Two Games for the Price of One
Okay, so it might not exactly be a game everyone may be interested in, but there’s a special gem hidden in the digital Panic in Paradise manual. Head to pages 38 and 39 to find two party/social games: Face Melter and Daddle-Do. All you need is a group of friends, “honey-cola” and “honey-shots”. If you’re interested in seeing what it’s all about, I’ve posted both here.
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Various Glitches
Naughty Bear Panic in Paradise is quite appealing, but it isn’t the perfect package. The game suffers from a few glitches, ranging from mildly annoying to severe. There were times where the audio cut out or the AI acted sporadically. In one instance, Naughty found a bear trying to escape in a car. He promptly beat said bear with the car door. Upon finding another bear across the map and grabbing him, Naughty and the grabbed bear were teleported all the way back to the car, and the car door beating automatically ensued again. This issue only happened once though. The game did lock up once and required a hard reset of the system. None of these were consistent, but seeing as different issues cropped up randomly throughout the game, it was worth mentioning.
Combat Still Needs Work
The combat in the new Naughty Bear title has been improved slightly, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still clunky. Light and heavy attacks are at your disposal as well as unlockable moves as you level up. However, none of them provide a fluid experience. Sticking to stealth is much more entertaining then taking on enemies head on, primarily because some bears can take down Naughty Bear’s stamina and health in a hit or two. This makes avoiding combat the better path. It’s definitely a step in the right direction, but it needs some more fine-tuning.
Verdict
Naughty Bear feels at home as a digital title and I think it was always destined to be one. That’s not saying anything bad about it either. The abundance of gruesome kills and equipment ensures that you’ll be playing for quite a while as you climb the leaderboard and unlock everything throughout the 36 missions. Panic in Paradise’s tweaks and additions put it leagues ahead of the 2010 game, becoming a more accessible and enjoyable experience overall. Certain glitches and a still-flawed combat system detract a bit from the game, but with so many improvements weighing out the other side, Panic in Paradise is a great downloadable title that can easily justify it’s $14.99 price point and is worth checking out.
[Editor’s Note]: Naughty Bear Panic in Paradise was reviewed on the PlayStation 3 platform. The voucher code was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]
