Gurumin
- March 12, 2007 16:24 PM PST
- Email this!
Creating a game around a concept as kid-friendly as Gurumin can be challenging; on the one hand, you definitely appeal to a younger audience but on the other hand, how will you connect with hardcore gamers?
- GamePro Score
- User Score
- Write your review!
Too Cute For its Own Good?
PROTIP: The gas mask is just one of many accessories that prevent you from taking environmental damage.
Luckily Nihon Falcom seems to have bridged the gap for those two audiences quite nicely and put together a surprisingly deep adventure for any fan of action-RPGs. Gurumin sticks you in the shoes of a young girl named Parin who has been sent to live with her Grandfather in a town where there are no other children. There she stumbles upon a monster village filled with critters only children can see, hidden behind a walled-off alley.
It's not long before the monster village is destroyed by phantoms and Parin is given a mighty Legendary Drill and tasked with being the savior of her new monster friends. The plot isn't exactly tailored for mature audiences nor will it win any awards for its epic scale, but it should please the younger crowd and provides a standard backdrop for the light action-RPG experience.
The gameplay consists of tackling a variety of different dungeons and environments. The puzzles you come across aren't too taxing on the brain and require you to drill apart various parts of the environment in order to progress. The level design is serviceable and for the most part compliments the anime style found in the character and enemy design.
Moving Right Along
PROTIP: You'll have to drill through some enemies' armor to defeat them.
The upgrade system does a good job of motivating you to progress as you will learn a decent variety of attacks from the upgrades you buy in town. Repeated playthroughs of the game will also net you new costumes and additional difficulty levels, providing some nice incentives to replay the adventure. If you really get your hooks into Gurumin you will find a surprising amount of depth.
The graphics are solid throughout, save for some uninspired looking phantoms and a frequently choppy framerate for both enemies and NPCs. The camera can be frustrating at times, but it will take minimal wrestiling with the controls to be able to find your bearings. The voice acting is good, and the only drawback, if you can call it that, is the occasional lost in translation moment, though these only really add to the game's charm. The music is cheery, but not to the point of being annoying, nor does it get repetitive.
Gurumin is an enjoyable game from start to finish. A lot of people may be turned off by the childish themes and plot, but anyone who puts real time in with the game won't be disappointed with how it plays nor with the unexpected amount of depth there is to be found. If some of the recent big PSP releases aren't your flavor, you might want to give Gurumin a shot.
Pros: Surprisingly deep upgrade options, solid gameplay.
Cons: Theme perhaps overly childish, some graphical and camera issues.
PROTIP: Jump and remain aerial to dish out damage as well as avoiding it
