+this feels like a fresh take on the collectathon, where the prime collectables (monkeys) are not static objects but moving, living beings you have to subdue
+a wide variety of levels, each with unique setpieces and challenges that are localized and easy to navigate on a system with limited draw distances. feels more compact than something like sm64
+the amount of content is pretty spectacular, and many objectives are open-ended on which items or routes should be used
+good variety with the items. even though there's only 8, they all have their place at various points with none of them feeling too situational; it helps that some of the items have dual purposes for both puzzles and combat. being able to hold 4 at once thanks to the unorthodox controls is also a boon
+another good design element with the items is how differently each one uses the right stick. possibly the highlight is the rc car which you can move independently of yourself and is used in quite a few puzzles
+the music blew me away when I first heard it, I had no idea it would draw so heavily from techno and house. perhaps a few annoying tracks sprinkled in (ugh that carnival track) but the majority of the ost is insanely creative, pulsing electronic music
+very solid in-game cutscenes in this one. I think the particular anime-esque designs the game has going on mesh well with the low-poly actors and pasted-on faces
-I really do appreciate the team jumping at the chance to try something new with the second analogue stick, but the right stick is for the camera, end of story. at least there are camera controls in this game but they're on the d pad and thus usually impossible to use while moving, while at the same time having to aim items with the right stick is extremely fiddly
-combat with the stronger monkeys ie ones with missiles or guns can get quite frustrating. they have a tendency to run off-camera, leaving you unable to follow them until you reorient, and their ranged abilities far exceed the uncomfortable-to-aim slingshot that you're given
-the endgame really drags on, and wades into some precision platforming sections that push the limits of the game's touchy controls
-wow the dub is really horrific in this one, past the point of hilariously bad into being just lazy. no subtitles either
-having to rotate the right stick quickly to get a triple jump is very annoying, seems a little overzealous on the designer's part
-sort of annoying how each level immediately kicks you out once you hit the quota of monkeys you need to move on. would've been nice to avoid some revisits by 100%ing levels on my first run
enjoyed my time with most of this one, started to get antsy for it to finish near the end but overall a game that showed the heights of what 3d platforming could achieve on playstation. I did a little bit of side content aka getting optional monkeys, and while it didn't really hold my interest past that point I'm glad I at least beat the game. definitely worth a try if you're into games that push the limits of 5th generation graphics, or early platformers along with spyro et al.
+a wide variety of levels, each with unique setpieces and challenges that are localized and easy to navigate on a system with limited draw distances. feels more compact than something like sm64
+the amount of content is pretty spectacular, and many objectives are open-ended on which items or routes should be used
+good variety with the items. even though there's only 8, they all have their place at various points with none of them feeling too situational; it helps that some of the items have dual purposes for both puzzles and combat. being able to hold 4 at once thanks to the unorthodox controls is also a boon
+another good design element with the items is how differently each one uses the right stick. possibly the highlight is the rc car which you can move independently of yourself and is used in quite a few puzzles
+the music blew me away when I first heard it, I had no idea it would draw so heavily from techno and house. perhaps a few annoying tracks sprinkled in (ugh that carnival track) but the majority of the ost is insanely creative, pulsing electronic music
+very solid in-game cutscenes in this one. I think the particular anime-esque designs the game has going on mesh well with the low-poly actors and pasted-on faces
-I really do appreciate the team jumping at the chance to try something new with the second analogue stick, but the right stick is for the camera, end of story. at least there are camera controls in this game but they're on the d pad and thus usually impossible to use while moving, while at the same time having to aim items with the right stick is extremely fiddly
-combat with the stronger monkeys ie ones with missiles or guns can get quite frustrating. they have a tendency to run off-camera, leaving you unable to follow them until you reorient, and their ranged abilities far exceed the uncomfortable-to-aim slingshot that you're given
-the endgame really drags on, and wades into some precision platforming sections that push the limits of the game's touchy controls
-wow the dub is really horrific in this one, past the point of hilariously bad into being just lazy. no subtitles either
-having to rotate the right stick quickly to get a triple jump is very annoying, seems a little overzealous on the designer's part
-sort of annoying how each level immediately kicks you out once you hit the quota of monkeys you need to move on. would've been nice to avoid some revisits by 100%ing levels on my first run
enjoyed my time with most of this one, started to get antsy for it to finish near the end but overall a game that showed the heights of what 3d platforming could achieve on playstation. I did a little bit of side content aka getting optional monkeys, and while it didn't really hold my interest past that point I'm glad I at least beat the game. definitely worth a try if you're into games that push the limits of 5th generation graphics, or early platformers along with spyro et al.