Pong and Beyond

191st played so far

Genre: Action
Platform: Playstation 3
Year of Release: 2009
Developer: Titan Studios
Publisher: Sony

Time for us to take another delve into the dark world of downloadable console games and it’s actually one of the reasons I wanted to buy a PS3.

Strangely it took me a long time to get the scratch together in order to buy this rather strange sounding title.

Our Thoughts

“Cake please!” “Cake for EVERYONE!” When a game begins with words like this you know it is going to be slightly strange. Then you remember what the title is and not only does it feel apt but it also… well it makes you hungry. Someone likes cake…

The game itself feels like a mixture of Team Fortress Classic‘s gameplay with the graphics of Animal Crossing and the blood-thirsty nature of Killer7 (maybe not as gruesomely bad as the latter, as the violence here feels cartoony at times. Maybe more like Pain. A game that actually includes the princess). As Little King’s Story demonstrated (ages ago) just because something looks cute doesn’t mean that something darker does not lie underneath. However, where in Little King’s Story this was a thinly veiled attack on genocide and all that entails Fat Princess has a great (if slightly dark) sense of humour.

The main plot behind this game is that a cake has appeared in the neighbouring Black Forest (and yet this cake resembles a Strawberry Shortcake more than a Black Forest Gateau) and the princesses of two kingdoms become addicted to this sublime confection whilst they are playing together in the woods. What ensues is a battle between the two nations where princesses are kidnapped and territories are taken in preparation for a visiting prince (not-so)charming.

The story mode is over fairly quickly and in reality serves as a comprehensive introduction to all game modes, controls and the different classes of warriors. The real joy lies in the online multiplayer (something which I usually refuse to do due to the number of idiots who usually end up filling the channel with swearing) which is exceptional. Whilst most of my experiences usually ends up with a lot of shouting in foreign languages coming from the TV (in what I am guessing is Portuguese) the rooms are all friendly and filled with good sports. It talks to the target audience of the game that the online multiplayer is enjoyable compared to my previous experience of online Call of Duty.

As previously mentioned there is a hint of Team Fortress Classic due to the variety of classes which are, in this game, conveyed by different hats. In the original game there are Workers, Warriors, Priests, Mages and Rangers with Ninjas, Pirates and Giants appearing as part of later DLC. Each of these classes receive upgrades within individual games with all bar Mage getting greater offensive capabilities. The Mage instead adds ice powers to its fire powers, which is as neat. Notable too is that the Priest gets its own different upgrade – from just healing, it gains the ability to drain the life from the opponents – a good ranged attack that can attack multiple enemies.

As usual the class you are best with really depends on your personality as well as what the other fifteen members of your team choose. On a personal level I end up being a support player by mining resources as a Worker for the first half and then acting as a Priest/Dark Priest in the second half so I can heal my team members and sap the life-force from the opposing team.

Without a decent internet connection this game can not be played to it’s full potential since it is in the changing natures of an online team and the strange words of encouraged shouted by your teammates. In the end though this is still a fun (if slightly unusual) game.

Final Thoughts

The game sounds weird – feed your princess to keep her put while stealing the other princess? What? – and certainly doesn’t sound like this sort of multiplayer semi-strategy action game. It looks kiddy and cute, but it’s mostly good, solid and fun. It’s worth your time, and don’t just do it for some singleplayer – jump into multiplayer instead when you get the hang of the game and learn the rest there. It’s truely worth it, Peter’s certainly addicted enough already.