by Vanessa Hague
Month after month, PS Plus subscribers have a healthy rosta of "free" games (mainly indies with the odd AAA title thrown in) and this month is no different.
Month after month, PS Plus subscribers have a healthy rosta of "free" games (mainly indies with the odd AAA title thrown in) and this month is no different.
Guacamelee is one of the titles on offer this month and this colourful little platformer is definitely worth downloading. In the game, you play as Juan, a Mexican farmer come luchador who has to battle through the living dead to rescue the daughter of El Presidente. As you've probably guessed, the game draws heavily upon Mexican culture; the in-game events revolve around the "Dia de los Muertos" or the Day of the Dead, which is a holiday that is celebrated throughout Mexico where families remember their deceased. The colourful and cartoonish artsyle in Guacamelee is directly influenced from costumes and decoration connected to Dia de Los Muertos and it is refreshing to see such a bright and vibrant game in the midst of the realistic artstyle that grips many AAA titles today.
The combat is smooth, responsive and has good flow, as the system is geared towards getting bigger combos to increase the score rewarded. There is also a good amount of variety to combat as various strings of button presses unleash different wrestling moves. However, whilst the combat is good, like almost every other platformer, Guacamelee can sometimes fall prey to platforming sections that frustrate because they are difficult to traverse.
The combat is smooth, responsive and has good flow, as the system is geared towards getting bigger combos to increase the score rewarded. There is also a good amount of variety to combat as various strings of button presses unleash different wrestling moves. However, whilst the combat is good, like almost every other platformer, Guacamelee can sometimes fall prey to platforming sections that frustrate because they are difficult to traverse.
That is probably my only gripe with Guacamelee but then again, that can happen with any platformer. The story is easy enough to follow without too much strain, the combat is simple to grasp and with it's rich artstyle, it's just a fun game to play through that doesn't take itself too seriously and that more than makes up for some frustrating platforming elements.
Guacamelee is also a relatively short game, taking a few hours to complete. It's short run time works to its advantage, as it further adds to the laidback style that the game carries itself within; it's short, sweet and relatively easy to play. A shorter playtime also adds some replayablitiy value as you can purchase different costumes that change your playstyle and that means you can unlock trophies you might have missed first playthrough (if trophy completion is your thing).
So if you haven't tried Guacamelee yet, please give it a try; it's sweet and zany and colourful and an absolute gem of a game. Plus it's free... kinda. Play it before it gets taken off the roster, you won't be disappointed.
Guacamelee is also a relatively short game, taking a few hours to complete. It's short run time works to its advantage, as it further adds to the laidback style that the game carries itself within; it's short, sweet and relatively easy to play. A shorter playtime also adds some replayablitiy value as you can purchase different costumes that change your playstyle and that means you can unlock trophies you might have missed first playthrough (if trophy completion is your thing).
So if you haven't tried Guacamelee yet, please give it a try; it's sweet and zany and colourful and an absolute gem of a game. Plus it's free... kinda. Play it before it gets taken off the roster, you won't be disappointed.
Hola amigo!
Another great offering from PS Plus... or if not great then certainly free, and that's almost as good.
Have you had a chance to play Guacamelee yet? Played anything else lately that we should know about? Let us know in the comments below!
Have you had a chance to play Guacamelee yet? Played anything else lately that we should know about? Let us know in the comments below!
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