Guacamelee!'s Gameplay Is What You Want From a Downloadable Title
Guacamelee! is the third game from Toronto-based developer Drinkbox Studios and is the first game that isn't part of the Tales From Space series. Much like Tales From Space, Guacamelee! has a striking art style, but that's pretty much where the similarities end.
Whereas the Tales From Space games are strictly platformers, Guacamelee! is a game that smartly blends three genres into one cohesive package. There are platforming sections, much like in other Drinkbox games, but Guacamelee! also introduces an addicting combat system, and wraps it all in a "Metroidvania"-style level composition. The platforming is more satisfying than in any other Drinkbox game, and most of this is because of how well the character control is, and the fact that it's more challenging. Some of the optional platforming stages can get about as frustrating as anything out of Super Meat Boy, but much like Super Meat Boy, the character control is such that when you fail, you feel like it's your fault.
The combat is basic and easy to grasp. Towards the start, you're relying on the "square" button to accumulate as many hits as you can, and when you get enough hits, the "triangle" button appears over the enemy, which allows you to throw the enemy in whatever direction you want, preferably at other enemies. This system gets more complicated as you progress over the course of the game. You get special powers such as the uppercut and the slam that incorporate into the combat; enemies will have a colored shield around them, and depending on the color of the shield, you will need to do a specific special move to get through them. For example, the uppercut is colored red, so when enemies have a red shield, you will need to do an uppercut to break through their shields. These special moves also factor into the "metroidvania" aspect of the game. There are colored blocks that restrict access to certain rooms and when you obtain the move that corresponds to the color of the block, you are able to get through.
The organic combination of these systems are what make Guacamelee! so appealing and extremely hard to put down. One could get through the main campaign in around six hours or so, but I spent double that time doing every side mission collecting everything there is to collect. It's something I rarely do with games, but I did it with Guacamelee! simply because it was so fun to play. I should note that I played the majority of this game on Playstation Vita, which is the perfect platform to play it on. The structure the game makes it easy to play in short bursts, and visual style holds up well on the small screen.
As much as I had fun with Guacamelee!, though, there are some faults. The story is your basic Damsel In Distress scenario, with little reason to care for the one that needs saving. The only thing that makes the story unique is the Mexican-inspired setting and the colorful cast of villains you meet along the way. There are also difficulty spikes with some of the boss battles, especially with Jaguar Javier. Considering the final boss battle is a lot easier than him, the difficulty is really questionable.
Then there's something that everyone's been complaining about: the memes and references. While most of them are on posters in the background, you still get some some "bros" and "cool beans" out of the dialogue. Yes, those parts made me roll my eyes, but I didn't mind it much because I got the sense that Drinkbox crafted an actual, great playing game around all of it, and it didn't hinder my enjoyment of playing it at all.
Guacamelee! is a great game with a great art style and satisfying, addicting gameplay, and gamers in a mood for a polished downloadable indie title should definitely give it a try.