Project P-100 is the Superhero Pikmin Game we Deserve - Preview
by VGChartz Staff , posted on 09 June 2012 / 3,495 Views
But this is the E3 2012 Hands-on Impressions you need.
What is Project P-100? I was thinking the same thing walking through the Nintendo booth. Situated somewhere between Pikmin 3 and Scribblenauts Unlimited the demo of this game caught my eye. It was bright, energetic, and full of vibrant colors with a large amount of activity all over the screen. After playing with it for a few minutes, I would have to say it is quite criminal that Nintendo barely made any mention of it through all of their E3 announcements.
Developed by Platinum Games (makers of Bayonetta, Vanquish, and Metal Gear Solid: Revengence) and directed by Hideki Kamiya (Okami, Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe, and much more) this game has an amazing pedigree of quick, deep innovative action titles. Called a ‘mass hero action’ title and designed to be controlled exclusively with the Wii U gamepad, this is one project that is just crazy enough to be freakin’ awesome.
The plot is a simple “Oh noes aliens!” requiring the world’s heroes to join forces to handle the new threat. The gameplay reminds me a bit of Pikmin with Viewtiful Joe designed characters. Playing out in a sort of isometric view allowing you to get a good view of the dozens of superheroes you are controlling at once. As far as the demo was concerned you're basically controlling the position of a single main hero (using the left stick) with about three dozen other heroes who cluster around your position.
You perform simple attacks by using the X button, dodging with the triggers, and shielding (by surrounding your group with gelatin, of all things) with a shoulder button. The true fun comes in with the special attacks.
Super Alien Crotch Punching Action!
As you play through the game you will find more powerful heroes who can use their powers to transform the large group of heroes into very powerful weapons. These attacks are where the gamepad’s touchscreen comes in. If you draw a circle, you activate a very large fist, which is useful for powerful melee on a single target as well as environmental manipulation. If you make a straight vertical line, you will form a large energy sword capable of dealing with enemy groups with its large attacking arcs. A sideways ‘L’ will activate a large pistol that launches your heroes like bullets for ranged attacks.
As you play through the game you will recruit many more heroes, giving you access to various other special group attacks, but these were the only three revealed so far. The special attacks are very powerful but are balanced with a power meter that drains when you use them. To refill this meter you must go back to normal attacks for a few seconds, so there is a fair bit of strategy in balancing your abilities to be able to handle the alien threats.
Let's shoot shoot shoot for the home team. If they don't win it's a shame.
As weird as the whole thing is to describe, the main point you should take away from this is simply that the game is very very fun. Running around a colorful comic book world and having dozens of heroes swarming over massive alien robots is very satisfying. The enemy A.I. is actually quite good, forcing you to dodge often to avoid getting smacked around. Between major battles you will also find fleeing citizens that you can recruit to your superhero army by quickly drawing a circle around them.
It is just the kind of deep but arcadey action that Platinum Games is known for and I’ll definitely be looking to take charge of my super-Pikmin again when the Wii U eventually launches this holiday season.
