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Sound
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Value
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| | Genre: Arcade | | Min OS X: 10.3  CPU: G4 @ 800 MHz Graphics: 800x600 |
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In the genre of action, there's a small section which contains "eat everything" games. These games are generally small in scope and have you consuming things in a single screen. Tasty Planet goes far beyond that. The story behind Tasty Planet is slightly amusing, although it's usually just an occasional joke before the level begins. Your character is an efficient dust cleaner that has begun to grow out of control. You start by eating dirt and dust, but you soon go after larger game in order to satiate your unending appetite. Gameplay: After you've eaten the universe, what's left? In Tasty Planet your objective remains the same from level to level. All you have to do is eat things smaller than yourself and dodge things larger. Each level has a time limit that you have to reach your greatest size by. If you finish the level with a certain amount of time remaining, you get a badge for that level. If you finish the game with all the levels at a certain type of badge, you gain cheats. What it all comes down to, though, is eating everything and little more.Not to say the game isn't enjoyable; it certainly is. Each level has a varied item to munch, and they're different enough to keep it interesting for your first playthrough. Each item is also themed to your location. In the park, you'll find aphids, leaves, mice, cats, dogs, cars, buildings, trees, and everyone's favorite snack, people. It can be quite enjoyable chasing certain prey around, and it's very satisfying to watch it disappear while screaming or squeeking its dismay. The novelty does wear off after the first run through the game, however. Due to the fact that you're always doing the same thing, the game loses most of its appeal once you've eaten your way to universal destruction. There are a few bonus levels and there are extra game modes, but they're not much of a break as they also revolve around eating. You control your blob using the mouse. By pushing the mouse in the direction you want the blob to go, you can move it a little. As your blob gets bigger, you need to move the mouse more and more for the same distance. This can get annoying when trying for time records, as you constantly have to pick up the mouse due to the size of the levels. This game would have been a little more enjoyable if it had a keyboard option for those (like me) who don't like wrestling with their optical mice. Graphics: It almost looks real... I have no complaints with Tasty Planet's graphics. The backgrounds are always appropriate for the level you're playing, the leaves, aphids, people, tanks, galaxies, and other items are all well animated, and your blob shows quite a bit of character even though its only expressive feature is its eyes. Sound: I love hearing prey scream. The sounds in Tasty Planet all fulfill their purposes. Objects crack, crunch, and thunk the way they should, people scream, cats meow, and dogs woof. The only real problem is that they each have only one sound. You'll be hearing each sound hundreds of times, so that can become a little grating. You do have the option to turn the sound off, though, so there's always that possibility. In music, there are a few muzak themes that play during the levels, but you'll have heard all of them by the end of the second fourth level. They generally blend into the background well, but a couple tend to distract you from the gameplay. Thankfully, you can also turn the music off. Value: It's not a game, it's a lifestyle. With more and more games being sold for around $20, it's become tougher to figure out whether or not it's worth spending that money on one, as it would keep you from buying another. Tasty Planet is worth your money, but only if you want a casual game. Anyone who buys a game and then plays it for eight hours straight should avoid this game. It's fun for half an hour at a time, but any more will bore you.Overall, Tasty Planet should be avoided at all cost if you're a power gamer. This game is meant to be casual and isn't too enjoyable in long stretches of gaming. If you're a casual gamer, however, you should grab it. In short stretches, Tasty Planet can be quite enjoyable and it is much better than others of its kind. Pros • Addictive gameplay
• Varied levelsCons: • Repetitive gameplay
• No replay value
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