Imagine a world full of cute, squishy, singing blobs. That is what you will find when playing LocoRoco 2, a new game made exclusively for the Sony PlayStation Portable.
LocoRocos are fun-loving, balloon-like beings that move by rolling and bouncing, and they have the unique ability to split themselves into smaller beings to fit through cracks, crevices and tiny tunnels. They star in 25 levels of puzzle play in LocoRoco 2, a sequel to the award-winning 2006 PSP title.
The LocoRocos' peaceful planet has been invaded by the evil Moja, spiky beings who are intent on sucking the joyous life force out of all the inhabitants. The Moja have unleashed a sonic weapon that creates black clouds of despair. Your goal is to rid the planet of the Moja.
Each puzzle in the game is called a stage, an environment through which you roll a specific LocoRoco. The stages vary greatly from hilly landscapes to underwater to the inside of a penguin-like creature.
But the game play is simple: push the left trigger button to tilt the environment to the left and the right trigger button to lean it to the right. By tilting the world, the LocoRoco starts to roll. To make the LocoRoco jump, you push the left and right trigger buttons at the same time. The key to getting your LocoRoco to go where you want is to tilt, roll and jump at the right time.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: PlayStation Portable | Moja
As simple as the "tilt and roll" mechanic is, these puzzles deliver fascinating, varied environments to explore. A LocoRoco can jump against a wall and a secret cavern might open up. They can squish down to fit through tiny fissures.
And even better, they can break apart into separate little blobs that can ride wind currents or bounce like pinballs through caverns. And new to this sequel is the ability to swim underwater, swing on vines and hide inside hard shells, which are a great help when rolling over spiky enemies that can pop the LocoRoco.
As you roll through these worlds, you are helped by friendly beings called MuiMui and, at times, you will rescue them. You will also encounter red berries, which when eaten, increase the size (and bounce) of the LocoRoco. That size increase indicates that another LocoRoco has been born inside your character and it will reveal itself whenever you opt to split apart your LocoRoco by tapping the "O" button (holding down the "O" will squish them back together into one, larger individual).
You will also want to collect little flying bugs called Pickories, which act as the currency. Unlocking and then absorbing musical notes acts as a way to find bonuses, change the background music and help you in your travels.
While the core game play is about navigating through these varied environments to collect things and bump into and thereby destroy the Moja's black clouds, there are also six minigames, a decorate-a-house activity and some activities related to collecting LocoRoco stamps.
This is a relatively easy puzzle game that creates a soothing vibe as you play. Its quirky music, cute and whimsical characters, and unique 2-D art style with funky colors all contribute to this uplifting experience.
While there are some platform gaming challenges about how to get your blob where you want it to go, this is a game that makes you feel good rather than getting your adrenaline pumping. The creativity displayed in how the LocoRocos fluidly interact with their environment is awe-inspiring.
LocoRocos are fun-loving, balloon-like beings that move by rolling and bouncing, and they have the unique ability to split themselves into smaller beings to fit through cracks, crevices and tiny tunnels. They star in 25 levels of puzzle play in LocoRoco 2, a sequel to the award-winning 2006 PSP title.
The LocoRocos' peaceful planet has been invaded by the evil Moja, spiky beings who are intent on sucking the joyous life force out of all the inhabitants. The Moja have unleashed a sonic weapon that creates black clouds of despair. Your goal is to rid the planet of the Moja.
Each puzzle in the game is called a stage, an environment through which you roll a specific LocoRoco. The stages vary greatly from hilly landscapes to underwater to the inside of a penguin-like creature.
But the game play is simple: push the left trigger button to tilt the environment to the left and the right trigger button to lean it to the right. By tilting the world, the LocoRoco starts to roll. To make the LocoRoco jump, you push the left and right trigger buttons at the same time. The key to getting your LocoRoco to go where you want is to tilt, roll and jump at the right time.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: PlayStation Portable | Moja
As simple as the "tilt and roll" mechanic is, these puzzles deliver fascinating, varied environments to explore. A LocoRoco can jump against a wall and a secret cavern might open up. They can squish down to fit through tiny fissures.
And even better, they can break apart into separate little blobs that can ride wind currents or bounce like pinballs through caverns. And new to this sequel is the ability to swim underwater, swing on vines and hide inside hard shells, which are a great help when rolling over spiky enemies that can pop the LocoRoco.
As you roll through these worlds, you are helped by friendly beings called MuiMui and, at times, you will rescue them. You will also encounter red berries, which when eaten, increase the size (and bounce) of the LocoRoco. That size increase indicates that another LocoRoco has been born inside your character and it will reveal itself whenever you opt to split apart your LocoRoco by tapping the "O" button (holding down the "O" will squish them back together into one, larger individual).
You will also want to collect little flying bugs called Pickories, which act as the currency. Unlocking and then absorbing musical notes acts as a way to find bonuses, change the background music and help you in your travels.
While the core game play is about navigating through these varied environments to collect things and bump into and thereby destroy the Moja's black clouds, there are also six minigames, a decorate-a-house activity and some activities related to collecting LocoRoco stamps.
This is a relatively easy puzzle game that creates a soothing vibe as you play. Its quirky music, cute and whimsical characters, and unique 2-D art style with funky colors all contribute to this uplifting experience.
While there are some platform gaming challenges about how to get your blob where you want it to go, this is a game that makes you feel good rather than getting your adrenaline pumping. The creativity displayed in how the LocoRocos fluidly interact with their environment is awe-inspiring.
