Blinx: The Time Sweeper - Review

Added August 5th, 2003 by EminaZ

Introduction:

One of the new videogame developer out there, Artoon’s first game for the Xbox console comes in a form of a time travelling cat. While it is true that Artoon is a new company, the men behind are all respected in the videogame industry. Artoon is compiled from ex-Sega employees, established by Yogi Ishii, the ex-Senior Director of R&D at SOJ (Sega of Japan), the men and women behind Artoon previously worked on classics like the Panzer Dragoon series and the Sonic series. Artoon’s main focus is the GBA, but they are, obviously, interested in Console market. Our first treat is Blinx, like Sega, Artoon does all they can to be creative.

Gameplay:

The gameplay is very simple and one could relate it to games like Mario and Sonic. You are give some time to beat a certain stage. But you must all destroy all the time monsters that are putting the time factory, which is ironically ran by cats.

One of the best things about this game is the ability to control time. Yes, that is right – the ability to control time. You could fast forward, rewind, pause, and even set the time to slow motion. It is a very fancy effect that allows you to solve tricks, destroy enemies and do many cool things you would have never thought possible.

While the time-control effect is fancy and all, the game just gets repetitive after doing the same thing for 40 stages. What you discovered in the first stage is what you will need to finish the game. There are no different objectives other then destroy all monsters, and get to the time portal. Perhaps Artoon spent too much time make the fancy effect and forgot about depth of gameplay.

This game is a beauty, don’t get me wrong – but if you have short attention span and have a very soft spot for fast paced action then this game isn’t for you. This game is more cutesy and slow-paced. You will have to solve some puzzles here and there, and use your time controls wisely. This game does require you to think.

Graphics:

Built from scratch on the most powerful hardware, Blinx takes advantage of the Xbox. Do you like how you are able to control time? Well, that effect can only be done on Xbox in this generation. But that is more technical and less graphical. Blinx graphics are not the best out there, but not many games stand proudly over it in this area.

Some great art direction from Artoon indeed, you truly get the feel that you are playing a fantasy game. Look at the water canal stage! The buildings, the water, the whole feel of the graphics make you love the game. It has a cartoon like characteristic to them, you could, for example, see many building in the background that are curved in many different and ridicules ways in some stages, while in other stages, you feel like you are in Italy and could almost smell the beautiful scent an Italian bakery.

This game has some truly inspired stages, it is sad, however, that Artoon didn’t have the same inspiration when they made some of the enemies. Most of the enemies are badly created and animated. Some of them are green blobs that simply hop around, others just stand there and shoot at you. Some of the enemies don’t even match the stages that they are at.

They quality of the stages also varies, some stages could be beautiful, while others can be iffy. Artoon need to work on some of these problems if they are planning to become a loved developer.

Audio:

This game lacks in the audio department, your character lacks sound effects. He simply doesn’t make enough sound effects. The whole game lacks sounds effect, which supports the theory that Artoon was too busy creating the time control effect that they had to rush everything else to meet the deadlines. The music in the game is nothing special. The basic adventure music have been implanted in the game.

The sound is where this game lacks most. If you demand good music and sound effects, stay away.

Controls:

You control the cat, need less to say, Artoon gave you some useless moves like the cartwheel and the back flip. Who would use a back flip when they could pause time? I don’t understand that part. You basically have the basic control schemes.

You collect time crystals in order to get to control time, if you get 4 of the same kind you will be rewarded with 2 of that time control power, if you get 3 of the same ones, and 1 different – then you will be rewarded with 1 of that power.

The basic controls, for the basic platform game.

Replay:

When you finish this game you will unlock the new mode, actually you don’t unlock anything. There is no true motive to play this game, except for, perhaps, to get new vacuums for you little kitty. It is a sad thing when I a game gives the player no true reason to replay the game. This game, even though has 40 stages; the stages are short. Thus you are subjected to finish each of them in a very short period of time.

Summary:

The first Xbox game from the ex-Sega employees. Artoon’s first attempt is pretty impressive – technically, but the shallowness of the depth and the lack of replay value degrades this game more then needed. It is a good game, if you are willing to overcome the fact that once you are done with it, you will leave it on your shelf to collect dust forever. Although this game is great, it is too short - rent this game before you buy it. Some people love it, some people hate it; decide for yourself.