Questing through the lush kingdom of Dotnia,
Guest reviewer - SnootyJimSome games sell themselves on excellent graphics… some on excellent gameplay… some on excellent storylines. 3D Dot Game Heroes eschews those well-trodden paths, and sells itself instead on “being retro”.
It doesn’t take long to reveal its roots, presenting you with music and menus that could have been lifted from any classic Game Boy title, and antiquated 2D graphics. Thankfully though, the developers couldn’t bring themselves to stick to their 8-bit roots religiously, and ditches the 2D early on, replaced with a multitude of cubic “blocks” that comprise the 3D world.
Without playing the game, it’s easy to assume that these 3D blocks will be a complete disaster, but for all intents and purposes, they actually work very well. They manage to utilise at least some of the PS3’s graphical horsepower – you’ll enjoy slick and smooth textures, excellent water effects, and some brilliant Physx-esque effects as slain characters’ blocks scatter across the screen – but crucially, it retains that unmistakeably retro atmosphere.
Continued overleaf...