• Review: Little Deviants

    by
    Jason Arriola
    Published on 04-03-2012 08:59 PM
    1 Comment Comments


    Little Deviants

    Developer: Bigbig Studios
    Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
    Platform: PlayStation Vita
    Genre: Arcade
    Rating: Everyone
    Release Date: February 15, 2012


    Whether you received it with your first edition Vita bundle, or strikes your interest, Little Deviants is a mixture of numerous games in one package. More than likely the game is tailored to display just what the Vita is capable of doing, so if that’s something you’re curious about, the game will show you what’s what for your shiny new handheld.

    Presentation

    The story of Little Deviants is not one to hold your attention, if you could even call it a story that is. Since the game is mainly driven by its arcade style mini-games, all you need to know is that the Deviants need your help to reconstruct their ship, as you can see from the moment you get started. Parts of their ship need to be attached to the bare skeleton of steel that serves as the outline of their ship. The poor little Deviants have their work cut out for them as they are continuously terrorized by the Botz, a group of robots that delight in bringing dastardly harm to the little alien creatures. That’s where you, the player, come in and help the Deviants fight their adversaries in the hopes of escaping them for good.

    Graphics

    The world of Little Deviants is a colorful one. An extensive color palette will be the focus of your attention as you move from one mini-game to the next. While nothing groundbreaking is seen in your play through, Little Deviants definitely shows off the high definition clarity of the Vita’s large five inch screen. That being said, Little Deviants looks like a colorful cartoon in video game form.

    Sound/Music

    All the game’s quirky characters are brought to life with detail, though all the silly exclamations such as yelps, growls, and giggles blend together. It’s to be expected though.

    One of the more entertaining aspects of the game is its soundtrack. It was a treat for this old school gamer to hear some tunes that seemed inspired by the 8bit and 16bit music of the Nintendo Entertainment System and SEGA Genesis gaming days long past. So if that’s you’re kind of music, I’d highly recommend that you try playing the game with a good pair of headphones.

    Gameplay

    The PlayStation Vita has an innovative amount of hardware features that Little Deviants aims to introduce to you in an equally creative way. You can expect to use the Vita’s touch screen, rear touch, a combination of both touch sensitive areas, the Vita’s gyro sensors, the microphone, and the Vita’s built in camera.

    The point of Little Deviants is to move from one mini-game to the next. Mini-games have different possible rewards, such as a gold, silver, or bronze award. Successful completion of a mini-game will allow for more games to open up simultaneously, so you won’t always have to move from one to the next in a certain order, rather, you’re free to choose as you see fit.

    Before each mini-game you’re presented with instructions on how the given mini-game works. Now if the goal of Little Deviants is to showcase the Vita’s hardware, they succeed there without a doubt. However, its execution stumbles over itself within a certain amount of mini-games. I can tell you that the mini-games that are worthwhile involve the gyro sensor being used to track down and shoot down robots that “fly” around your room. In these mini-games the Vita’s camera uses your immediate surroundings as the setting for the mini-game. Robots will teleport, as if from another dimension, to drag away the flying Deviants and it’s your job to shoot them down. Provided you have a wide open space, these shooting type games are pretty fun. Additionally the segments that involve tilting the Vita from side to side to steer a rocket ship through narrowing corridors is also fun, not to mention the skydiving segments in which you fall through a series of hoops in the air, speeding or stagnating your fall as you go. With a great number of mini-games, you can expect that Little Deviants will go your way all the time, but that’s not necessarily the case.

    There are some mini-games that could’ve used more polish. Before the game launched there was no doubt some gameplay videos that showed off the various games you could play and the features that allow those games to work. One such game that didn’t handle as easily as it looked were the games involving the rear touch pad. The rear touch pad is touched and it simulates pushing the environment up, as if you were trying to pass your finger through the Vita itself. So moving your finger across the rear touch pad allows you to roll a ball sized Deviant across the screen simultaneously. However, the physics could get a little wacky, and it was very easy to lose your control, not to mention fast. Accidentally touching the touch pad with another finger wouldn’t help the problem either, so it becomes a chore more than a pleasurable experience. Your fumbling around, trying to understand what you’re doing wrong, also leaves you open to attack from enemies and it gets increasingly frustrating when you can’t get the physics to work in your favor. On top of that there’s a time limit, and these types of games require you to move from point A to point B, etc.

    Another feature that didn’t work too well involved the Deviants in a boxing ring and you’ll have to use a combination of the front and rear touch panels to make a slingshot gesture and bounce them off the ropes of the boxing ring and into a swarm of robots. Gripping the Vita from the front and back at the same time didn’t register very well. At times it did, but more often I’d be left a sitting duck until the game managed to pick up my touch. Again, it got frustrating when more and more enemies entered the boxing ring, all ready to gang up on the little Deviant. This kind of mini-game ended rather quickly.

    There’s a fine line between learning curve and buggy software, so the demands for diverse mini-games may have clouded the proper hardware execution that makes these games work. There are loads more mini-games to be enjoyed though, but you’ll be able to pick up on some that just might not go your way. For that you just need to keep on trying until you incidentally succeed.

    The Vita’s near feature allows you to find other players who happen to play the game too. Should you come across another PSN profile through wi-fi or 3G, you can send them a friend request.

    Lasting Appeal

    As previously mentioned, it’s possible to earn anything from a gold, silver, or bronze medal for each mini-game. Many of these games will demand the utmost skills in dexterity to get the gold. If you’re one who needs to collect everything in the game this should suit you, but usually one play through is enough, unless a particular mini-game really stuck out for you. Additionally there are plenty of trophies that need unlocking so that will also keep your eyes glued to the screen even longer. Other than that, there’s not much else to keep you going, even if you do decide to go for all the medals and trophies.

    Conclusion

    Little Deviants has a variety of mini-games. Some will entertain you, urging you to try again. Some games will be a little more boring than others. Finally, some mini-games may just suffer from questionable software programming, to the point where you just want to put the Vita down and take a breather from getting really irritated. There’s still some fun to be had of course, it just takes some getting used to, and a little patience wouldn’t hurt either. I’d recommend renting it first to see if it appeals to you, then make an informed decision about whether you want to own it.

    Score:
    6.0/10

    Comments 1 Comment
    1. akiachan's Avatar
      akiachan - 04-04-2012
      This game is hard to play >_<

  • Review Scale

    Score 10- Flawless Victory: A score not handed out to every game. Games earning this rare score sit at the very pinnacle of excellence. These games act as the examples for which all others should be measured with. They are instant classics from the beginning. These games not only deliver what was expected of it, but also exceed the player’s expectations. The game’s features are innovative and original. No game is without its absolute flaws, but the finished product you bring home surpasses the anticipation the game has formed. A day one buy is a must. The game you hold in your hands with this score is a video game jackpot.

    Score 9 - 9.5- Outstanding: Games earning scores such as these absolutely must be played. Games that achieve this high ranking do so because they define the genres that they are in. Flaws are few and barely noticeable. Features seen in the game have been renovated to provide something new and fresh. The story, gameplay, graphics, and lasting appeal are all fantastic and is reason enough to bring the game home and to enjoy with family and friends. Every penny you spend on the game is so worth it.

    Score 8 - 8.5- Great: Any flaw the game may possess is overshadowed by its fun factor. These games would be great for gamers to play. These great games appeal to gamers more and more outside its normal player base because of what it brings to the table.

    Score 7 - 7.5- Good: Flaws do exist in these games, but the positive features of the game can counterbalance the flaws. Additionally, players who are predisposed to liking a game of a particular series or genre with this score should enjoy the game. These are in no way bad games, and much fun can be had with them. An overall good game is worth taking a look at, whether you are willing to buy the game or rent it first. That or you can also wait for the game to reach a good price.

    Score 6 - 6.5- Decent: Games falling into this category may suffer from numerous flaws (for example, graphics or gameplay), but are still worth playing. Granted, the player should be aware that a game with these scores may not guarantee them full satisfaction.

    Score 5 - 5.5- Average: An average game is one in which a game’s features are neither good nor completely terrible. Instead, the finished product is manageable. Little has been done to hold the player’s interest. If anything, rent this game before you consider buying it so that you can at least get a feel for the game’s overall experience.

    Score 4 - 4.5- Poor: Games falling into this category may only keep gamers entertained for a short while. While the game may seem enjoyable for moments at a time, it can quickly grow old and may never be revisited again. The game’s overall function is lacking in quality and may not hold the player’s attention for long. The game leaves little or nothing else to return back to.

    Score 3 - 3.5- Bad: If any positive qualities about a game in this category exist, it is not enough to redeem the game for its shortcomings. Sure you may find yourself playing it, but for how long? You will wind up not giving the game a second glance.

    Score 2 - 2.5- Horrible: Games such as these may not be totally unplayable, they nearly are. Additionally, they may lack, or greatly suffer in, the fundamental functionality of the software as a whole. The game simply does not come close to meeting industry standards at the time of its release.

    Score 1 - 1.5- Appalling: Gamers should avoid this game at all costs. The game was clearly not ready to make its way to store shelves in its status. Save your money and find something else. See it in the bargain bin? No! Stay away! Keep moving and look for something else.

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