A friend asked me if I would take part in a community review for Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet. My objective was to play the game and write two paragraphs about what I liked about the game.
Here's my brief review, which appeared on the XBOX Canada Blog:
Developed by FuelCell Games, Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet is an interesting mixture of a few different genre elements. There's your twin-stick shooter action mechanics, Metroid-style map design plus backtracking, as well as some well-designed and interesting puzzle elements. It's a concoction that mixes incredibly well and doesn't feel like a second-rate attempt at any of the aforementioned game types, which is quite impressive. In fact, it's a very polished experience that won't bother you with clunky controls, problematic physics or noticeable glitches. Something we gamers love to see when we spend our hard earned dollars on a new game.
The most impressive part of it all is its art design, created within the abstract mind of Michel Gagné. To say that this game is visually interesting, innovative and stunning would be to sell it short. Each new area of the game presents a new visual treat, adding new puzzles, obstructions and colourful designs along the way. Those who say that video games aren't art should definitely check this one out in high-definition because it'll certainly change their collective minds. Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet looks and plays differently from almost everything else on the market, which is a nice thing to see. Buy it for its solid design and amazing art, knowing that one of the major reasons you did so was to prove to the non-gamers around you just how innovative these digital escapes really are.
Needless to say, I really liked it.
