Last week Taito brought Qix++ to Xbox Live arcade and for those of you who are wondering, it is indeed an interesting update that definitely harkens back to its roots. Starting the single-player, you are immediately offered a choice between two different sections. As I began the first section and got a feel for the gameplay, that familiarity of the original Qix settled in. Playing a marker on the outer perimeter of a grid, the objective is to constantly strive to isolate the Qix, a creature that makes random movements which damage you should they hit you or your attempt to fence them in, as you strive to claim a supermajority of the game space. Throughout the level are boxes that offer various power-ups that significantly improve the player’s situation. While these include extra points, the ability to temporarily stop time as well as the ability to shrink the Qix to miniscule size for a short duration, you are also racing against the entities to get them. Consequently, should you allow a Qix to hit the power-up boxes one too many times, they’ll break and be lost forever, making your ability to complete the level or garner a particular achievement somewhat more difficult.
But, my primary concern is that while there may be enough here for fans of the original or retro games, Taito may be pushing the nostalgia factor a bit harder than usual. While I did enjoy the time I did spend with the game, I felt as though this game would fall to the wayside for many gamers. As I played both sections of the ‘campaign', I found it undermining the potential to be fun by being so short. Admittedly, I was somewhat disappointed. Sections 1 and 2 are essentially the same Qix each time with only their movements changing and given that there are only eight levels per section, the game went by pretty fast. Between the time I started playing and had beaten both sections; no more than an hour had passed. Furthermore, I felt that there wasn't any noticeable difficulty curve until I reached level 8 of section 2 in which case the Qix tried to utterly destroy me. However, due to the slight RPG element of leveling up health, speed, cutting speed and luck, the Qix didn't pose all that much of a threat. Suffice to say, the single-player didn't give me the challenge I hoped for, leaving me dissatisfied.
There are multiplayer elements to be had here for those who are interested. I mean, if you can find another person, let alone four people on your friends list who happen to be in possession of this game, there's potential for a good time. Combined with access to leaderboards for the people who constantly validate themselves by comparing their scores to others will definitely be satiated as the game definitely gave me the feeling of shooting for the highest score in an arcade, but even this has its limits. Sadly, as much as I wanted to love Qix++, I was a bit disappointed. It'll most likely be overlooked because it doesn't offer the same repeatable, addictive quality that Geometry Wars 2 does and as far as I can tell, there are currently no plans for downloadable content. Conversely, I don’t think this title can justify the 800 point price tag for now. Ultimately though, for those who enjoy the niche quality of retro titles, there is something enjoyable and genuinely fun here for you. Then only caveat is that for how long it will remain fun, I'm not especially sure I can say.
