PixelJunk Eden Catch-All (PS3)

IMAGE(http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/8280/pixel5163mediumyf9.jpg)

It's scandalous that there isn't a thread for this delightful PS3 Network game. There's a demo out now and the full version will be out on July 31st for 10 bucks. I really enjoyed the demo, day one purchase for me.

Here's a bit from a nice interview ripten did.

Patrick: How would you classify Pixeljunk Eden? Is it a relaxing casual game, a challenging hardcore game, or a combination of both?

Dylan: PixelJunk Eden is a relaxing game which is challenging at the same time. I think we’ve somehow magically struck the perfect balance, but that of course is up to you all to decide.

Remember that Mario Bros. 1 was a “casual” game that probably billions of people have played and enjoyed, but at the same time it was incredibly challenging, but because of the amazing attention to detail in the controls for that game you can still play it now and have a ton of fun. This is what we’ve aimed for with Eden’s core dynamics. We think people will play this game over and over again, simply because it feels fun all the time. I’ve probably played it the most and I still boot up a different level each day and have a blast. There’s just something intrinsically “feel-good” about it.

Yeah, day one purchase for me as well. I was already planning on getting it but the demo completely sold me. I agree that it just "feels" fun; the gameplay is simple and pure but does require some skill and timing. I'm very curious to see if the later levels really get more challenging, if there are secrets tucked away, etc.

Gorgeous graphics, nice soundtrack, solid gameplay... I'm there. It even supports remote play which isn't a big deal but is always a nice bonus.

The PixelJunk series is really starting to shape into something special and PSN is really proving itself to be the home for highly unique and daring games. I love it.

Been looking forward to this one for a while. Everything they've done so far has been great, and I love the demo. And Pixeljunk Racers is way underrated.

As a good PS3 owner, I'll have to check out the demo.

I think the Mario comparison is pretty apt. It can be extremely frustrating at times when I find myself constantly missing jumps and falling ALL the way to the bottom again, but not enough to start throwing controllers. Day one for me, I'm glad to see that Q is hitting a stride now with the PixelJunk series.

I have had absolutely zero interest in the pixeljunk games to date, but I want this one bad. I will probably buy it even if I haven't gotten around to playing the demo before it shows up for purchase.

I really loved the artistry of the presentation and the uniqueness of the design, however I thought it was undermined by a somewhat counterintuitive control scheme. The whole tap/double tap/hold thing is a bit difficult to get used to. I had my wife play it, as the style and gameplay would appeal to her, but she turned it off after a few minutes because it was too hard to control.

I agree that the control scheme is a little counter-intuitive but after about 30 minutes it falls into place.

What I love about the game, beyond the art design, is that there is just enough looseness to the controls. If the controls were too tight the gameplay would become stiff and uninteresting. As it stands there is just enough looseness that I feel a little on edge which makes the game that much more exciting.

I'm also a big fan of the fact that the plants are not static. They respond to the wind, their own proclivities and your action. It makes the entire experience that much more interactive and engaging.

I too couldn't be more excited about this game. I only hope that the difficulty curve is a bit more gentle than PixelJunk Monsters, which got frighteningly hard extremely fast.

AmazingZoidberg wrote:

I agree that the control scheme is a little counter-intuitive but after about 30 minutes it falls into place.

I love the visuals, the music and the concept of PixelJunk Eden so far (I'm up to level 3, having found only 2 Spectra). However, I still don't completely 'get' the controls and it's causing a bit of frustration on my end when I overshoot a branch only to find myself way back at the very bottom. Practice, practice, practice I suppose!

Wow, this game rules. I wish there was a teeny bit more air friction, and that there weren't weird times when I jumped but deployed no silk. Both minor complaints, this is a definite buy, and co-op is just the icing on the cake. Can't wait for tomorrow.

Mr Crinkle wrote:

I wish there [...] weren't weird times when I jumped but deployed no silk.

The pop-up tip said pressing X lightly would leave the Tarzan silk, so I think it's a quirk of the pressure-sensitive face buttons.

yeah, been waiting for this one forever. Loved pixel junk monsters..and pixel junk racers..they're all pretty excellent

I tried the demo last night and... meh.

Everything about the game should work for me. I like simple games with good mechanics and interesting control schemes (for crying out loud, I enjoyed Toy Home). This is pure gameplay, with an interesting visual style, and I just could not get myself into it.

Maybe I just didn't give it enough of a chance. Maybe I ought to just turn in my gamer card. I just didn't buy into it.

Anyone else have this problem?

How far did you get into the demo? I don't think the gameplay has much of a chance of clicking until you get the hang of the controls. Once my thumbs learned how to properly work the silk and jumps the game sunk its hooks into me deeply. Can't wait to get home tonight for a long session with the full version.

wonderpug wrote:

How far did you get into the demo? I don't think the gameplay has much of a chance of clicking until you get the hang of the controls. Once my thumbs learned how to properly work the silk and jumps the game sunk its hooks into me deeply. Can't wait to get home tonight for a long session with the full version.

I played for about half an hour, and made it to the second level. Had a heck of a time figuring out what I was supposed to do the first time I started-- the in-game instructions tell you how to control your guy, but don't to a great job of telling you what he's supposed to be doing.

After completing the first level, I could see what the appeal was, but it just wasn't for me. That's why I love demos.

EDIT: I should clarify that I played part of the way through the second level, but got frustrated trying to make the jumps to the fully charged seeds. Around the fifth time I fell all the way to the ground because I timed a jump wrong, I quit out and deleted the demo. So maybe I'm just lame, or maybe I didn't give the game enough of a chance.

Something else that kind of bugs me about the game is the timer. It seems like a game that should just be about play, but the timer adds a level of stress and tension that I personally don't feel enhances the game, particularly when coupled with the severity of the punishment for failure. I think it would be a lot less frustrating to fall to the ground if it didn't cost you so much time.

Totally agree about the time limit. You should at least be able to turn it off (and disable the awards or whatever). I'd rather it was a completely casual game my wife could explore with me without getting frustrated.

I actually like having the time limit there. Without it, I'd feel a little too aimless, it would rob some sense of accomplishment. A toggle would be nice, though. Here's a bit from the interview:

Patrick: How do you balance the relaxing and challenging aspects of the game? Can you play entirely one way or the other (without a time limit, for example?)

Dylan: Early on we didn’t have the “oscillator” gauge that acts as your time limit, but that caused the game to lack tension (even slight tension). One important design decision was to limit the max of the oscillator so the player doesn’t just have to keep collecting the tuning crystals – ie. you collect a few to be safe for a few minutes, then you bound around, then you search out a few more crystals etc., it adds a really good rhythm to the play and gets the player to go to different areas of the stage he might not have gone to otherwise. The tuning crystals are kind of like the coins in a Mario game and the game is balanced so you don’t have to collect them all.

For people who just want to dope out without time they can play around on the title screen which is, of course, your garden of Eden, from which you tune into other gardens.

It's funny, but slowly PSN is selling me on a PS3. I want to play this Pixel Junk Eden, fl0w, Flower and Little Big Planet. I know those are strange games on which to anchor a system purchase, but every fun/relaxing game added gets me one step closer to buying a PS3 just for games like that.

DSGamer wrote:

It's funny, but slowly PSN is selling me on a PS3. I want to play this Pixel Junk Eden, fl0w, Flower and Little Big Planet. I know those are strange games on which to anchor a system purchase, but every fun/relaxing game added gets me one step closer to buying a PS3 just for games like that.

*shrug* LBP and Bluray is what clenched it for me. PJEden is a great perk.

Flower looks interesting; I hadn't heard of it.

DSGamer wrote:

It's funny, but slowly PSN is selling me on a PS3. I want to play this Pixel Junk Eden, fl0w, Flower and Little Big Planet. I know those are strange games on which to anchor a system purchase, but every fun/relaxing game added gets me one step closer to buying a PS3 just for games like that.

It may not have been what sold me on the system (brand loyalty took care of that, I'll admit it) but I would definitely argue that PSN is one of the best things to happen in gaming recently. With the quality over quantity approach to digital distribution and support of unique and interesting titles it is definitely a large part of why I'm so satisfied with my purchase.

doubtingthomas396 wrote:

EDIT: I should clarify that I played part of the way through the second level, but got frustrated trying to make the jumps to the fully charged seeds. Around the fifth time I fell all the way to the ground because I timed a jump wrong, I quit out and deleted the demo. So maybe I'm just lame, or maybe I didn't give the game enough of a chance.

Man, read my quote from last night: you're almost echoing exactly how I felt. I played around some more today and, after about an hour total playtime or so, the controls actually clicked for me. It's somewhat of a different mindset for a game: even though it's relatively challenging, there's a certain relaxed groove to it that's not immediately obvious in my mind. My advice would be to try it again tomorrow - give yourself a break for today.

However, I'd also LOVE for the game to have a toggle for the timer.

AmazingZoidberg wrote:

It may not have been what sold me on the system (brand loyalty took care of that, I'll admit it) but I would definitely argue that PSN is one of the best things to happen in gaming recently. With the quality over quantity approach to digital distribution and support of unique and interesting titles it is definitely a large part of why I'm so satisfied with my purchase.

Xbox Live Arcade was a huge revelation in this space.

I think the biggest thing PSN has done to push things forward was to extend downloads to retail and smaller-than-retail (but bigger than XBLA) games.

Being able to download online-only games like Warhawk and SOCOM is fantastic. I love that there's a new half-size version of Ratchet & Clank coming out as a downloadable title. I'm eager to play a game like WipeOut HD, a classic example of a game that's "almost" a full-size game but not quite a retail-size title.

XBLA created the space, but they dragged their heels on anything other than small games (they held to that 50MB file size for a long time!). PSN has upped the ante for downloadable titles. Competition = great.

Well just spent the last 15 mins trying to figure out how to do online co-op, only to find it's local only. I find advertising "3 player co-op" to be shady when it's local only. What is so difficult about a simple network implementation for this game?

DSGamer wrote:

It's funny, but slowly PSN is selling me on a PS3. I want to play this Pixel Junk Eden, fl0w, Flower and Little Big Planet. I know those are strange games on which to anchor a system purchase, but every fun/relaxing game added gets me one step closer to buying a PS3 just for games like that.

More often than not I've found myself relaxing on the PSN than Live Arcade. PSN tends to push the boundaries a bit more, and I love them quirky games.

As for Eden, I only played it a couple times but yes the time limit was a bit frustrating - only because I haven't gotten totally synced with the controls yet. I might give it a few more whirls before I throw the bones down to buy it, but so far I do like what I see.

That's the thing. More and more these days I'd rather a game be relaxing than epic. So PSN coupled with impending LBP and the inevitable Team Ico game are making the PS3 look really good. the 360 just doesn't get these same artistic/quirky titles.

DSGamer wrote:

..and the inevitable Team Ico game are making the PS3 look really good. the 360 just doesn't get these same artistic/quirky titles.

You just had to go and tease me didn't you. I think my heart does this weird little murmur thing each time I imagine SOTC on the PS3.

Well I just about put the controller through the wall. Having time run out when you are about 2 pixels from the last Spectra on a 5-collect run is...frustrating.

DSGamer wrote:

the 360 just doesn't get these same artistic/quirky titles.

You mean you didn't LOVE Space Giraffe?

*Legion* wrote:

Competition = great.

Indeed. I don't own a 360 so I can only speak about my PSN experiences, but I agree XBLM did open up the digital marketplace and I'm really very happy about the direction PSN has taken it.

Mr Crinkle wrote:

Well I just about put the controller through the wall. Having time run out when you are about 2 pixels from the last Spectra on a 5-collect run is...frustrating.

100% with you on this one. I've spent a good 4-5 hours on this game so far, and nothing is more frustrating then just missing a plant and falling all the way to the bottom... with a blinking oscillator!

FUN TIMES