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MediEvil Resurrection Review
Written by Robert Falcon on Thursday, September 29, 2005
Lots of neat hack-an-slash gameplay.
Sluggish controls.
Sometimes you have to dip into the creepy macabre stuff in order to dig up a worthy product. This has always been the case for Sony Cambridge's MediEvil games, which were pretty popular back on the Sony PlayStation. Bringing Sir Dan, a bony knight with good weapon power and speed to life to take on the undead was a novel touch, almost something that Tim Burton would've dragged out of his psyche if he wasn't so busy bringing masterpieces like Corpse Bride to life. Strangely enough, however, Dan missed the PlayStation 2 run entirely. Sony Cambridge, however, has not forgotten their cowardly friend, and now he's found himself in an all new adventure for the PSP.
Well, technically, it's not all new. MediEvil Resurrection plays just like the first two PlayStation games, with Dan once again resurrected to put a stop to the evil Zarok and his army as they haunt the likes of Gallowmere. You start out in Dan's own dwelling, learning some of his gameplay maneuvers and also a bit of history on Zarok himself in order to prepare for his return to Gallowmere. Then it's off to the creepy gallows, where enemies haunt aplenty and strange orbs must be found to unlock certain gates that allow Dan to proceed.
It's a typical platformer to be sure, but it has a couple of positive things going for it. And it all lies in presentation. Like the previous MediEvil games, Resurrection is showered in creepy but still intentionally funny visuals, with some quirky character designs, headstones that come to life merely to give you some tips, and some exquisite level designs that really looks like they exploded out of Sleepy Hollow itself. The animation's pretty good, if slightly choppy, and the camera's not really too much of an issue. To further back this, the game also contains some memorable, moody music, as well as some terrific (and hilarious) English dialogue that screams Monty Python.
The only snags are with the gameplay itself. While the controls work alright for the most part, providing Dan with different weapons and some good power and dash attacks, the gameplay feels a little "floaty". Dan doesn't control accurately, and the lock-on system that's provided doesn't work too well and also leaves you a little susceptible to attacks from other foes.
Of course, Resurrection isn't without its merits. Once you get through the story mode you can also engage in a couple of mini-games, including a cool little romp where you must defend a bell from a barrage of forthcoming enemies, with each wave becoming progressively harder. Too bad there wasn't some sort of Wi-Fi connection to allow for dual Dans.
Then there are the mini games, and these really extend the game's life. There are quite a few that are worth checking out including a fun challenge that requires you to smash rats with a hammer.
I can't fully recommend MediEvil Resurrection because of its control issues and the fact that games have evolved past this aged template. However, fans and those looking for a different kind of platformer for the system will have some fun with it. It's a sluggish game, but its brief moments of brilliant designs make it worth a look.
