[tab:Review]
I played a preview of Pid about a month ago and enjoyed what I played of the game. Granted, I only played about two hours of the game, but had a decent time while trying it out. Now that the full game is out, I can dive deeper into the unique world of Pid.
You play as a school boy named Kurt. He falls asleep on his rocket bus–yes, we are in space–and ends up on a strange planet where time almost stands still and robots have taken over. Kurt now has to find a way off the planet, avoid the insane robots and find a way home.
See? Smoking is bad for your well-being.
The game is a puzzle platformer that has you playing with the ability to throw two light orbs on surfaces that create antigravity fields. These allow him to reach certain heights, avoid enemies and manipulate certain enemies. He will also solve small puzzles that get in the way while traveling around the strange planet.
Kurt can also collect stars with which he can buy items from vending machines that aid Kurt in his battles. The protective vests and bombs are essential, and the smoke bombs make moving around without getting caught much easier.
After about two hours of playing, you will begin to see that the platforming and puzzles are really all Pid has to offer. Yes, there are boss fights to take on, which I will address shortly. After doing what feels like the same type of platforming and puzzles, you become a little worn out. Some the of the puzzles break up the monotony, but they are few and far between.
The boss fights change up the game play, but in more bad ways than good. The bosses end up having too much health, while Kurt can only take one hit (or two hits if he’s wearing a protective vest), and the enemies seem to have multiple attack patterns. I found myself stuck on many boss fights that left me repeatedly frustrated. Also, if you hit a checkpoint and haven’t stocked up on equipment and health items, you’re going to have a hard time taking on a boss because you can’t go back.
And boom goes the dynamite.
The overall look and presentation is very nice, and the small dialog keeps you interested for the most part. I wish there were more dialog in the game. It was interesting to get a better feel for the world. The art style of the game gives it a unique look.
The game offers two-player local co-op, as well. This has one player playing as Kurt and the other taking the reins of Audrey. Each can only use one light beam at a time so you have to work together to make it past puzzles and to reach certain areas.
Pid is one of those games that I feel just came out at the wrong time. It does some very nice things but the difficulty in the boss fights and the monotony of the platforming after a while will bog down players. The co-op is a shining point to the game, and the presentation is top notch. For ten dollars, you can still get a little enjoyment out of it as long as you have patience.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
[tab:Screenshots]
[tab:END]
