Urban Space Squirrels

Apologies for the daft name play on the subject. Exploding squirrels is the best description for title. Urban Space Squirrels is a puzzle/platformer XBLA Indie game. Not too different from N+ or Splosion Man. Some relations to Portal's puzzle can be seen as well. 

The tiny creature in hand here is a super power squirrel that can withold explosions and use these for longer and higher jumps. Which is required to progress over the laser/electric fences and whatnot to be able to find the exit door. The fierce rodent is armed with one bomb and more bombs are unlocked during its ways. Also other upgrades such as ability to climb on certain walls and glide further is found. The left thumbpad is used to aim the projectory of the bombs. When jumping to a bomp it can be triggered to give the rodent a second jump. The bombs used to extend the jump distance is very similar to the excellent Splosion Man. Also similar to Splosion Man frequent checkpoints are activated where the action will resume if the squirrel is electrified and turn into a replenishing snack.   
 
The control mechanism is the only complaint I had with the game. Both thumpads and triggers as well as the jump button are used to avoid laser beams and the hovering fireball-thingies. This is used for both for accurate aiming of the bombs as well as hovering/jumping/dodging/running. All and all seems unnecessary complex for such a simple game. 

Setting is placed in a urban environment (ie. not a forest) as the name describes. In more detail in a laboratory where Squirrels seems to be fleeing. Or heading to. Which also is the only indication of story. Graphics is very cartoony, in times even remind of a simple Flash game. Squirrels animations, the few moves it has that is, is OK enough.  
  
Urban Space Squirrels is similarly brutal as the two above mentioned platformers which for sure is not for everyone. For fans of these games this is definitely something worth checking out. The current 80MS point price tag this has, gives excellent value.  Each of the games four zones have 5 stages which all last from 5-10min to hours, depending on ones skills.