosted the enjoyment of the co-op experience.

Regardless of whether you enjoy strategy games or not, chances are this game will hook you in quickly.  I am not one to be interested in this sort of game normally, but I found myself scrambling around upgrading towers and worrying about maintaining a perfect score on levels to receive the rainbow.  Before I knew it I had logged 2 hours in the game without even realizing it.  It is so easy to get sucked in to finding the right mix of tower types, how to spend your coins and gems, and trying to achieve the rainbow on each level.

NOT

Difficulty

At the beginning of the game you will start to pick up on a strategy pretty quickly.  This may make you feel like you’re naturally amazing at the game, but you will be in for a big surprise after the difficulty level goes up.  It’s an odd change in pace.  At times it can feel like you just passed easy and jumped straight into the hardest setting.  So the learning curve is forgiving at first, but will soon become quite punishing.

Voice Chat

This is a much needed addition to the online co-op.  It is a strategy game, therefore, it is very important to make sure that you and your partner are on the same page.  Also, it would help players teach newer players how to go about completing harder levels instead of watching their partner run around choosing the wrong towers and wasting gems.

PS3 Verison

If you already played or own the PS3 version, then this might not be enough new content for you to justify spending $20.  Sure you’ll be able to take it on the go now, but you’re still mainly paying all that money for a new island and online play.

VERDICT

PixelJunk Monsters Deluxe feels right at home on the PSP.  The gameplay is extremely addictive and you’ll have fun challenging yourself to obtain all those rainbows despite the uneven learning curve. If you never gave PixelJunk Monsters on the Playstation 3 a try I’d definitely recommend adding this to your collection.  Even if you are a long time fan of the series you might just find the new features and content enticing enough to persaude you to revisit the game.