Easy to learn, difficult to master
Over the years, many games (including classics like chess) have had a simple description: “Easy to learn, hard to master”. And that’s also the perfect description for Battleblock Theater.
The actual gameplay is deceptively simple. On any given level, all you have to do is collect items and find the exit. Sounds easy, right?
However, Battleblock Theater is a puzzle platformer with a strong emphasis on “puzzle”. It’s never easy to get from point A to point B because you (along with an optional friend) have to understand all the tricks involved in unlocking the path.
Beginner players can immediately grab a controller and start playing. However, even veteran players may be tempted to piss their controller off for some of the more difficult puzzles.
Tone block
If you ask players what they liked about Castle Crashers, many will say “the humor”. In addition to the idea of leveling up by battling monsters there was a really weird sense of humor that held it all together. Fortunately, that sense of humor is alive and well in Battleblock Theater.
Much of that humor comes down to storytelling. Will Stamper provides storytelling for everything from the general storytelling (involving you and your friends crashing into an island and being imprisoned by an army of cats) to some of the minor events and bullshit you encounter.
Not only does that sense of humor make you laugh, it keeps you busy. Sometimes, it’s worth playing to another level just to try the next bizarre joke or hilarious delivery of jokes. And that humorous teaspoon of sugar is often enough to make difficult level design medicine a little easier.
The “Meh” in “Melee”
Unfortunately, no game is perfect. And for all its humor, style, and awesome level design, Battleblock Theater had to end up with an Achilles heel. And that heel, in particular, is combat.
In fact, calling it combat might be a bit of an exaggeration. In addition to environmental traps and mechanical puzzles, your characters have to contend with a variety of enemies. This is typically handled by them punching them or by throwing them one of a handful of objects.
It’s not the worst combat system in the world and you could definitely argue that we shouldn’t expect robust combat from a puzzle game. But after the sheer fun of hacking and cutting our way through Castle Crashers, it’s hard not to be disappointed with what we ended up getting here.
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