Review: Droplitz - Addicted to Ink
Droplitz is one of those games that feel like they were inspired by Tetris
. It brings, however, a few twists to the old formula. Great for casual gamers and likely one to get you hooked, Droplitz offers a pleasing experience for those who want something light. Just make sure that if you plan on playing for 10 minutes, you have a couple hours to spare.
Platforms: PSN, XBLA, Windows, iPhone
Genre: Puzzle, Single-player, and multiplayer
ESRB: E for Everyone
Release Date: XBLA- June 24, 2009 | PSN/ Steam- June 25, 2009
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: Blitz Arcade
Gameplay: 8/10
The mechanics behind the game are simple to learn. For this review, I'm going to explain the PSN version but I'm sure the XBLA and PC ones work in a similar manner. You use the "X" and "O" buttons to turn the "dials" in hopes of creating a path for the droplets of ink-like material to get from the top of the board to the bottom. The square button speeds up the pace of the droplets falling and the triangle button works the various power-ups available in certain modes. Your goal is to keep from losing droplets and creating paths as the speed of the droplets increase. This goal doesn't change throughout the four modes but each adds something unique to the mix.
Classic mode is the first available mode to play and is the simplest to play. Zendurance mode tests your endurance to see how long you can last as the droplets speed down the dials. Power Up mode allows you to use various power-ups to help you get an edge on the board. Power-ups include bombs that wipe out either a small area around the selected dial or the whole board and items to slow down the speed of the droplets to a snail's pace or even completely freezing the board. Infection mode not only allows the same power-ups as Power Up mode, but adds something to work against you: infected dials. The goal in this mode is to create oaths so you don't lose droplets and to get rid of the infected dials that will pop up. If you're not quick to dispose of them, they infect all adjoining dials, causing the dials to react sluggishly.
Story: N/A
I did not give story a rating as this game has no story. The lack of a story does not hurt the game in any way, as most puzzle games don't require a story in order for you to play and enjoy it. If you must have a story to go with this game, I shall provide a short one. You play as a dial turner who must collect these "droplitz" without spilling too many. If you succeed in obtaining the highest score, you get a promotion. Ok, not a good one, but I'm sure you can make up one as you play if needed.
Graphics: 8/10
Graphics consists of colorful backgrounds and a multitude of dials. I found the themes (9 of them) to be pleasant and not the least bit distracting. Once you unlock the Zen mode, you can choose which theme to use as your background. There is enough detail to notice each droplet (if you have to time to pay attention to them) right down to the animations for when you use the power-ups. The transition between the backgrounds is subtle, which is helpful if you can't afford a distraction at a critical point where one wrong move spells game over.
View article Images hereDifficulty: 7/10
Droplitz isn't too hard as long as you know how the controls work. As your score increases, so does the speed of falling droplets. This is where the game can become tough. Add in the infected dials from the Infection mode and you've got a game that keeps you on your toes. The difficulty really depends on your skill and how well you can concentrate on turning dials and combining paths. You have no control what dials will replace the ones used in a path nor can you turn a dial that's in use.
Sound: 8/10
The background music is soft and pleasing to the ears. As per most puzzle games, if the music isn't your cup of tea you can mute it and not miss a thing. There are no vocals in the melodies and each theme/background has its own music. Personally, I like the relaxing vibe the music gives off.
Replay Value: 9/10
The major reasons to replay this title are to beat your (or a friend's) high score and to unlock every mode and board. With some high requirements to unlock some of the modes and boards, you will possibly spend hours trying to reach the high score needed. You don't have to plan on unlocking anything if you don't want to lose a few more hours in the game. Some people might give up altogether, while others will put it off until later.
Final Comments:
Overall, I find this game to be quite fun. It's not for everyone but those who enjoy games like Tetris and Bejeweled will like this downloadable game. My only gripe with Droplitz is that the score requirements for unlocking everything seems too high (300K to unlock a board when the average score you might get is 75K to 100K). Otherwise, I've had a blast losing hours of my life on this.
Overall: 8/10
Review: Droplitz - Addicted to Ink
By: gamepodunk
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