Review: The Walking Vegetables: Radical Edition (PlayStation 4)

Rating: 6.8
Author: Jim Smale

by Jim Smale · Published February 28, 2019 · Updated March 27, 2019

It’s the 1980’s and an evil alien race has invaded Earth, turning all vegetables into crawling, bawling, mauling abominations. You are about to join Department Radical, the grooviest police force on Earth. Are you a rad enough dude (or dame) to smite these ravenous creatures?

Pros:

Modern pixel graphics.
307.8mb download size.
10 trophies.
Video options-screen shake, screen flash, VHS effect, and camera movement slider.
Twin stick shooter gameplay.
2 player local co-op support.
A lot of Easter eggs.
Roguelike-one life is one run.
80s adrenaline fuelled soundtrack.
The cursor on the screen used for the reticle.
Skills-unlock them by doing set objectives and these are permanent.
Boss fights.
Area clear notification.
Massive maps that you are free to roam how you want.
Buildings everywhere and you pay with a key to enter.
Bonus zones appear.
End of run breakdown.
Selection of weapons and ammo types.
Keys-find them randomly and they are used for building access and opening chests.
Fast frantic action.
Coins drop from enemies and are used in the game to buy stuff in the shop.

Cons:

Only one control layout.
Small text.
Controls are fiddly at first.
No platinum.
No online Co-op.
Constantly getting overwhelmed.
Bullet sponge boss fights.
Little variety every run.

7/10

Graphics - 7/10
7/10

Sound - 7/10
7/10

Accessability - 7/10
7/10

Length - 7/10
6/10

Fun Factor - 6/10

6.8/10

Summary

Walking vegetables is an OK twin-stick shooter, I mean it’s fun to shoot vegetables instead of zombies or people and having them all act differently is a challenge. The random nature of finding keys and the need to have them readily available make the game a chore before long. Boss fights are meant to be tense but they are just an exercise in bullet sponginess. I had a good few runs here and there but overall I grew tired at the lack of variation and the key spawn thing. There is only so much random environment shooting I can do in the hope of a key.