Dreary puzzles
The rest of the game will see you fighting dozens of alien adversaries, including robots and the Zorgons, jumping from platform to platform, and fighting the occasional boss. Each move you make on the board game results in another catastrophic consequence and, only by completing the board game, will you return to Earth safely.
Zathura is a third person action adventure that packs in 15 levels of repetitive, dreary puzzles. Find a pathway to a higher level by jumping on crates, press a button to open a door, then make your way through the entrances, often having to duck and jump over laser beams; it’s a familiar pattern. These repetitive puzzles are broken up by the numerous enemies which you’ll need to dispatch with your sling-shot, robot arm, or bare hands.
Click for larger imageThe chance to fight in the guise of a robot or switch to your brother Walter isn’t enough to break up the repetitiveness of this lack lustre game. Changing characters is forced by the game and dependant on the situation; at no time can you switch players of your own free will.
Click for larger imageEach of the characters has varying abilities, although it appears not much thought gone into this process. The younger brother, Danny, is a speedy character who can kill enemies with his slingshot or break crates with a weak swinging kick. From the crates he’ll pick up Zathura collectables, health power ups or different types of ammo for his slingshot, including crystal bombs and electric shocks.
Walter, being the big brother, is stronger than Danny and much better in combat. In your first opportunity to play as the bullying sibling you will carry a mechanical robot arm, which allows you to defeat oncoming enemies with ease. Walter can pick up objects to throw, swing from ropes and hang from bars using his robotic arm.