Every developer
must have a mascot game. Nintendo has Zelda and Mario. Sony has Sly Cooper and
Ratchet & Clank. And Sega has Sonic. Now Acclaim can join the ranks of those
developers for making one of the most enjoyable multi-console action/adventure
games ever released.
Vexx
looks predictable. The lead character (named Vexx) is an elf-like character
with special claws that enable him to do many incredible things. Five minutes
into the game, you’re hooked. The camera appears to be a little unstable, but
the gameplay is so good that you really don’t care. 20 minutes later, the
camera doesn’t seem so bad anymore. 60 minutes later, you begin to wonder just
how much time it took to develop a game this deep. From the start of each
level, it would appear as though there is very little to do or see. Once again,
looks are deceiving. Every level — all 9 of them — is huge. The back of the
box refers to them as "monstrous, non-linear worlds!" That’s almost an
understatement. These worlds aren’t just non-linear. You’ll find hidden
passageways that lead to several more hidden passageways! And like any good
action/adventure, one wrong move is all you have to make to end it all. Sure,
you have extra lives, but when the game forces you to start all over again, do
you really care? I didn’t think so.
Regardless, Vexx
is rarely frustrating. I covered my face a few times, looked at the floor and
asked the game why I had to die again, but it was never overwhelmingly
difficult. The vast environments were exactly what I had desired from games
like Banjo-Kazooie, Crash Bandicoot, and even Mario Sunshine. All of those were
great games, but not a single one of them felt truly expansive. Vexx takes the
word expansive and expands on it. Seriously, I may sound like I’m being a
little over-praising, but the size of Vexx’s levels really blew me away. They
have exquisite designs that have not been seen before. Navigating them is a
joy. Whether you’re climbing to the highest peak, or swimming deep within a
watery maze, Vexx is a true, undeniable masterpiece.
Level
architecture is extremely important, but Acclaim didn’t stop there. Vexx moves
at a smooth, quick, entertaining pace, with only technical issues holding it
back. (The game tends to stutter slightly every now and then when spinning the
camera around, among other minor problems. I’ve played Vexx for Xbox, and none
of these problems appeared to be present in that version.) When Vexx runs, he
truly runs. (That sounds strange, I know, but there are a few games out there
where the characters run so slow that it appears as if they’re walking.)
Virtually all of
Mario 64’s trademark nuances have been applied to Vexx. Mario had a butt-stomp
to complete various tasks, but if timed right, you could use it to prevent Mario
from being damaged after a huge fall. Vexx doesn’t have a butt-stomp, but he
has an aerial attack move that’s very similar, as well as a handy jump-kick,
both of which can be used to slow Vexx down while falling.
Vexx
has a cool, unique addition to the genre: combos. Both button-tappers (press
the square button multiple times in a row) and jugglers (knock an enemy into the
air and jump-kick him repeatedly) are present, and serve an important purpose.
Standard, one-hit attacks earn no more than a few points. Combos, on the other
hand, earn several points, and the points multiple with each consecutive hit.
The more points you earn, the faster your power meter will be filled. As you
may have guessed, the power meter unleashes Vexx’s super powers, which enable
him run faster and shoot a powerful, enemy-seeking blast.
Those giant
claws on Vexx’s hands aren’t just for attacking though — they can also be used
to climb designated spots on mountains, large rock formations, waterfalls, etc.
Vexx
runs on an artificial clock, which quickly changes from day to night and back
again. The change isn’t merely aesthetic though. Visually, it looks very cool,
but nighttime is just way too dark. I brightened the colors on my television
and it was still too hard to see everything clearly. The gameplay changes are
nothing major, but are a step up from previous games with a night-to-day clock.
At night, some of the monsters become more difficult. Their exterior changes
slightly, indicating that they have become stronger. Puzzles also vary in
difficulty from day to night, and some areas are only accessible at specific
times of the day.
One thing that
might turn you off at first is the camera. It’s not perfect, and if you’ve been
playing games with better cameras, such as Splinter Cell or Mario Sunshine,
you’re going to have to be patient. It’ll take some time to get adjusted to
Vexx’s camera, but I found that it’s best to just leave it alone most of the
time. You’ll have to swing it around Vexx in order to see the world around you,
but for the most part that isn’t necessary, especially when you can just press
the circle button to re-center your view. Please don’t let this minor
frustration turn you off from the game. It is so entertaining and so incredibly
deep that you will be making a huge mistake if you stop playing just because of
the camera.
Sometimes a
conclusion is needed for a review, but right now, I think I pretty much said
everything that needed to be said. Vexx is a stellar, high-quality,
praise-worthy game that deserves to be enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of
gamers. This is the first third-party action/adventure that has the potential
to compete with Mario, Sonic and Ratchet & Clank. The depth is unprecedented.
Mario and Ratchet have their strengths, and both of those games have excellent
level design. But Vexx goes even further. This game is an absolute
masterpiece. Buy it for whichever console you own.
Gameplay: 9.1
Nine enormous,
wonderful worlds were not enough for the developers of this game. They had to
go and include hundreds of hidden items, numerous hidden passageways and an
abundance of challenges, too! Their hard work has resulted in one of the most
entertaining action/adventure games released for all three game consoles.
Graphics: 8
The PS2
version has some technical issues, and the graphics don’t appear to be as crisp
(or as refined) as they do on Xbox. But other than that, Vexx is a really
good-looking game. The animation is fluid, the levels are detailed, and the
day-to-night effects are pretty cool.
Sound: 7.5
Vexx
has a good, unobtrusive soundtrack, but there aren’t enough songs to entertain
your ears for the long hours of gameplay you’re sure to experience. The sound
effects are a little repetitive, and the voice-overs consist of typical
voice-actor jargon.
Difficulty: Medium
Vexx
has a good, unobtrusive soundtrack, but there aren’t enough songs to entertain
your ears for the long hours of gameplay you’re sure to experience. The sound
effects are a little repetitive, and the voice-overs consist of typical
voice-actor jargon.
Concept: 8.5
Play it for a
few hours and you’ll see what I mean. Vexx does things that have never been
done before (in an action/adventure).
Multiplayer: N/A
Overall: 8.9
Vexx
is right up there with Crash Bandicoot, Ratchet & Clank, and is superior to
every action/adventure available for the Xbox. Next to Mario Sunshine, this is
the best action/adventure GameCube owners can get their hands on. And it is
definitely one of the best PS2 games you can buy.
