This year’s Xbox Live promotion, Summer of Arcade, has certainly been filled with some pretty superb titles. From the artsy Limbo to the madness of Monday Night Combat, there’s been something for all tastes.
This week we get another two great-looking 2D side-scrollers, first of which is Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game.
Coming to the 360 a couple of weeks later than the PSN version, Scott Pilgrim vs The World is still warmly welcomed on XBL. Based predominantly on Bryan Lee O’Malley’s comic books rather than the new film, the game sports a charming 90’s 16-bit aesthetic which will transport players back to the days of Streets of Rage. Gameplay is based around the seemingly forgotten genre of the side-scrolling beat-em-up, with the four in-game characters having access to a handful of combos to use against incoming enemies. In true old-school fashion, the end of each level results in a boss fight; here a fight against one of seven evil exes.
Hang on… evil exes? If this is the first thing that comes to mind, you’re clearly unfamiliar with the Scott Pilgrim universe. The plot revolves around our hero – the titular Scott – who must the battle seven super-villain exes of his new girlfriend; Ramona Flowers. The story is presented through a small selection of brief cut scenes, but offers very little other than presenting the next boss. The game is unquestionably more rewarding to those familiar with Scott Pilgrim, who will appreciate seeing the comic’s art come to life and be aware of what’s going on in each area.
But for those new to Scott Pilgrim, who are picking up the game for an old-school experience, there’s still enough fun to be found. The game’s hub-world is a lift from Super Mario Bros., as is the character select screen. Like the comics, the game has many nods to gaming culture; a Guitar Hero boss battle being just one of the most memorable. These are bound to provoke smiles in veteran gamers.
Most impressive of all however is easily the soundtrack. Chiptune band Anamanaguchi scored the game, and have created easily one of the most catchy and enjoyable soundtracks of recent memory. Each area has a distinct unique theme, really bringing back memories of the days of MIDI-based game music.
Unfortunately, Scott Pilgrim vs The Word doesn’t shine in all areas. It’s all well and good being a fun brawler due to the old-school feel, but the game almost relies entirely on this attraction. The combat feels somewhat shallow, and after a while the repetition really starts to set in. There’s unfortunately nothing more to do other than beat up guys and then hit the boss, so Scott Pilgrim really could have done with a little more variation, even if it were for just one level. The co-op mode helps relieve some of the tedium, but is criminally lacking a drop-in system, meaning levels must be started in co-op mode from the start. There’s also no online co-op support, which in a world where XBL and PSN are so prominent, seems a foolish idea. Just because the game looks old, doesn’t mean it has to function archaic.
There’s also a distinct issue with the difficulty. Playing solo, it’s absolutely impossible to complete without subjecting yourself to hours of grinding; replaying previous missions over and over in order to level your character enough to take on the next boss. Like any grind, it’s annoying and simply shouldn’t be there. The only way past this is to play with friends; basically Scott Pilgrim is designed to be a co-op only experience.
Verdict: Scott Pilgrim vs The World isn’t a perfect game. The gameplay is overly repetitive, and the co-op system that it demands is poorly implemented. However, its style pays such respect to the comics and to old games in general that it possesses a charm that is hard to shrug off. It may not be all it could have been, but there’s still enough fun to be found here.
