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Apr 04 2005
Ape Escape: On the Loose Review
PSP Game Review | Action
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| Summary: Going Ape with Analog
70
Ape Escape isn't a bad game, but it's not likely to tear up the sale charts, either. If anything, the sounds are fairly atmospheric, graphics are colorful and cartoonish (but clipping and sorting issues crop up regularly) without being really remarkable. But the hook of the game is really that this is a slightly less polished and less expansive Mario 64 style game. What's so interesting about that on the PSP, given the system's capabilities?
Analog stick. Plain and simple.
Controlling the main character makes me wish Mario was a Sony game instead of relegated to the stylus-controlled Nintendo DS. This is a 3D platformer with real 3D control, and the analog nub on the PSP shines brightly with Ape Escape. What the levels lack in sheer graphical eye candy, they do tend to make up for in differing and varietal ways of climbing, swimming, jumping and basically navigating the various smallish worlds you must explored to capture monkeys.
Oh, right. That's the point of the game, capturing monkeys. Not the most compelling premise, but simple and straightforward. Ape Escape is not what you'd call mired in storyline, although the occasional cinema/dialogue bits I could do without, all the same.
I haven't played very far into this one, yet - but so far it delivers a bit more gameplay than I was expecting. Different items and abilities for our hero to use in the ongoing monkey hunt, interesting layout of levels, minigame arcade as you unlock them with points you accumulate over time... Not a bad first-gen 3D Mario-esque title. In fact, it's a lot easier on the nerves compared to the more famous plumber's incarnation on the analog-lacking Nintendo.
I give it a 7 out of 10, not bad. I could have gone as high as 8 had the visuals been a tad more polished and the load times been less tiresome (one of few PSP games that really bugs me in this regard).
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Comments
04/04/05
13 
SpyderMS
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I'm sort of with you on the lack of a real analog control for Mario64, but instead of using the touchpad, I just stick with the D-pad, and it seems to work out nicely. There is always the issue of not being able to walk slowly though...
Ah well, nothings perfect.
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04/04/05
19
pixelator
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I can't aim Mario to save my life in M64DS... When the going gets truly dicey, you need the aiming ability of an analog stick (or the stylus/thumbpad approach, which I really dislike). Without some kind of proportional or variable input, running & jumping with any degree of control is tough. Whereas with this game, voila, you have analog and it works like a charm.
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