Romier S Posted April 5, 2005 Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 Well this should be out on store shelves as we speak. IGN has a review up of the game which mentions he lack of a tilt sensor which I was really hoping would make it in. The game is developed by indy designer Archer MacLean. It's a puzzle game in the vien of titles like Marble Madness and Super Monkey Ball. IGN has a review of the game up. IGN gave the game a 7.7 They give praise to the games challenging levels but level some criticism towards the lack of alternate control schemes, variety and camera control issues. It certainly all is quite a challenge. In the initial stages, it's enough to just learn how to move your blob in small movements without spilling over the edge, or getting to understand that obstacles on the course can be part of the solution as much as they are the problem. Very quickly, however, the game is at your throat. Many stages, you'll find yourself just barely squeaking by in time and with enough mercury left over, and it'll take a lot of bravery and determination (even if you do learn some of the tricks that make use of the traps) to come back and fight for a ranking score. Camera control is a little trickier to keep together. Instead of spawning windows for keeping track of different blobs in various parts of stages, the camera zooms out to show as much of the stage as you are playing on with your various globules. The part that works about this system is that it still enables you to manually grab the camera and focus on one blob or another on the stage. You can also rotate the camera freely (or in 90 degree increments), zoom in and out, and raise the view up to a birds-eye view. Much of this is handled automatically, but multi-tiered stages, even if you haven't split your mercury up, still require a lot of manual adjustment (which saps vital time off the clock.) Some rounds will still give you no great solution once different blobs get too far away from each other, but the indicator arrows when you've split your blob help to know what you are not looking at, and at least there is that attempt to give whatever general camera view might help for a situation. I'm planning to pick this up a little later today. Anyone else giving this a look? Any thoughts from those that may have already picked it up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbert Posted April 5, 2005 Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 Gaming Age gave it a C+, dinged it for not enough value longterm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris F Posted April 5, 2005 Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 I didn't think Mercury was shipping until the 6th. I'm picking it up, because it reminds me of Super Monkey ball, plus it looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyjaw Posted April 5, 2005 Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 I'll definitely be getting this. Been gathering a set of games to sell to get it. Although, I also thought it was due tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kain rising Posted April 5, 2005 Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 I'll be picking it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyN Posted April 5, 2005 Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 It comes out tommorow capt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romier S Posted April 5, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2005 It's out now around here. My EB called me to pick up my preorder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Daddy Bling Bling Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 I'm getting it regardless of what the reviews say. IGN was so far off on Metal Gear Acid that I don't put much stock in their PSP reviews anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyjaw Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 So, any initial impressions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyN Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 EB where i reserved it wont have it till Friday capt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whooter Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 EB where i reserved it wont have it till Friday capt Same story at my local Game Rush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyjaw Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 I reserved one today at EB, they said it will be in tomorrow. I hope it doesn't slip. Why do some stores get games in days before others (even within the same chain)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogbert Posted April 6, 2005 Report Share Posted April 6, 2005 Camp gave an excellent explanation on retail & how/why/when games come in late in this thread about retail stocking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lutter Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 GameStop just called and my copy is there for pickup, whee! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whooter Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 I have my copy in-hand as well (Game Rush must've got it earlier than they thought they would). Haven't had a chance to pop it in, yet. Gotta wait until I catch up on my work here again.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zathras Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 I bought it over lunch and have been playing for the last hour and a half or so. Loading times could be better - at first I was thinking it would be a "good renter" (the tutorial and first few levels of the first world are a really easy) but the levels are getting a much more difficult and fun (hopefully it will be a while before they go to another level of difficulty or it will get real frustrating real quick). Just looking at the blob reattach to itself is mesmerizing. Fortunately the camera has a lot of options - snap to 90 degrees, snap to 45 degrees and free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyjaw Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 Just called EB, they got it, I'm going to get it right now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyjaw Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 I played it during lunch, ran through the tutorial, which is quite easy (although I did get stuck on a couple of levels). In fact, often the instructions for each level make it sound more complicated than it is. I made my way into the "race" levels of the Quartz world, so far pretty easy as well. The graphics are nice, not as flashy as I thought (yet), but understated and well done. The fluid motion of the mercury is convincing and predictable enough that you don't feel ripped off when it divides accidentally. Through the tutorial, you get the sense that the gameplay elements they show you are enough to create some truly devilish logical puzzles, I assume they will come up soon. EDIT: Don't forget to save! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whooter Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 I was amazed that when I started the first tutorial, that Ed already had the high score! Damn, man, you're good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyjaw Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 I was amazed that when I started the first tutorial, that Ed already had the high score! Damn, man, you're good! LOL I used to be good, because all my new scores are near the bottom. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Covak Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 Ouu, there are online scoreboards? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyjaw Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 Ouu, there are online scoreboards? Not that I know of, but the built-in scores when you start have the name "Ed" in the top spot on a few levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Covak Posted April 7, 2005 Report Share Posted April 7, 2005 Not that I know of, but the built-in scores when you start have the name "Ed" in the top spot on a few levels. Ohh, I see. Drat. Not that I even own a PSP But Mercury is one of the few games that's getting me interested... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyjaw Posted April 8, 2005 Report Share Posted April 8, 2005 Definitely enjoying this game. It continues to get more difficult, but so far nothing outrageous. I like the fact that they leave you high and dry with no explanations of the levels...it's up to you to figure out how to complete them. I'm about 2/3 through the "Xero" world, which puts me about 45% through the game. Kind of disappointing to think I'm already that far through, but I assume the difficuly will continue to ramp up, so the last half will take considerably longer...we'll see. I think I'm enjoying it enough that I would play through it again. I can see from the built-in scores that I have plenty of room for improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeyN Posted April 9, 2005 Report Share Posted April 9, 2005 :bh:bhdamn eb sold my reserved copy even though they just got them in yesterday capt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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