Nov 20 2006, 01:07 PM
so i'll post it just cause I can... bwahahaha *evil laugh*Viva Pinata - A review by zio @ nicklwc
When I saw the interactive video on XBOX Live Marketplace, I downloaded it because it looked colourful and the concept of Pinata sounded funky enough to warrant a look. The video impressed me. A lot. The colours were vibrant and the gameplay smacked of Animal Crossing on the big screen. After much violence in Gears of War, it seems that this kiddy game from Rare is set to appear in my collection for a quick fun getaway from all the blood and gore. Oh boy, was I wrong.
The premise of the game is that you live in Pinata Island and it is where wild pinatas reside. You build a garden to attract them and make them residents of your garden. From then, you can matchmake them and they will breed more pinatas for you. Of course, you can then sell it for money and also ship them to the Factory. The Factory is where pinatas are sent to parties and they get smashed. The ultimate joy of being a pinata.
All is not rosy of course, as there are sour pinatas that bring illness and overall bad things to your garden. There are also enemies out there who do not want you to succeed in making the pinatas happy.
Published by Microsoft and developed by Rare, whose credentials include Kameo and Perfect Dark Zero, the game seemed like it was going to bypass the adult gamers. Of course, if you look at it now, most of the gamers playing it would be adults because it is just that appealing. I will get into more of that later but let's look at the game in my usual Graphics, Music, Gameplay and Misc style.
Graphics
Bright, colourful and a joy to watch. The pinatas are lively and the game looks so colourful, it is hard not to just stare in amazement at your own garden. However, it must be noted that these brand of graphics might not be everyone's cup of tea. Some might find it to kiddy especially after coming from the realism of Gears of War.
The animation of the pinatas is very well done as well. They move, they interact and the whole lot of animated activities on your garden means you won't be looking at the same thing over a period of time. On occasions, I find myself just looking at all the things going on in my garden.
Sound
The music is definitely one for the kids and it brings a very fun theme to the game. The choice of music suits the game very well and it feels very well integrated. It is like a good lounge music, where you know its there, but it doesn't intrude your space.
I can't really say the same for the voiceovers though. Although they do a great job representing the characters, I find myself tapping the "Continue" button just to get on with it. But it is a kid's game after all so it is understandable that the voice actors need to read their script slower than usual.
Sound effects on the other hand are top notch. Combined with the colourful graphics, the sounds you hear from the pinatas and surrounding environment really brings your garden alive.
Gameplay
Finally, we reach the crucial section of the game. Viva Pinata, although advertised as a kid's game, is more than that. The micro management in this game is quite vast and its easy to see kids getting overwhelmed by the things they need to do after a while. Even I find myself getting swarmed with things to control after leveling myself up. Good news is that you can pace yourself so that you can build your garden at a leisurely pace.
You control the game using a simple cursor which you can change to different items depending on what you need. The controls are intuitive and it is easy to learn. Most of the things are spelt out for you on the screen. The easy controls certainly help to move the game along considering there are so many things to learn.
And that brings us to the complexity of the game. There are so many things to do and so many things to pay attention to in Viva Pinata that I am quite surprised its being labeled as a kid's game. Although the occasional hints and tutorials help, I find myself flipping back to the journal and checking just what needs to be done. Your tasks of managing a garden do not stop at planting trees and flowers or beautifying the place. You also have to make sure the pinatas are happy, rival pinatas do not fight too often, keep sour pinatas away, and most important of all, matchmake your pinatas.
But does the complexity make the game bad? No, in fact it makes the game so addictive that you will find it hard to pry yourself away. The joy of seeing a new pinata arrive in your garden is very satisfying and even more so, when they take up residence in your garden. Without the micro management, the satisfaction factor would be lost because it would seem too easy.
Misc
Building your own garden and having your own pinatas are all well and good, but how does it work with Microsoft's amazing online experience? The verdict is not too bad, but not entirely fantastic. You have a leaderboard and you can send gifts to your friends playing Viva Pinata. You can send friendly pinatas or even sour pinatas. Hopefully you don't have a lot of enemies online. The gifts are known to the receiver until they opened it so it's a real surprise. Of course, the receiver can just send it back to you without opening it.
That is all you can do on Live, which is pretty sad considering because the potential to do more with this game was always there. I expected an Animal Crossing experience where you can visit friends' gardens but the developers certainly didn't factor that in. However, do not let this minor fact tarnish the game because it is a very good game indeed.
In conclusion, Viva Pinata is a game you would not regret adding to your collection. The game is addictive and it serves as a different option for gamers looking for something lighter, something more fun. And nothing is more fun than pimping pinatas.
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