Vempire Review [PSP]

29 Oct 2009 at 13:02:03 by James Chalmers
Systems used to review this title: (PSP)

With Halloween this weekend what better way to celebrate it than playing a game which features vampires, zombies, ghouls and...um fairies? However in my first play through I couldn’t help but feel I’d played the game before - Vempire utilises the basic elements of Bewjewled but manages to be both lengthy and mundane.

Don’t get me wrong, the same addictive gameplay which we have all come to love and cherish is included; the aim is simply to match 4 blocks in a row. However, the one main problem with Vempire is that there aren’t any significant new features, meaning it’s hard not to feel a little short-changed by the game.

The controls couldn’t be any simpler - using the L and R buttons of your PSP to rotate blocks of 4 (2x2) either clockwise or anti-clockwise aligning them as you wish. From there it’s all about matching up the blocks in the designated time while the occasional boss pops up on screen momentarily obscuring your vision and wasting your time with numerous dirty tactics.

While the timer is generally quite generous, one of the main problems is the way the clock is presented. The clock is awkwardly placed to the right of the game board, meaning checking how much time you have left is far more difficult than it ought to be. It’s not a major flaw by the developer but it is definitely an oversight and all too often you’ll find yourself  desperately trying to match up the precious gold bars without realising you only have a couple of seconds left.

So, about these gold bars; getting a row of four or more creates your currency for the game, which you can use to unlock special minions and ghouls in the in-game shop to aid you with your puzzle-solving. These unlockables vary in price and strength, some being quite damn impressive while others rather less so. The fairy can turn one block into a different block (rock into gold for example), while my personal favourite the Zombie can be ever so helpful by taking out a randomly selected column of blocks which can get you out of a right old pickle. But you needn’t worry about the minions being overpowered because before you can summon them you have to complete a certain combo using different blocks on the board. As a result the game forces you to think strategically, thinking a few moves ahead in order to summon the appropriate monster of the night to help you complete a level.

While you can rely on the monsters you can also call upon the power of the artefacts which can be unlocked in various bonus missions. These powers change the way each level is plays out with different artefacts making certain blocks appear more often. You have a choice of up to four out of the nine available to equip which leaves you very much in the position to decide the fate of each level. This is a great addition as it means the level may play out completely differently for the player, depending on what artefacts they have selected.

While the gameplay at the heart of Vempires is by no means original, it does become quite addictive, as you’d expect for a game in this genre. But it doesn’t really offer anything new and while the power-ups are a noteworthy addition the overall game doesn’t have enough to keep you going back for more. While we’re all in favour of Sony’s PSP Minis range, especially the reasonable pricing (£2.49 GBP), you’re better off looking elsewhere for a puzzler as Vempires has little to offer in the way of replay value.

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