If Kirby and one of the Rabbids from the Raymen games were to have a bastard love child, I imagine it would be Blob, the main character from de Blob, de the new game developed by Blue Tongue for the Wii. Now add in a little Katamari Damaci and Tony Hawk, and you pretty much already understand the game. Blue Tongue (which is part of THQ) hasn’t done anything substantial in the past, but this game shows that there is hope for the Wii after all. We need more third-parties making games like de Blob!
Let me back up for a moment though and tell you what this game is all about, in case you opted instead to pick up LEGO Batman yesterday (or are just saving your money for October). Blob is a bad-ass droplet of water (a phrase you’ll probably never hear someone utter again). He lives in Chrome city with these little beings called “raydians” and a few other blobby friends. The city used to be bright and cheery, but the INKT regime has changed all of that. The city is gray and inky, and it is Blob’s job to make it colorful once again. Since he is a blob of water, he can smash into paint and take on that color, and in turn, whatever he touches becomes that color. Playing as Blob, you have to travel through the city, avoiding INKT police, streams of inky pollution, flames, spikes, and other obstacles, and attempting to paint everything.
The game play is simple, and it doesn’t take long to get used to the controls. That’s both a good and a bad thing. One of the most annoying aspects of this game is the use of the Wii controls. They could have used pointing and other movements, but instead, you use the the joystick to move. Even more annoying, you use the remote to jump, by shaking it, which could have easily been achieved by pressing a button. Frankly, since most of the game is jumping, your wrist gets tired if you play it for a long time. If you’re going to make the game Wii-remote-friendly, make the controls interesting, like they were in Zelda.
At least they got it half right. One of the remote aspects that does work well is the paint smashing. You simply lock onto your target, and use the controller to slam, like you’re hitting something with a hammer. That’s how you deal with enemies as well, and although some might see the simplistic combat as a negative, but I actually liked it because the fact of the matter is that this is not a combat game any more than Zack and Wiki was a combat game.
This is a great game for kids, but adults can enjoy it as well. Before you can move on to the next stage, you have to have a certain amount of energy, which you get through completing tasks and painting your surroundings. Children will find it fun to simply play through the game, moving on as they unlock gates, while adults can go that extra step and try to complete ALL of the tasks in an area before moving through the next gate. You also get awards for meeting certain goals, like painting all of the trees or billboards in an area, which adds an extra level of complexity for those who want it. You unlock mini-games if you go above and beyond, so literally, you can spend hours and hours on each level, completing tasks. Don’t forget, Wii games are only $50 new, so you’re getting a great bargain. Even if you complete everything, you can play through the multiplayer mode, adding even more value to your money.
I do want to note that the game does get a little monotonous. Because the game is meant for people of all ages, which is pretty much a necessity for a successful Wii game, adults are kind of left wishing things will get harder. Yes, there are difficult tasks, but you’re doing the same motions over and over and over again. It also pissed me off that I had to play through the entire level - there were no save points. So, when you want to quit, you might be a good 15 minutes from actually being able to turn off the Wii unless you play the entire thing over again.
Overall, I’m giving this game a 4 out of 5. It’s a cool concept and really addicting. It feel short on the controls and difficulty level, but that comes from the game being “family friendly.” In the end, this is one of the best third-party Wii games out there so far, so if you have a Wii, pick it up, or at least rent it for a weekend.
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