by Paul on Nov 1st, 2008

Having played B-K: N&B twice already, I really didn’t expect to get a lot more out of this XBLA demo … but that just goes to show how wrong a man can be! It’s really quite amazing how having the time to go at your own pace can drastically enhance your understanding and enjoyment of a game (and having peace and quiet without noisy crowds all around you pressuring to have a go, I might add!). The two games events I attended were good fun, and gave me a nifty insight into the game, but it wasn’t until I finally settled down to play after the lengthy download did I realise just how good this game is going to be. Of course, the small playable area of Showdown Town was as new to me as it was to those of you who are playing it ‘fresh’, and it really is something! Absolutely stunning to look at, with a real vibe about the place. I had a great deal of fun note collecting and hunting down Mumbo’s crates. Sure, it’s platforming on a very basic level but it didn’t stop me from having a grand old time and any complains that it doesn’t ‘feel’ like a Banjo game are unfounded. This is largely due to the design of the characters and the sense of humour that runs through the look of the town. There’s a real ‘Wallace & Gromit’ 1930s Britain feel going on in Showdown Town – and I love it!

I knew what to expect in Banjo Land but that still doesn’t make it any less impressive. Hopefully now you’ll all appreciate just how lovely it looks. For the purposes of this XBLA demo Rare have tinkered with the challenges so that was a nice surprise for me too!

For the most part, my earlier blogs about the game will tell you everything you need to know about my views on the game, and this demo has only served to enhance them. The main reason I’m writing this blog is because it is the first time I’ve been able to try out the vehicle creator mode within the game, and I have to say I’m very impressed. I must have spent a good hour in Mumbo’s Garage tinkering and building different craft on the first playthrough of the demo and a few days later, with several more playthroughs under my belt, I can honestly say I have sunk a huge amount of time into it. The scope available with just these demo vehicle parts is staggering … I made crude versions of the batmobile and the batpod from ‘The Dark Knight’, had a crappy version of a spitfire all good to go, and many more lame attempts at vehicles. I cannot wait for the game proper now, and I have a lot of ideas for things to make once the full range of parts is available to me. Trust me, Rare could release the vehicle editor on its own and I would be happy – but knowing there’s a whole Banjo adventure waiting beyond it is just the icing on the cake.

I know that there have been negative comments about the demo. Fair enough, you can’t please everyone. However, it does upset me as a few people across the various forums I visit have taken the line ‘it’s nothing like the old Banjo games, therefore it’s c**p’. C’mon … if you don’t like, have a better reason why than that. Open your minds, give the game a chance … in my opinion you’ll be missing out on one of the best games this year if you don’t.

I’m just one voice, but I’m going to be as vocal as I can to anyone who’ll listen. I love this game.

Categories: Previews