Drawn To Life brings yet another completely unique gameplay to the already impressive Nintendo DS game collection.
Publisher: THQ
Genre: 2D Action/adventure/platform/side scroll shooter
Playable: Single player/WiFi enabled
Gametime: +/- 15 hours
ABOUT
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As we all know by now, the Nintendo DS has brought forth some pretty unique games with, pretty unique gameplay. Just think of Metroids Prime Hunters, a first good example of portable FPS gaming. Brain Training, Trauma Center: Under the Knife, Nintendogs, and many more. Drawn To Life brings yet another completely unique gameplay to the already impressive Nintendo DS game collection. In this game, you draw your own hero!
STORY
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It begins in the world of the "Raposa", a race of small rabbit-like creatures that used to live in a peaceful and happy world. This world was created and guarded by a godlike being known as "The Creator". Using the "Book of Life" the Creator drew the world to life, creating everything from the trees, to the stars in the sky. One Raposa named "Wilfre" considered the creations of the Creator to be insufficient/not good, and decided he could do it better. He stole the Book of Life and started drawing in it, creating shadowy creatures. The other Raposa soon discovered his activities and put them to a halt. Wilfre managed to evade capture and went towards the village entrance, where he tore pages out of the Book of Life and threw them into the wind, to be scattered across the world. After this Wilfre left the village never to be seen again. Upset with the action of Wilfre, the creator sealed what was left of the Book of Life into the "Hall of Creations" and locked it up.
Slowly the village gets surrounded by dark shadowy clouds, bringing fear to the Raposa. Soon towns people couldn't take it anymore and left the village, to find a better home. To a point where only the village's Mayor, his daughter (Mari) and an adventure loving (Jowee) are the last remaining inhabitants. Mari prays to the Creator, for help and assistance. And her prayers are answered as the creator (the player) tells Mari that he/she will help, by creating a hero…
GAMEPLAY
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It all begins with the drawing of the hero, which is done by using a very easy to use drawing interface which will be used again later on in the game to create other objects (including weapons!). Given the right amount of skill and patience, really awesome heroes can be created. From the moment the hero is created the player will assume control over him/her/it for the majority of the game.
The same amount of effort can be put into the weapons, accessories and vehicles the hero uses.
By returning to the Hall of Creations, the player can choose to edit his/her previous designs. Or even choice to create a new heroes, with a maximum hero amount of three. Each hero can be redesigned or completely deleted to make room for a new hero.
While drawing on the bottom screen of the DS, the top screen displays the hero/object your drawing as it will look like in the game. When drawing the hero, it will show the hero doing several moves, like walking and running. This gives a good preview on what the eventual hero will look like, and it also provides a good feeling, to see your own creations come to life like that.
The first introduction into the Raposa world, is from an RPG like top view, with 8 directional movement and NPC interaction. During this period the major parts of the story are told, with conversations and cutscenes. Later on in the game, in this RPG top view mode, the player can buy new moves for the hero, various minigames, songs, or new patterns/pallets for the drawing part of the game.
After completing a level in the platform mode, the player returns to the village and is always asked to clear the dark clouds, from a piece of the village (usually owned by the Raposa you just rescued in the last level). Another thing the player needs to do after completing a level, is draw a new object into the Book of Life, using the page the hero has recovered from the previous level. The objects can vary from creating a sun, to provide daylight for the Raposa, or the Night Sky to provide night. Even the clock needs to be created to actually provide the Raposa world with time. Which the game takes from the actual time as set on the Nintendo DS itself. This will make it night in the village when it is passed 7PM real time, and it will make it day if it is passed 7AM real time.
When the actual gaming begins, the game play switches from top view RPG to a side view platform shooter. Where the player must navigate the hero trough several large platform levels, filled with loads of enemies, secrets and Raposa that need to be rescued. The player can kill the enemies in various ways, starting with the a-la-mario jump on top of the enemy maneuver. Very simple and effective against almost every enemy. The player can also push (or later in the game, punch) the enemy of a cliff or into the water. Another method is using the by the player designed weapons! Depending on what world the player is in, the hero has his/her/it's own weapon. It starts in the snow world, where the player is given a snowblaster. Basically a snow gun, which fires snowballs in a straight line at the enemies. In the forest world, where there is no snow, the weapon is switched for an exploding acorn launcher. A grenade launcher that shoots exploding acorns in a grenade launcher like fashion, complete with bounce ability.
Aside from enemies, secrets and Raposa in distress, the player also encounters objects that need to be drawn. Stuff like floating platforms, debris, moving platforms, radio's, swings, slides, treadmills, vehicles likes sleds, hang gliders, submarines, and event Rockets! After drawing them the player can use them to further progress trough the level.
This gives every level, you own personal touch(s).
GRAPHICS
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Drawn To Life uses nicely designed 2D sprites and environments, all well animated and correctly implemented. Each level has its own theme and each theme has it's own special objects, color, and structure. This makes every level something new. Although there will be no repetitive designs amongst levels, it can be seen in each individual level. Your often wondering; "Have I been here before?" Even when you enter a new area.
The sprites of the enemies and the Raposa's are great. Especially the Raposa are extremely animated, with various poses and expressions. The enemies to look well made, especially considering how most of them, are mostly made up out of black. Also very animated and believable enemies of a Raposa world. Some kind of remind me of Super Mario enemies, but I suppose the entire platform theme is a homage to Super Mario to begin with.
AUDIO
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Fitting in with the whole Raposa world, the music is often cheerful and happy. But at key points such as boss fights and dramatic scenes, it switches to a similar styled but more serious action/drama theme. In the entire game there are 40 different songs, often associated with the levels visited. It also includes a single full vocally sung ending theme.
The sound effects are pretty plain most of the time. The jumping sound is your typical Mario jump sound, the sound of the weapons are also very plain, as are all the other sounds effects. The only more noticeable sounds come from the Raposa talking and the enemies dying.
THE GOOD
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Unique feature that lets you create the hero(es) of the story.
Easy to use drawing mode
Despite it's childish appearance a good storyline
The drawing/coloring of various level objects provides each level with the players own personal touch
Simple yet fun, Mario styled platform shooter gameplay
Fun and action based boss fights
THE BAD
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Repetitive gameplay during the normal level
The Raposa seem to be a little demanding (Example: Needing to recover a parasol and a beach ball page for the Book of Life, so they can play with these things on the beach.)
The drawing of certain objects is often limited to just colouring them
The drawing mode often lacks in features, not allowing for full artistic freedom
THE WEAPONS
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Despite being able to draw your own weapons, the ammo and functionality remain the same as the game presents it. A snow blaster remains a snow blaster no matter how much you draw a machine gun. Also all weapons are single hand based, allowing only handguns to be drawn.
But despite all of that, I didn't expect to see fire arms in this game. There presence alone deserves them six points. But the only properly usable weapons are the snow blaster and the acorn launcher. The others are pretty useless and often cause more pain then gain, this cost the game a good two points.
This counts up to:
WEAPONSCORE: 4
Gamescore:
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The game is really unique when it comes to the ability to draw your own hero, weapons, objects, vehicle, and so on. The overall gameplay is adequate for a game that allows for these special drawing features, but it is not unique. Luckily the story is interesting enough to let you keep going, and the draw your own stuff feature never really fails to amuse. Being quiet cheap for a recently (September) released game, at only €29,99 (+/- $35,-) it has a good fun/cash ratio.
Tough not a must have and probably only really special to people who love to see they're creations come to life, it's a good way spend the time during a long flight or drive.
GAMESCORE: 9
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-Jos "Colt" Ploegmakers-