It’s official – Twisted Pixel has our attention when it comes to anything in terms of downloadable games. The Maw was interesting enough on its own accord, but the company’s two following games – Splosion Man and Comic Jumper – managed to grab enough attention around our offices to convince us, “Hey, these fools know what they’re doing!” After going through such a successive streak, it’s enough to wonder if they have anything left in the tank for its long-awaited sequel, Ms. Splosion Man. We’re happy to report, it does. In fact, this is their best effort to date – and considering how well the original did, that’s saying something. The events in Ms. Splosion Man follow closely upon the original. The first Splosion Man, a creative character of his own sort, has been captured, and scientists are celebrating by cracking open the bubbly and getting drunk. Big mistake, since some of the fizzy stuff manages to get in the wiring, and, as a result, Ms. Splosion Man is created, ready to wreak havoc in and out of the scientific labs where she was created. She has to ‘splode her way through a series of levels to avoid capture, while, at the same time, moving towards a reunion with her explosive mate. You can only imagine what kind of sparks will fly when they eventually meet, y’know?
Unlike the original game, however, you aren’t limited to all the indoor environments. Instead, you’ll find yourself outside quite often, riding along speeding cars ala The Jetsons and occasionally working your way through a series of jet-propulsive canisters and boosters that are similar to the barrels in Donkey Kong Country. You’ll need to fight your way through these levels carefully, or else you’ll turn Ms. Splosion Man into a pile of cinder in no time flat. Granted, you need to accept one thing with Ms. Splosion Man --- you’re going to die. And often, at that. The level design in this game is quite tricky, to the point that you may become stuck in a point or two trying to figure things out. There’s a great side to this, no matter which way you approach. If you take the logical approach, for instance, you’ll come up with a viable solution that really shows you what kind of ingenious level design has gone into this game. A series of obstacles blocks your path, whether it’s electric walls, hard-to-reach launchers or even a series of gunmen and robots that want nothing more than to reduce you to ash. Solving your way around these issues is a nice touch, and really makes you feel a sense of accomplishment once you figure it out.
Likewise, if you’re too down in the dumps (or don’t quite have the solution the game wants you to come up with), you can always skip past the level, but there’s a price to pay. Where the original Splosion Man put you in an embarrassing tutu, Ms. Splosion Man “rewards” you by putting a big butt on you, making you move through the level with something straight out of a Sir Mix-A-Lot Video. The song that accompanies this accomplishment, though, is more than worth it – and probably one of the best things we’ve heard in a downloadable game all year. Like the first game, Ms. Splosion Man puts effective gameplay to good use, with a triple explosion system that works well when it comes to rebounding off walls, hitting enemies and reaching higher-up areas. There are hidden goodies galore, including an accessible mall to unlock new concept art and other bonuses, along with hidden shoes to make you feel more like a true shopaholic. You’ll be promptly rewarded for exploring here. And if you miss something, the game features downloadable ghosts online, so you can compare your best level completion times with others, while discovering shoe locations you might’ve otherwise missed. Win win!
This feature XBLA review concludes on the next page, please click Page 2 below to see the rest of our Ms. Splosion Man critique.
