Review: Mister Slime
The Nintendo DS has proven to be the perfect place for developers to try out innovative gameplay mechanics - between the standard buttons and d-pad, the touch screen, the microphone and the dual screens, there is a lot of potential. Games on other platforms such as LocoRoco and the recently released World of Goo seem like concepts ripe to be reworked into a fun and innovative DS experience. That is where Mister Slime comes in … and perhaps the game should have been left as an interesting concept rather than a failed execution.
You play as … Mister Slime. You are caught in the middle of a conflict, trying to save his home town of Slime Village from their historic enemy the Axons. But that is really meaningless, as it is the gameplay that is the center of attention. That is because you are a four-legged sticky creature that reminds me of those goo-like things my kids used to get occasionally and fling at the walls until they got too dirty or chewed up by the dogs.
You use the d-pad to scroll your field of view, and the stylus to attach your arms to pegs to climb through the levels looking for the portal out of the zone. There are minor diversions you can encounter in each level that will trigger a mini-game, but those are pretty rare and not terribly exciting. Ultimately you are just doing the same thing over and over again.
Of course, most ‘casual games’ are based on a single gameplay element repeated over and over again. Take Bejeweled, where you are doing the same matching puzzle forever with a varying background and color scheme. The difference is that Bejeweled has a gameplay mechanic that sustains infinite repetition, whereas Mister Slime does not.
The visual and audio presentation is every bit as bland as the gameplay. You visit five worlds throughout the game, but aside from some differences in color, you still feel like you’re playing the same basic level over and again. Which again wouldn’t be bad, except that the level design is bland and uninspired.
In fact, that pretty much sums up the game - bland and uninspired. This is a shame because when you start playing you can see the potential for a cute, fun and charming experience. It feels like it should have been one of those hidden gems of the year, but after several waves of boredom wash over you it occurs to you that this is just a missed opportunity and a lousy game.
Pros:
+ Nice use of touch screen
+ Basically fun game mechanic
Cons:
- Lousy level design
- Indistinct world design
- Gameplay gets boring fast
Game Info:
Platform: DS
Publisher: SouthPeak Games
Developer: Lexis Digital
Release Date: 07/23/08
Genre: Action/Platform
ESRB Rating: E
Players: 1-2
