Next-Gen Reviews

Guacamelee STC Edition Review

Guacamelee originally came out for the PS3 and Vita April last year. This year, Guacamelee has come to the PS4 with new content, but should you go back and play it again or jump in for the first time? Absolutely!

 

Guacamelee is a challenging and fun game that will make you both laugh with joy and cry with frustration …. We love a game like this, don’t we? Yes

 

You’re Juan, you’ve been killed and resurrected as a Luchador and have been sent on a quest to save El Presidente’s daughter from the evil Carlos Calaca. You’ll explore many areas, meet a lot of people and hopefully, you’ll save damsel in distress.

Gameplay is smooth as silk and hard as nails. Button controls are super simple allowing you to be an absolute badass without too much effort, but also without taking too much away to feel that you’re button mashing, and the levels are very bright and “Mexican” with a real stereotypical way about them.  Juan moves very fluid-like and is simple to control in the trickier situations making any mistake you make absolutely your fault.

 

Many times you will meet a Goat-man thing that gives you new abilities to help with the difficult landscapes that you’ll come across. These abilities allow you to not only do special moves on enemies but also access new areas marked by the colours Red, Yellow, Blue and Green… learn that move and you’re in!

 

Thankfully Guacamelee moves at such a brilliant pace that you never forget and have to think about how to get “here or there” or how to “take on this or that”. Bravo, Drink box Studios!

 

Navigation is a breeze thanks to the simple to read map because it’s literally “you’re here and you need to go there” and it’s all on one side-scroller-type screen. I love this map and have missed it since the great game, Shadow Complex.

 

Guacamelee offers lots of side-quests that are fun and funny, each testing you with a new problem to solve. Thankfully, these side-quests don’t get boring, but instead add to the great gameplay and longevity of the game. Plus, you might get a little something for your troubles, so make you’re you stick them out!

 

Being a dead man does have its pros because with it comes the world power to access the living and the dead world. This will not only offer different terrain puzzles, but also beautifully crafted areas and a more diverse bunch of enemies, to say the least.

 

Whilst I’m talking about powers I better mention the weird yet wonderful ability to play as a cockerel. You’re enemy Calaca has put this burden on you, but it’s not so much of a burden due to your new size allowing you to access yet more new areas each offering yet another great experience. Transition between human and Cock as much as you like and reap the benefits.

 

There are many collectibles located throughout the game which when collected (similar to Zelda) will offer you more stamina and a larger health bar. Also, there are tables located through the world where you can purchase upgrades with the money that you have earned. These upgrades vary between health and stamina upgrades to fighting abilities. On top of that, you can purchase new outfits so that you can get out of them sweaty clothes every so often.

 

Combat is easy to do but hard to master, mainly due to the enemies occasionally having a certain coloured aura around them that requires a special move to remove the protection - once that’s off you won’t have too much trouble. I enjoyed the combat and varied enemies; it brought a different change of pace depending on where you were in the world.

 

Guacamelee is a very fun game that is designed by absolute veterans and passionate developers. Guacamelee is worth every penny it costs and will give you many hours of gameplay.  There is nothing to fault here apart from the lack of online multiplayer.

 

 

9/10