CRUSH Preview

Via IGN

So which are you? A hardcore old-skool purist who spits on anything that dares to stray beyond the second dimension or a drooling new-age graphics whore - the kind whose scrotum physically inverts if the number of polygons in a game drops below the number of DNA strands in the human body? Well, step right up boys and girls, because CRUSH is the game to build bridges, link hands and caress thighs for both camps. Why, it's almost as if the internet never happened…

So, with that tenuous intro out the way, let's have a look at SEGA's latest PSP title - a pan-dimensional platform puzzler, if you must. As is the way with buses, videogames and STIs, you wait ages for one and then, all of a sudden, a whole bunch come along at once. We are, of course, referring to the slightly unfortunate proximity of both CRUSH and Nintendo's Super Paper Mario. If you've cast your eyes over synopses of either then you'd be forgiven for throwing your hands in the air and hooting like a kazoo in a wind tunnel. However, while there are definite similarities between the perspective-flexing progression of both games, where Mario dabbles, CRUSH pushes the concept with utterly focussed determination.

Everybody loves a block with a sad face.
Ignoring the over-elaborate narrative framework of CRUSH for a minute, the game is pretty much pure puzzler, with snatches of platform action thrown in. Each small, perfectly-formed level consists of stacked blocks suspended over nothing in particular. While some are conveniently placed close together, others are impossible to reach under normal circumstances. Thankfully then, you've got your titular 'crush' ability to see you through to the exit. While levels are fully navigable in three dimensions (provided there's a route through), progress frequently requires adjusting the camera to one of five perspectives (assuming the level is roughly cubed shaped, that's one for each side and one overhead view) then crushing.

Essentially, everything on the side you've selected flattens together, making for one long 2D passage. That means that blocks seemingly miles away can spring forward and join with platforms in the foreground. It's then simply a matter of clambering up then un-crushing to whisk yourself deeper into the level. Well, 'simple' might not be quite the right word for it. You see, blocks come in three different types, indicating how they'll behave once crushed. Green blocks form solid impenetrable walls and ledges, dark blocks become hollow while any highlighted areas within form platforms and, finally, ghost blocks vanish completely in 2D mode.

And who said retro was dead?
In other words, it's not simply a case of crushing wildly and platform-hopping to victory. You'll need to study each level's layout carefully to figure out the path through. Complicating things further, each level's exit only opens once you've accrued sufficient points - gained by collecting different colour orbs. That means it's not just a case of reaching the end point - you'll have to make numerous diversions to gain a sufficient quotient to wrap things up.

If that wasn't enough to be dealing with though, you also have to grapple with alarm clocks which threaten to wake you from your slumber (or, if you're not following the story, send you back to the previous checkpoint), boulders which can be rolled to form platforms and 'thoughts'. The latter act almost like jigsaw pieces - squash the different fragments together to form a complete whole and you'll either reap benefits or rue the day. For instance, completing a trophy offers up a reward that contributes to unlocking new items, while other thoughts might disable the exit while it's on screen.

Bugs serve as yet another obstacle. Crush 'em, right?
If CRUSH sounds complicated, that's because it is. There's simply a ton of stuff to keep track of at any one time. From what we've played so far too, this could either end up being the game's greatest strength or its biggest curse. While the sheer depth of proceedings makes for some incredibly satisfying puzzle and platform action, we found things incredibly overwhelming at times. That's particularly true of more complicated levels: certain areas feature multiple routes across platforms of varying heights. With so much geometry to contend with, we found it hard to keep track of all the different permutations possible when crushing a particular perspective. Simply, there was way too much on screen, leading to endless repetitive crush and un-crush trial-and-error progress. Throw in movable obstacles - many requiring numerous re-crushes before they're in the right place - plus those different block types to keep in mind and there's an awful lot to confound you.

Despite this, there's no doubting the game's impressive implementation. Levels are fiendish in their design and even CRUSH's bizarre Psychonauts-style storyline, involving a hunt through the memories of an insomniac to find a cure, is superbly presented using glorious animatic-like cutscenes and strong voice work. Neither is there much doubting CRUSH's steep difficulty curve. Hopefully though, extended playtime will ease those initial frustrations and reveal another unique, quality puzzler to add to the PSP's burgeoning line-up, rather than a title drowning under the weight of its own admirable ambitions.