Guacamelee! (PSN Exclusive)

By DirtyLarry
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Grand Master

DirtyLarry Veteran

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So has anyone else picked up Guacamelee! for the PS3 / PS Vita?

Official Website

Launch Trailer

It is developed by Drinkbox Studios, a little development outfit from Canada who made a little game called Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack.

Based on the fact they have a pretty decent track record with that game, and this game itself was getting a decent amount of buzz, and especially because I was looking for something new to play on my Vita, I decided to pick it up.

Key Features

  • It is $14.99, $11.99 for + subscribers.
  • The first great thing about the game is it supports Cross-Play, so purchase it once and you get it for both the PS3 and Vita.
  • Apparently it supports Cross-Save, although I have yet to check that out to see how well it works.
  • It also has drop-in/drop-out CoOp Play on the PS3 version (supports the Vita as well), which is supposed to be a lot of fun.
  • It has an awesome visual style IMHO.
    Launch_08.png

Write Up From Official Website

Guacamelee! is a Metroid-vania style action-platformer set in a magical Mexican inspired world.

The game draws its inspiration from traditional Mexican culture and folklore, and features many interesting and unique characters. Guacamelee builds upon the classic open-world Metroid-vania style of games, by adding a strong melee combat component, a new dimension switching mechanic, and cooperative same-screen multiplayer for the entire story. The game also blurs the boundaries between combat and platforming by making many of the moves useful and necessary for both of these.

The game features a down on his luck Mexican named Juan Aguacate, who sets out to save the world when El Presidente?s Daughter is kidnapped by an Evil Charro Skeleton. The story takes place in and around a small village in Mexico, and has the player travelling through alternate dimensions: ?The World of the Living? and ?The World of the Dead? on his quest to rescue the girl he loves.

I have to say, the game is pretty damn awesome so far. I am playing it on the Vita right now, and it looks gorgeous. The visuals really do look outstanding on the Vita itself.

The amount of references and the homage it pays to other games and internet memes is also brilliant.

There are so many, Kotaku actually did a full article on just that aspect of things.

The Many Memes, References and Homages of Guacamelee!

original.jpg

original.jpg

Initial reviews are overall very positive, averaging a 85% on Metacritic.

I personally love platformers, so I was going to pick it up regardless, but I have to say I am truly liking it more than I thought I was going to. I only planned on quickly checking it out last night, and I wound up playing it for over 2 hours and went to bed way later then I normally do.

Definitely recommend it to Vita owners, and also recommend it to anyone who likes platformers looking for something a bit different.

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https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1146556-guacamelee-psn-exclusive/
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Grand Master

DirtyLarry Veteran

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I'm on the fence, I've never been into the 'Metroidvania' style games, I'm not super into melee combat with complex combos, its 20% off for PS+ users and I'm not sure...

If your really not into those style of games, then this probably is not for you. Although I will say it does not seem to be all that complex with the combat. I have definitely seen way more complex combat in similar games. However I am early on, so that can change, but it is pretty simplistic so far.

Give it a couple of months and we will probably get it free from out PS+ :laugh:

Yep you are probably right, and I did think about this fact for a few seconds. I came to the conclusion though that I feel like if certain games like this are not supported from the beginning, it may discourage studios from developing them, as at the end of the day, they need to make money for their hard work. So if I am going to pick up any games on release, it would be a game like this to support this type of more smaller independent games being made on the PSN, especially since Sony has made such a commitment to releasing these types of games.

Grand Master

Lingwo

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I'm loving it so far. I was the same, only was going to play it for 20 minutes, 3 hours later i'm still playing it.

Soon as they mentioned Metroidvania i was sold. This generation hasn't had enough of them to be honest.

Not tried it on the vita yet, it is cross buy so at the moment i am playing it on the PS3.

Grand Master

DirtyLarry Veteran

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Great game. All the references to other games are funny. I wish they would post hi-res versions of the references on their website.

I loved the "no power" part

Was not sure what you were talking about, but just got to that part a little while ago. Awesome. (Y)

Really is a sleeper hit IMO. Great game for the genre no doubt.

Grand Master

DirtyLarry Veteran

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Gametrailers Video Review is Up. They give it a 9.0

I checked it out on my PS3 last night for a bit, looked awesome on the big screen, and the sound really is well done as well. My dog kept looking out the window as the part I was on had dogs barking in the background faintly, and he swore it was real dogs somewhere outside LOL

I bought it as soon as it came out. Reminded me of another Metroidvania style I got a while ago, Outland. It's a very good game and it even has a Platinum trophy. I don't regret my purchase at all.

It is very reminiscent of Outland, but I think it is overall much better for some reason. Outland got brutally hard and frustrating there towards the end, and I actually never wound up beating it. I just do not see that happening for this game.

Grand Master

DirtyLarry Veteran

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I actually beat the game, something I can honestly say I almost never do with these types of games, as I usually reach a point I get so damn frustrated I give up. I also actually collected all the orbs before beating it, which was truly a test of my patience, but I stuck with it, so I got the alternate (good) ending as well.

Just really a great, great game overall. I actually liked the Vita version better than the PS3 version, as I thought it was easier to Dimension Warp with the Vita's shoulder button that it was with the Dualshocks. And if you go for all the Orbs, Jumping + Dimension Swapping at the same time with precision is a must use move. So yeah, I actually can say the Vita version was better IMO.

I actually would rate it a 9/10. It is pretty much near flawless.

I may even consider trying to get the Platinum trophy over the next year or so. :laugh:

Grand Master

Lingwo

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I'm coming up to the end of this and been grabbing orbs whenever possible. The Dimension jumping makes me want to throw my controller sometimes, some of the simplest jumps i mess up. Mainly because i warp too quickly and end up in a wall :laugh:

Still really enjoying it though as they are not long sections and usually the most difficult jumps are for an orb.

  • 2 weeks later...
Grand Master

DirtyLarry Veteran

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Only thing left for me is to finish it on Hard. Getting the orbs was a challenge. Especially the Tree Tops one.

Yeah, that was easily the biggest pain in the ass.

If I did go back and Platinum this game, would be the first game I did so I believe.

Grand Master

D. S. Veteran

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Yeah, that was easily the biggest pain in the ass.

If I did go back and Platinum this game, would be the first game I did so I believe.

Already got it. Hard Run in about 4 hours. Curiously I had some troubles beating Flame Face and breezed past Jaguar Javier and Carlos Calaca. It's a very fun game to Platinum.

  • 3 months later...
Grand Master

AbandonedTrolley

Posted
Posted

Only thing left for me is to finish it on Hard. Getting the orbs was a challenge. Especially the Tree Tops one.

 

There is actually a glitch that lets you complete on hard just by doing the final fight.

 

I've not done the Orb collection yet, but it's a great game that I too wouldn't mind getting the platinum for.

 

 

Picked this up just now in the sale on UK PSN. ?7.99 with plus discount. What should I expect? Sounds like a great game from DL's impressions.

 

It's an awesome game, slow starter but once you get a few more abilities it's probably my favorite platformer in a long time.  Just picked up a WiiU with Mario so that opinion may change soon.

 

Also Larry not sure if you knew/realised but you can also use your Vita as a controller while playing on the PS3, this was it displays the map on the Vita and you get to use it's great D-Pad for accuracy.  Photo I took a while back.

 

h2nSO00.jpg

 

Grand Master

DrunknMunky Veteran

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I'd heard of this game a while ago but never paid much attention to it during the development. It wasn't until recently I heard it was a Metroidvania game that it sparked my interest though.

 

It just released on Steam with a Gold edition so I'll probably pick it up soon (Y).

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