Review: Guacamelee Gold Edition

Guacamelee! Gold Edition is a Metroid-vania style action-platformer set in a magical Mexican inspired world. The game draws its inspiration from traditional Mexican culture and folklore, and features many interesting and unique characters. Guacamelee!

Pros:

• Bright colourful cartoon graphics with some cool animation techniques. Pure eye candy material. The levels look fantastic and each area has its own charm and character. Different weather conditions greet you. From rain to snow to sand, its all in there. The graphics really sing on the PC.
• Fast loading game from the initial start up to the levels in game.
• Full 360 pad support and big picture mode that works perfectly.
• Steam trading card support for you to unlock and craft some great badges, banners and emoticons.
• Steam achievements and loads of them!
• Find hidden chests to upgrade your stamina and health bars. Stamina is used for special moves you unlock as you find them in the game. Each one has 3 pieces needed to make a complete part.
• Moves such as headbutts, wall jumping, double jumping and even flying! can be unlocked by smashing statues located around the game world. The powers are bestowed upon you by a goat man. Yep you read it right, a goat man gives you powers.
• Grapple moves can be unlocked by buying them in the shop. New grapple moves include suplexes and pile drivers.
• Side quests are littered over the land and completing them will grant you money and a piece of either stamina or health.
• Offline drop in/drop out co-op.
• It has chickens, Loads of Chickens.
• Catchy music that brings the atmosphere straight into yo face.
• Steam workshop so you can create, upload and download new character skins. The Grim Fandango one in particular is aces.
• Loads and I mean loads of references to other games such as Journey, Castle Crashers, Mario Brothers and even Grim Fandango. Of course the usual suspects like Minecraft make an appearance.
• Boss fights have a comical Vs screen pop up that adds to the atmosphere. The same idea is used when you get new abilities.
• Two worlds exist, A living world and a dead world. Level design and layout changes depending on which world your in. You can flip between the worlds when ever you want. Its this great mechanic that keeps the game fresh and is a welcome addition to the genre. A simple task of jumping up pillars is made harder as you must flip between the worlds to get certain pillars to show up.
• Check points are all over the place and you never feel like you need to replay large sections of the level upon death. Every checkpoint also doubles up as a shop and you can spend your monies here.
• Level design is of a high standard, with branching levels, multiple routes and hidden path ways.
• Combat is fast and frantic. A combo counter is displayed as you rack up the hits. You can combine special and grapple moves together for an even more dramatic fight. Flip enemies up in the air and just pummel them with moves, juggling them with uppercuts and headbutts until death.
• All previous DLC is included along with a few new additions. Choose wisely as each outfit has good points and bad points.
• Enemies are varied and get harder as the game progresses. Later on enemies are only able to be defeated depending on the world tendency.
• Video controls are above average offering you the ability to change: Resolution, Lock V-Sync, turn on/off Anti Aliasing.
• Whilst traversing levels you will find yourself locked into a room. This is a arena fight and to unlock the room you need to kill all enemies. Upon finishing it, you not only get the room unlocked but you also get a huge pinata to smash containing a load of coins.

Cons:

• Cliche story. Rescue the girl and beat the bad guy and save the day, you know the drill.
• Enemy projectiles can travel through walls and platforms, leading to some frustrating parts. Flying dragons in particular are cheap and feel over powered.
• When you get hit and put down, upon getting up you are invincible for the smallest of seconds, but then your open again and if your swarmed you can get knocked around before a punch or roll is used.
• Some enemy attacks can go through walls and platforms.
• Boss fights get truly frustrating. From cheap moves to the constant need to change up your attack. They get harder as you go which is expected, but the way in which they get harder only raises your blood pressure.

In summary, This is the definitive version to own. From having all the DLC and new outfits, The PC graphics ramp everything up and give the player Drinkbox’s true vision for the game. Even if you own this game already on PS3/Vita its worth a double dip. Co op works well and whilst it is possible to play on keyboard, Using a pad is the preferred and easier way to experience the game. The addition of Steam workshop only extends the life of what is already a decent length platformer.