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ESRB: 
Platform: Wii
Category: Platformer
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Graphics 8.5 |
Sound 7 |
Gameplay 7 |
Tilt 7.5 ||
Overall 7.5
Author: Frank
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Developer – Konami
Publisher - Konami
Features
1 – 4 players
Online play/ stats upload
Dolby Pro Logic 2
Nintendo’s Wii system is chock full of cutesy titles geared towards the younger or casual gamer. While some see this as a good thing I am somewhat concerned that Nintendo’s onslaught of 3rd party games seems to be all over the map as the Wii is targeting everyone, young and old, male or female. Don’t get me wrong, but what about us hardcore gamers who have kept the industry alive for so long. That being said, add yet another cute game to the library of Wii games as Konami has released Dewy’s Adventure. I am not one for the sugary-coated adorable titles but I do have a 3 year old and he seemed to enjoy the game. Dewy’s Adventure boasts a unique control system and knowing that it could be something different I dove in to see just how much frosting the game had.
Graphics
Visually Dewy’s Adventure is very much like much like Elebits, another Konami published title. The game has a very bright and colorful pallet in almost every level and environment I encountered. While the Wii isn’t a high horsepower machine you’ll swear that some of the levels look almost on par with Mario Galaxy which is a truly gorgeous game on its’ own (editors note: Mario is really gorgeous). Speaking of which, Dewy’s Adventure did remind me of some of Mario games of past, especially where the ball and chain guy is running after you, I had too laugh.
As I played through the game I really did notice that a large amount of style, lighting, and even texture effects throughout that I didn’t think was possible on the Wii. However, this seems to come at a cost as there are some slight framerate issues. And although the camera system is well implemented as it allows you to look around pretty much anywhere you want too, I also found signs of clipping in tight spots. Both of these negative points aren’t deal breakers, but the real nitpickers out there may have something to say about them.
The level designs are quite innovative with an ample amount of the 2D/3D gameplay reminding me of older games in simpler days. I also noticed that Dewy always had a huge smile on his face too. Being that this is really a kids adventure I loved how the visual style of it contrasts some of the heavy adult oriented titles out on the market today. Overall I would say that this title manages a great visual style and look and you shouldn’t be disappointed with it.
Sound
Unfortunately Dewy's Adventure's voice acting is pretty bad. It's hard not to laugh at times as the narration continues onward. I also found the humming of the characters very weird and slightly annoying, especially since I did not know why they would make this sound. After some thought though I realized that younger kids may like the Teletubbie induced sound of the game since their tastes are pretty different than those of my own. As for the music in the game there are some genuinely catchy melodies but there are also some irritatingly repetitive ones. Finally, there really isn’t a lot of sound effect’s to give your sound system a workout, but there are the standard bells and whistles associated with a kid’s title. It is a pretty mild affair, but effective for what it is.
Gameplay
Gameplay is sometimes more important than how the game looks. Zelda fans in particular will feel right at home with Dewy’s Adventure as it is focused around exploration and puzzle solving. Additionally, the title feels very much like typical platformer in level design, which requires you to manoeuvre Dewy up, down and around the vibrant worlds he explores. I admire Konami for combining both of these aspects almost perfectly, and as a result the game's creativeness draws you into playing more and more of the game. What's more, the environmental puzzle-based boss fights are some of the better parts of the experience and surprisingly keeps you wanting even more. A large reason why Dewy's Adventure entertains is because of its imaginative, artistic level design. You'll explore green forests, icy mountains, the insides of a volcano and much more. Konami's implementation of these levels is attractive, thanks to the waterfall of amazing lifelike colors which it really draws you in.
There are also Dewy’s elemental powers that add to the overall game experience. With a twist of the D-pad you can turn Dewy from a blob of water into several different forms. These different forms grant Dewy appropriate elemental powers and can help you traverse the levels as well as defeat your enemies. For instance, using the power of ice transforms Dewy, as well as the world around him, into ice letting him quickly slide across newly frozen ground. There are other powers that I’ll leave you to discover and each of these functions differently than the last.
Dewy’s Adventure is not a perfect game though as controlling the little guy has its’ share of difficulties. I found that the tricky part in the control scheme is actually making things work properly in a responsive manner. The entire game is played with the Wii remote held sideways so no nunchuk is required. It uses a classic control tilt based scheme much like Excite Truck and Super Monkey Ball, but it could have benefited from tighter control. In a very real sense you are controlling the world around Dewy, not the water-blob himself. This is where the frustration sets in. It's very difficult to manoeuvre Dewy back and forth on screen with the tilt controls. While I became used to the control after sometime, I never felt comfortable with it. I found the set up very tough to master as I was falling off platforms with regularity. Granted, there are certain parts of the game with small platforms that had me pretty frustrated at times but overall the control just didn’t feel fine-tuned. Veteran Wii players may take less time in becoming accustomed to the sometimes-quirky control, but I think the younger gamers may have a tough time in making it work for them.
Dewy’s Adventure is full of well-designed puzzles and temperature-based boss weak spots like a good Mario platform game. I did find the game was kind of short, but I hoped that the online play would alleviate some of that worry. While you can take Dewy’s Adventure online with friends, it’s not co-op based play. You and some friends (the number code system...sigh) can hook up to collect stars from various environments throughout Dewy’s land. This can be fun for a short time, but really can get a bit boring later on. Dewy's Adventure also includes a fairly robust level editor where you can basically build your own map. You can choose from different map templates, but you can also customize them with different palettes and items. You can either play these levels alone or with up to three friends. Build your own map and play them online, I think this could be a first for the Wii? Finally you can also upload your stats online as well.
Conclusion
Konami has done a very good job in creating another cool and likeable hit for kids with a Wii. The game is extremely bright and colorful with tons of cute and loveable characters throughout and levels that are challenging and well thought out. On the downside the game is a bit too short, the online factor could have used more in the way of content, and the control could be aggravating at times. However, when everything is taken into context Dewy’s Adventure should be on any young gamers list of games to play over the holiday season.
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