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N+

		5.0
		0.0 (0)

Written by Aaron October 15, 2008 Favorites

Item Details

Item Name	N+
Platform	PSP
Category	Platformer
Developer	SilverBirch Studios
Publisher	Atari
ESRB	E
Online Player Max	4
Offline Player Max	4
Price	19.99

You are a ninja. Like all ninjas, you have an unquenchable thirst for gold, a natural propensity for exploring rooms infested by lethal ninja-killing robots, and a devout belief in N. N, The Way of the Ninja, is a highly, advanced system of spiritual, cognitive, and physical training. It emphasizes pacifism, humility, and the need to traverse a series of 5 rooms before the end of your lifetime; a feat known only as "beating an episode". In accordance with the teachings, it is your profound hope, nameless ninja, to achieve ultimate mastery of N. In a futuristic world of inadvertently homicidal robots, you must use deft acrobatic skill and guts of steel to survive. N+ is a peerless action-puzzle platformer with more than 300 levels in which to hone your ninja reflexes, plus a built-in level editor for when you're hungry for more. N+ also features unique, physics-based controls, stylish graphics, unlimited lives, competitive and cooperative multiplayer, plenty of gold, and several flavors of sweet, sweet action. Running, jumping, and dying in an unpleasant-yet-comical manner has never been more fun.

Editor reviews

N+ Review

Overall rating:		5.0
Presentation Score:		4.0
Gameplay:		7.0
Graphics:		6.0
Sound:		5.0
Value Factor:		6.0
Final Score:		5.0

Reviewed by edgeofblade
September 24, 2008
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Bottom Line

Full Review

Some games are instant classics and you know right when you play them. Sometimes, the creator gets surprised that their little freeware game suddenly becomes the next big thing. What happens next is a whirlwind of money making endeavors and the corresponding selling out of everything they built the game to represent.

Of course, I don't know if that's what went through the minds of the creators of a little freeware flash title known as N and the console and handheld versions N+, but these ports can be a little hit and miss at times. The Xbox Live Arcade version of N+ was a hit with super sharp visuals, and a slick visual style, but the PSP version feels like only a shadow of the original.

The game plays out almost the same as the original. You flip out ninja-style, collect gold, hit switches, get to the exit. Oh, and don't die from the mines, guns, rockets, chasers, and lasers. And that is where this version starts to deviate from the formula. Hit detection is poor, allowing me to move through a rocket, graze a mine, or sit halfway through a platform. When a game relies this much on precision, this is quite an oversight, especially when a pixel stands between you and the successful completion of the level. Hit detection is integral, and it didn't hit the spot.

The interface is pretty spotty, too. Some small interface guffaws might send you back to the beginning of the episode when you just want to take a brief break in the middle after a frustrating death. Also, when you die, X will immediately retry you. If that's the case, you might waste your next attempt inadvertently jumping into a mine. It's kinda annoying.

As always, N+ includes the level editor, but several of the items from the XBLA version appear to be missing, like the devious rotating laser. However, some more options, like toggle switches, seem to have snuck in.

However, the saving grace of the game is the online feature. A slick upload feature lets you submit created levels for download and rate them. I already put up two creations from my plane trip back from PAX. Just search for "EDGEOFBLADE" in the search tool.

Control-wise, it's hard to screw up N. You run and you jump. Unfortunately, my PSP d-pad has gotten a little soft and the X button isn't quite as responsive as it used to be, probably due to playing Crisis Core. I would wonder if the DS controls work any better. I tried both at PAX and would have needed more time to know which one was better, but I think the click of the DS buttons might be more reliable.

The sound effects were similar enough to other versions, but the one difference that stood out was the music. It was completely different from the XBLA version and more electronic-y. I didn't care for it much. So, I played silent.

Bottom Line

Overall, the game is true enough to the formula, but the porting process was a little rough. Bad hit detection feels a bit like it got recreated in a ground-up new engine to accommodate the new platform. The presentation was a really rough and felt like it could have taken a few more weeks to really hammer out. The online features are nice though, even if the presentation issues still carry over. I really have to recommend the XBLA version of N+ over the PSP version. But it still remains that N+ should be on every gamersâ€™ vitae, and this would at least serve that purpose.