Tales from Space: About a Blob | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | DrinkBox Studios |
Publisher(s) | Drinkbox Studios |
Producer(s) | Ryan McLean |
Designer(s) | Chris Harvey Chris McQuinn Sheldon Laframboise Nitai Bessette |
Programmer(s) | Chris Harvey Alex Smithers Mayuran Thurairatnam Chris Stewart |
Artist(s) | Stephanie Goulet Augusto Quijano |
Composer(s) | Peter Chapman |
Platform(s) | PlayStation 3 |
Release | February 1, 2011 |
Genre(s) | Puzzle-platform |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Tales from Space: About a Blob is a side-scrolling puzzle-platform game about a race of alien Blobs developed and published by DrinkBox Studios for the PlayStation 3 video game console. The game has a retro-inspired monster-movie art style and local co-op gameplay. [1]
The title was originally released on the PlayStation Network for PlayStation Plus users on February 1, 2011, and subsequently released for general download for the North American PSN on February 8, 2011, and Europe on February 9, 2011. A free downloadable content costume editor was released in an update on March 8, 2011 where players can dress their Blobs in various outfits. [2]
The sequel, Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack , was released in February 2012 as a launch title for the PlayStation Vita.
The player controls a gelatinous Blob character who has a range of abilities that are unlocked over the course of the game. The controls include those of a typical platformer with the addition of digestion (absorb/shoot objects), magnetism (repulse/attract) and electricity (gain/deplete). The game itself is split into 4 Tiers comprising 17 levels. Over the course of a level a player received target sizes that must be reached by locating and absorbing surrounding objects. Larger objects can be absorbed when the Blob increases in size. Target sizes are treated as sections within a level where a player must traverse platforms, solve puzzles, and fight enemies in order to proceed. [3]
The game involves a species of interstellar gelatinous blobs that travel the universe looking for their next meal. These blobs end up on a distant Earthlike planet that has fallen prey to mass industrialization. Upon landing on this planet the main Blob, which is controlled by the player, is captured by an evil scientist and must then begin the task of escaping, saving fellow Blob friends, and cleaning the planet.
Tales from Space: About a Blob was generally well received from critics, earning a Metacritic score of 76/100. Major review such as sites IGN and Eurogamer both gave the game an 8/10 due to its "eye-catching art style" [4] and "fresh ideas and powers that evolve the gameplay at the right time". [5] Most noted was the game's unique art style and magnetic power. There were critics who felt the gameplay was too short - a total of 17 levels, along with bouts of frustration when precise platforming was required. [6]
A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia is a puzzle-platform game developed by Imagineering and published by Absolute Entertainment for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The video game was released in North America in 1989, in Europe by Nintendo in 1991 and in Japan by Jaleco in 1991. A Boy and His Blob follows an unnamed male protagonist and his shapeshifting blob friend on their adventure to save the planet of Blobolonia from the clutches of an evil emperor.
LocoRoco is a platform video game developed by Japan Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, which was released worldwide in 2006 for the PlayStation Portable (PSP) handheld game console. The game was developed by Tsutomu Kouno, striving to create a game that was different from other titles being released for the PSP at the time. After demonstrating a prototype of the core gameplay to his management, Kouno was able to complete development over the course of a year and a half. In LocoRoco, the player must tilt the environment by using the shoulder buttons on the PSP in order to maneuver the LocoRoco, multi-colored jelly-like characters, through each level, being aided by other odd residents while avoiding hazards and the deadly Moja Troop, to reach an end goal.
Tomb Raider: Underworld is an action-adventure video game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Eidos Interactive for Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS in November 2008. Later versions were released for mobile in December 2008, PlayStation 2 in 2009, and OS X in 2012. Various companies ported or developed the different versions. The ninth overall entry in the Tomb Raider series and third in the Legend trilogy, Underworld follows archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft as she searches for Mjolnir, an artefact key to entering the realm of Helheim, while confronting adversaries from her past. Gameplay features Lara navigating levels set across the world through platforming, fighting enemies and solving puzzles to progress.
Brain Challenge is a mental exercise video game, featuring "brain exercise puzzles". The game was developed by Gameloft Beijing for mobile phone and iPod and released on September 5, 2007. In 2008 was followed by a Nintendo DS version on January 8, an Xbox Live Arcade release on March 12, and a PlayStation 3 launch on November 27. The N-Gage 2.0 version was released on the day of the service's launch, April 3, 2008. A version for WiiWare was released in autumn 2008 on all three regions. The Wii version also uses Miis for the players profile. OnLive also had launched their new streaming game platform with Brain Challenge on July 27, 2010. The game was released for Mac OS X in January 2011.
LittleBigPlanet 2 is a puzzle-platform video game developed by Media Molecule and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. The game was released in North America on 18 January 2011, in mainland Europe on 19 January 2011, in Australia and New Zealand on 20 January 2011 and the UK and Ireland on 21 January 2011.
Dead Space: Extraction is a 2009 rail shooter co-developed by EA Redwood Shores and Eurocom and published by Electronic Arts for the Wii. A port for PlayStation 3 was released in 2011 alongside Dead Space 2. A spin-off within the Dead Space series and a prequel to the original game, the story follows survivors from the Aegis VII mining colony as the planet and newly-arrived ship USG Ishimura is overrun by deadly monsters called Necromorphs. Gameplay involves going through scripted sequences with different characters, using assigned weapons to kill Necromorphs by severing their limbs. Each version respectively supported the Wii Zapper and PlayStation Move peripherals.
A Boy and His Blob is a puzzle-platform game developed by WayForward Technologies and published by Majesco Entertainment. It is a re-imagining of the 1989 video game, A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia, which was originally developed by Imagineering for the NES. The game was released for the Wii in North America on October 13 and in Europe on November 6, 2009. A high-definition port of the game developed by Abstraction Games was released on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux on January 20, 2016. A PlayStation 3 version was made available on June 28 of the same year as a cross-purchase with the PS4 and Vita versions. Mobile ports for iOS and Android were later released worldwide on November 17 and September 26 of 2017 respectively. A Nintendo Switch version was released on November 4, 2021 by WayForward and Ziggurat Interactive.
LittleBigPlanet is a puzzle-platform game for the PlayStation Portable developed by SCE Studio Cambridge in conjunction with Media Molecule and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. An addition to the LittleBigPlanet franchise made for the PSP, featuring a brand new story mode. It was released on 17 November 2009 in North America and 20 November 2009 in PAL regions. The game's servers have been shut down since July 30, 2016.
Closure is a puzzle-platform game developed by American programmer Tyler Glaiel and artist Jon Schubbe with music and sound by Chris Rhyne. Originally available as a Flash game on the website Newgrounds, a full version of the game was later released for Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, and PlayStation Network in Spring 2012. A Linux port was included in the Humble Indie Bundle 7 in 2012.
Joe Danger is a side-scrolling video game incorporating elements of racing and platform games, and is the first game developed by Hello Games. The player controls the eponymous daredevil and navigates time-limited courses, aiming to complete enough objectives to continue to further rounds. Joe Danger is presented in a lighthearted way, with emphasis on stunts and maintaining speed.
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is an action-adventure game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix's European branch for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Android and iOS. It is part of the Tomb Raider series, but unlike previous games, the game does not carry the Tomb Raider brand and has a heavy emphasis on cooperative gameplay. In multiplayer, players take the role as either Lara Croft or a 2,000-year-old Mayan warrior named Totec. They must work together in order to stop the evil spirit Xolotl and retrieve the Mirror of Smoke. A single-player campaign mode is available that does not include the non-playable character AI following or helping Lara.
De Blob 2 is a platform puzzle video game and the sequel to the Wii 2008 video game De Blob. As with its predecessor, De Blob 2 was developed for home consoles by Blue Tongue Entertainment and published by THQ, this time in association with the TV network Syfy. Unlike de Blob, however, de Blob 2 was also released for other consoles other than the Wii; the game was released for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and the Nintendo DS, with the latter version having been developed by Halfbrick Studios and taking place between de Blob and de Blob 2.
LittleBigPlanet (LBP) is a puzzle platform video game series created and produced by British developer Media Molecule and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Most games in the series put a strong emphasis on user-generated content and are based on the series' tagline "Play, Create, Share". The tagline represents the three core elements of the series: playing alone or with others locally or online, creating new content using the in-game creation tools, and sharing creations and discoveries online with other players.
Swarm is an action-platform video game developed by Hothead Games and published by Ignition Entertainment for PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation Network and for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade. The setting revolves around a flock of 50 blue bipedal creatures, dubbed swarmites, and their quest to collect DNA in order to save their race. The player controls the swarmites as a collective, but each swarmite has individual intelligence meaning interaction between the player and the swarm is always dynamic.
Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack is a side-scrolling platform video game, released on February 21, 2012, as a launch title of the PlayStation Vita. It was developed and published by DrinkBox Studios. It is the sequel to Tales from Space: About a Blob. Mutant Blobs Attack was later released for Microsoft Windows computers with versions for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 released in June 2014.
Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team is a top-down shooter game with twin-stick control, set in the Warhammer 40,000 future fantasy universe. Players play as Space Marines attempting to halt an Ork invasion spaceship, facing orks and, later, Tyranids. Four Space Marine classes are playable Sternguard Veteran, Techmarine, Vanguard Veteran and Librarian. The first two focusing on Shooting the later two on melee. The game supports single player and same screen multiplayer modes.
Q.U.B.E. is a physics-based puzzle video game developed and published by Toxic Games, with help from Indie Fund, a group of independent game developers. The game, an expansion of a student project by the founding members of Toxic Games, was released for Microsoft Windows through a number of digital distribution platforms, first through Desura on 17 December 2011 and then through Steam on 6 January 2012. An OS X port was later released on 17 December 2012 through Steam and on 18 December 2012 through Desura.
Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty! is a 2014 cinematic platform video game developed by Just Add Water and published by Oddworld Inhabitants as a "ground-up remake" of Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee. The game was released in North America on 22 July 2014 and in Europe on 23 July 2014 for the PlayStation 4. The title was also released for Linux, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and Wii U. It has been ported on iOS and Android and released worldwide on 14 December 2017. A Nintendo Switch version was released on 27 October 2020.
Magrunner: Dark Pulse is a puzzle game developed by Frogwares. It was released as a downloadable title on Microsoft Windows on 20 June 2013, PlayStation Network on 23 October 2013, and Xbox Live Arcade on 25 October 2013. Magrunner: Dark Pulse is set in a cyberpunk reimagining of H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos.
LittleBigPlanet 3 is a puzzle-platform game developed by Sumo Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. It was released worldwide through November and December 2014, and it is the third entry in the main LittleBigPlanet series, and sixth entry overall. It was announced at Sony's E3 2014 media briefing on 9 June 2014. It was developed primarily by Sumo Digital, with XDev and series creator Media Molecule assisting in an undisclosed capacity.