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How does Taito's puzzle game stack up on the PSP? Read on to find out.
March 10, 2006 | 7:49 PM PSTby: Sud Koushik
Ubisoft has been delivering some quality games for the PSP. So much so that we even named the company “Publisher of 2005” for the PSP in our 2005 Game Awards. After seeing success with puzzle hit Lumines, it's always nice to see Ubisoft come back to publish another unique puzzle title. Exit, developed by Taito isn’t quite the game that Lumines was, but that’s not to say that it doesn’t bring about some creative, and addicting puzzle elements.
Essentially Exit is based on the backbone of a simple concept. You play as the game’s main protagonist, Mr. ESC, who prides himself in the art of escaping. The game has ten levels, each filled with a bunch of little “sections” that last an average of seven to eight minutes. These “sections” can be numerous situations, such as fire filled buildings. In each scenario there is usually a certain demographic of people you have to rescue such as young kids, and even hospital patients. No matter who you have to save, and what setting it takes place in, the objective remains the same, locate the people, and bring them to safety.
Exit manages to incorporate some unique gameplay features that help to differentiate itself from the norm. Your hero, Mr. ESC isn’t exactly a “super hero,” as he is more of a slim, and slightly muscular man. He does have his limits though, so to aid him rescue the survivors, are none other than the survivors themselves. The game gives you the option to direct the survivors to do certain tasks, all of which help you escape from danger. The game doesn’t let you take control of any other person other than our main character, so its more of just a simple guidance as opposed to outright controlling the AI. Each type of person has a unique ability that can help you. For example, if you ask a full grown adult to crawl through a narrow space, it isn’t happening; however a child could handle that same task.
An extra feature that helps the replay value of the game is the ability to download more levels from the game’s official website. Needless to say you’ll be needing a version 2.5 PSP to play Exit. If you’re one that’s sticking to 1.5 to satisfy your homebrew needs, you’ll also be missing out. Whether it’s a sly ploy to get people to upgrade, or just a good feature thrown in by Taito is unknown (although most likely the latter), what is certain is that it's one addition that is greatly appreciated.
Exit does have some issues with below par animations. Mr. ESC tends to walk/run slowly. You’d think that when you are inside of a burning building that you’d be more interested in a dead sprint, but unfortunately with our hero, that isn’t the case. Due to the slow nature of the game, it forces you to make sure you make decisions with haste. Once you commit to a task there is no turning back. This element of the game also makes it increasingly nerve racking as the time ticks down quickly and your character moves slowly. Timing your jumps, and directing your survivors to aid your escape all must be done with precision.
Our silhouette hero strutting his stuff.
Exit really shows off some of the PSP’s power. Although the game is strictly 2D, the comic like visuals with bold, dark accents on the characters, and pastel like colors really make the game stand out from anything else offered on the PSP. The game is just wonderful to look at, its more like art then just plain “graphics.” Best of all, the frame rate runs without a hiccup. Exit does have certain faults that can’t be ignored. The controls are old and dated. The AI, while meant to prove helpful, can also be ridiculously annoying.
Exit isn’t the second coming of Lumines, which is good because they are both at opposite ends of the puzzle genre spectrum. The game has its ups and downs, as any other title does, but we can’t help but feel that a few things keep it from being one of the PSP’s true shining stars. The animations while climbing ladders are ungodly slow, and the controls are sloppy, but on the other hand the visuals are very edgy and stylish, and the gameplay really forces your mind to think. If you take Exit for what it is, a different, unique and fresh puzzle game than you’ll definitely enjoy it.
Essentially Exit is based on the backbone of a simple concept. You play as the game’s main protagonist, Mr. ESC, who prides himself in the art of escaping. The game has ten levels, each filled with a bunch of little “sections” that last an average of seven to eight minutes. These “sections” can be numerous situations, such as fire filled buildings. In each scenario there is usually a certain demographic of people you have to rescue such as young kids, and even hospital patients. No matter who you have to save, and what setting it takes place in, the objective remains the same, locate the people, and bring them to safety.
Exit manages to incorporate some unique gameplay features that help to differentiate itself from the norm. Your hero, Mr. ESC isn’t exactly a “super hero,” as he is more of a slim, and slightly muscular man. He does have his limits though, so to aid him rescue the survivors, are none other than the survivors themselves. The game gives you the option to direct the survivors to do certain tasks, all of which help you escape from danger. The game doesn’t let you take control of any other person other than our main character, so its more of just a simple guidance as opposed to outright controlling the AI. Each type of person has a unique ability that can help you. For example, if you ask a full grown adult to crawl through a narrow space, it isn’t happening; however a child could handle that same task.
An extra feature that helps the replay value of the game is the ability to download more levels from the game’s official website. Needless to say you’ll be needing a version 2.5 PSP to play Exit. If you’re one that’s sticking to 1.5 to satisfy your homebrew needs, you’ll also be missing out. Whether it’s a sly ploy to get people to upgrade, or just a good feature thrown in by Taito is unknown (although most likely the latter), what is certain is that it's one addition that is greatly appreciated.
Exit does have some issues with below par animations. Mr. ESC tends to walk/run slowly. You’d think that when you are inside of a burning building that you’d be more interested in a dead sprint, but unfortunately with our hero, that isn’t the case. Due to the slow nature of the game, it forces you to make sure you make decisions with haste. Once you commit to a task there is no turning back. This element of the game also makes it increasingly nerve racking as the time ticks down quickly and your character moves slowly. Timing your jumps, and directing your survivors to aid your escape all must be done with precision.
Our silhouette hero strutting his stuff.
Exit really shows off some of the PSP’s power. Although the game is strictly 2D, the comic like visuals with bold, dark accents on the characters, and pastel like colors really make the game stand out from anything else offered on the PSP. The game is just wonderful to look at, its more like art then just plain “graphics.” Best of all, the frame rate runs without a hiccup. Exit does have certain faults that can’t be ignored. The controls are old and dated. The AI, while meant to prove helpful, can also be ridiculously annoying.
Exit isn’t the second coming of Lumines, which is good because they are both at opposite ends of the puzzle genre spectrum. The game has its ups and downs, as any other title does, but we can’t help but feel that a few things keep it from being one of the PSP’s true shining stars. The animations while climbing ladders are ungodly slow, and the controls are sloppy, but on the other hand the visuals are very edgy and stylish, and the gameplay really forces your mind to think. If you take Exit for what it is, a different, unique and fresh puzzle game than you’ll definitely enjoy it.
November 20, 2009
