Hands-on: PixelJunk Eden

by Andrew Yoon { Jul 21st 2008 at 11:00AM }

There's one bit of key advice we learned after out playthrough with PixelJunk Eden at E3 in Los Angeles last week. Simply close your eyes and hibernate until the end of the month -- then you'll be awake with PixelJunk Eden ready on the PSN. This upcoming downloadable title continues the trend of Q-Games' abliity to make quirky, easily accessible arcade games exclusively for PS3. While not as conceptually easy to grasp as their previous titles, Eden has such an imaginative charm that it's hard not to fall in love with it. Having so little time with the game makes us wish we can simply fast-forward time to the game's release on PSN.

Undeniably, many will want an explanation on how the game is played. It may seem unclear from the videos, but the game is rather simple. Simple press X to shoot a web and start swinging around. You'll want to collect pollen and land on various pods. If you have enough pollen, these pods will grow into brand new plants, which will give you easier access to other parts of the level. Simply swing and stick to various plants, as you make your way through the level.

Gallery: PixelJunk Eden

Such a simple concept is transformed into an addictive gameplay experience thanks to Q-Games' uncanny ability to craft a blend of music and visuals into something rather extraordinary. Just like in Monsters, Q-Games has chosen a rather unexpected soundtrack that strangely works with the simple, but eye-catching visuals. Throw in multiplayer, and the fun grows even more. Together, players must work cooperatively to get as much pollen, expand the world and complete each level before time runs out. The challenge will come from not only the ticking timer, but tricky jumps require players to time their swings and avoid jumps into the bottomless void.

There will be support for up to three players simulataneously, and there will be Trophy support as well. We asked how the Trophies will be, considering how mellow the title is -- would they be throw-at-the-wall difficult (a la Super Staradust HD's bomb Trophy)? She was coy, and wouldn't respond. We do have a concern, though. Perhaps, like PixelJunk Racers, the game will lose much of its appeal should you choose to go solo. We'll find out soon enough.

Tags: e308, hands-on, joystiqfeatures, pixeljunk, pixeljunk-eden, q-games