Enslaved: Odyssey to the West: Pigsy's Perfect 10
Score: 85% Publisher: BANDAI NAMCO Games America, Inc. Developer: Ninja Theory Media: Download/1 Players: 1 Genre: Action/Adventure/Stealth
Presentation: Enslaved: Odyssey to the West: Pigsy's Perfect 10 retains the superb production values of the original game, and there's every indication that Ninja Theory has no intentions of withholding any technical TLC from its DLC. It's a joy to behold the blooming wasteland of Enslaved, even if most of this side-story is set in a series of dilapidated old junkyards. What really helps Pigsy's Perfect 10 differentiate itself is its handful of fantastic animated cutscenes. These wouldn't have worked at all for Monkey and Trip's tale, but it works wonderfully for a character like Pigsy. Another thing I should mention: Pigsy's Perfect 10 comes with an update that includes 3D support for both this release and the original game. I can't judge the merits of this feature, unfortunately (3D isn't really my thing and I don't see a television upgrade in my future for quite some time); however, if you've got a 3D TV, you've got a new visual option to explore. Considering that the game's gorgeous enough in two dimensions, it's safe to say that those who are in on the 3D craze are probably in for a treat. Nitin Sawhney's original soundtrack for Enslaved is wonderful (as of this writing, the soundtrack itself is in my car's CD player). So, it's a good thing he's returned for Pigsy's Perfect 10. There are a lot of banjos and Jew's harps -- maybe too many, depending on your tastes. However, like the animated cutscenes, the music fits Pigsy's tale perfectly. Richard Ridings reprises his role as the titular fat man, and though his English accent bleeds through (as Serkis' did in the original game), his performance is endearing enough to hold everything together.
A Big-Assed Man in a Pea-Brained World: The second half of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West introduced a major supporting player who ultimately became my favorite character in the game. A near-spherical and sex-starved gear head, Pigsy filled the role of "comic relief" seemingly without trying. However, as his role in the story evolved, it became easier and easier to sympathize with him. As you can probably tell by the title alone, Pigsy's Perfect 10 stars Trip's longtime friend. The premise is a bit shaky on paper, but if you've played Enslaved to the end, you know it's perfect for the character. Long story short, Pigsy is lonely and extremely bored. He's in dire need of companionship, and he doesn't at all lack the means to remedy his situation. With his flying robotic pal Truffles in tow, he strikes out from his so-called "Pigsyland" in search of the most important components of his new best friend. That doesn't sound like the most promising narrative blueprint, does it? It doesn't matter: Pigsy's Perfect 10 may star only one human character, but it works nonetheless. For the record, Truffles now rivals Borderlands' Claptrap and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic's HK-47 as my favorite robot character; his design is clever and endlessly charming. He's simply a winged television set whose screen displays pixelated emoticons. His expressions are funny, and at times, adorable; I dare you not to smile when he ignores Pigsy and instead loses himself in the simple joy of looking at flowers.
You Look Like a Pig, And You Fight Like One Too: Save for a brief and easily missed nod at the very end, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West: Pigsy's Perfect 10 does not even reference Monkey and Trip (the stars of the original game), and it takes place before Pigsy became involved in the game's storyline. As you'd probably guess, Pigsy does not fight like Monkey. If you remember the scene in which Monkey and Pigsy race to the top of the junkyard Titan, you may have an idea of what it's like to play as the latter. Oddly enough, he's as quick on his feet as Monkey is, but he's more tech-savvy. Monkey uses an energy staff that works as both a ranged and melee weapon, while Pigsy has a grappling hook and his trusty sniper rifle, Lola. If combat situations ever come down to close quarters fighting, you're in trouble. Pigsy's Perfect 10 isn't about getting up close and personal. Though he likes destroying mechs, Pigsy isn't as strong as Monkey is, and it only takes a few swipes for him to bite the dust. This downloadable content is about strategic approaches, and to a lesser degree, stealth. That's where Pigsy's gadgets come in. As you progress through the episode's nineteen chapters, Truffles will unlock special gear to be used in mech disposal. The Squealer is essentially Enslaved's Decoy ability, only it's way funnier and Pigsy can throw it. The EMP device also works the same way as Trip's does, only it's mobile. The last two devices can't be thrown; they can only be planted. One of them turns enemies in the blast radius into allies, and the other is an explosive that's hilariously-dubbed the Swine Bomb. Most combat situations require you to use all the gadgets efficiently while taking the time to snag headshots when you can. And there's the reason for this DLC's inferiority to the original game. Enslaved's melee combat was fun, if flawed -- but the shooting played second fiddle. There's nothing broken about the shooting in Pigsy's Perfect 10, but there's nothing particularly appealing about it, either. Save for the Swine Bomb and any collateral damage from the Ally ability, that's the only way for Pigsy to cause any kind of damage.
A Hearty Slab of Bacon: Enslaved: Odyssey to the West: Pigsy's Perfect 10 is a unique, light-hearted, and well-crafted companion episode that can be enjoyed either before or after playing Enslaved: Odyssey to the West. It's well-paced and clocks in at about the right time for a release that's priced at ten dollars. If you played Enslaved and for some reason didn't enjoy it, your Microsoft points will be better spent elsewhere. However, if you did enjoy the game and hoped for the chance to see Pigsy take the spotlight, Pigsy's Perfect 10 is an adventure well worth taking.
-FenixDown, GameVortex Communications AKA Jon Carlos
Related Links: Official Website of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West Game Vortex's Review of Enslaved: Odyssey to the West
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