Following last year’s remaster of the original de Blob game, Blitworks and and publisher THQNordic have joined forces to release a remaster of sequel de Blob 2. If you’ve never heard of it, then prepare yourself for a colour based platforming adventure with protagonist Blob and his sidekick Pinky as you look to thwart the INKT Corporation once more.
I’ll be honest, I do love a 3D platformer, and have done since the early days on the original PlayStation. They’ve come a long way since, and camera controls have since been optimised for the view point in third-person. This is not the case unfortunately with de Blob 2, whose release in 2011 remains very much the same this time around. More often than I’d like to count, I was fighting the camera and it’s decision to assume control by itself instead of fighting the oppressive INKT Corporation. Frustrating when you reach later levels where precision platforming is a must, else you fall foul of all the Inky’s or to your death some other way. It’s now 2018, and we have issues with a camera which is more or less unheard of.
The fact that de Blob 2 has been remastered is a surprise as it’s a game that flew under the radar for many, but with the first game in the series being remastered for console, it’s a decision that now makes sense. Is there shiny new visuals? No. It looks very much the same as it did seven years ago. In fact, it’s very much the same all over. Nothing I’ve noticed looks different and it makes you wonder if this was just a quick cash grab exercise, and given the asking price, you’d likely think so. If you bought the Xbox 360 version, you would pay £14.99 which is £9 cheaper. This of course assumes you’d opt for a digital purchase. But physical copies of de Blob 2 will now be incredibly cheap as it’s also backwards compatible. The only noticeable changes have come in the form of achievement values.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m no hater of de Blob 2. I have all versions released on Microsoft’s consoles and thoroughly enjoy them. Especially with my children who are infatuated with the colouring in aspect, eagerly telling me what colours they want me to use. I’ve never seen them so invested in any game before. The music is relaxed and laid back, the colours are bright and engaging for those that love a spot of colour in their lives, and it’s easy to pick up and play. What more could you want? Well, a decent camera would be nice, as would smoother lines.
It’s not all doom and gloom, as there’s plenty of levels in which to take on the INKT Corp, and each level is bigger and more intricately designed to give you more game time. Not only that, but there’s collectibles to find which in turn work towards your final rating in a level along with how much of the world you’ve restored with colour and of course, the cute Graydians you’ve rescued. It’s a fun game, and one I really enjoy playing, but I’m kind of dumbstruck at the lack of improvements that it’s received.
The price is going to be a massive stumbling block for anyone wanting to journey forth and colour the world as they see fit. A sale would certainly entice a purchase, and I do believe that the majority will take this course of action. Even if it’s something for the kids with the option to play cooperatively. There’s plenty of replay value on offer, if you wish to be rewarded with that elusive S rank for doing absolutely everything available in each of the games levels. It’s a tough call, and only the most dedicated will be able to hunt all items down, and colour in every single piece of building and other objects.
Should you buy it if you already own the Xbox 360 release? Well, probably not. But this is entirely up to you. Do you hunt achievements as a hobby? Do you mind buying it again? Then maybe you will. But, if you haven’t played the series before, then you could do a lot worse. You don’t even need to have played the previous game as everything is explained to you as you play along. I’d say give it a chance and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how quickly time will pass.
Overall Score 8/10
Developer: Blitworks
Publisher: THQNordic
Release Date: 27th February 2018
Price: £23.99
File Size: 9.75GB
Xbox One copy provided for review purpose.
Available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 & PC