Insecticide

Some of you may already know of the hype and disappointment surrounding this game, it was touted as an amazing mash-up between LucasArts-style Adventure game and standard action/platformer. It does indeed include both of these elements, along with a really fun noir-style storyline based around racial tension between the now genetically dominant bugs and the second class humans (and evil corporations, because honestly, what's a game without those?). You take on the role of a young spunky cop who is digging into a murder case only to find much larger forces at work. It's nothing mind-blowing, but it is fun, and I quite enjoyed it. The graphics are fair, they're a bit dark (good luck DS Phat users) and they do get a bit bland after a while, especially in the 3d sections. The music is really cool, they kept very well with the noir theme (lots of dark, jazzy numbers), and it adds a whole lot to the game. If you do pick up this game, grab some headphones for the best experience possible. Overall the presentation is excellent, and I think that a TV series would fit quite well.

Now on to the gameplay, which is where Insecticide runs into its first massive problem, the action sequences. There's really not much to say about them other than the fact that they're incredibly dull. You run around, you see stationary enemies, you shoot them, they shoot at you, you kill them, you walk/jump somewhere else, you see enemy, you shoot them, etc. It's not even that the DS is ill-suited to this, it controls pretty well, but the level design is boring, the platforming is insanely linear and you'll always be trudging through these sections just for the reward of story and the other half of gameplay (the sections are split up close to half, maybe more like 60-40 in favor of action). And of course, that's Insecticide's saving grace, the traditional point-and-tap gameplay is wonderfully executed. The puzzles make sense and offer relative challenge, the writing is excellent and the interface works perfectly on the DS. Insecticide should have been all Adventure, it would have been a modern classic.

Unfortunately, I have to nail Insecticide for one more thing, it's very short. I didn't time myself, but I'd guess I beat it in about 7 hours. At the price I paid ($7), that's completely fine, but as a new game, priced at $30, it would feel very painful, as I promise you, you are not going to replay this one. Despite all this, if you're a fan of the LucasArts classics and you need a portable fix, you'll be able to push through the action to get to the story and adventure.

Score: 6.1