Costume Quest
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Costume Quest is exactly what I want out of a PSN game. It’s streamlined, quirky, and fun. The focus here is placed directly on fun rather than high production values or deep multiplayer and the game can be enjoyed equally by a kid who loves Halloween or an adult who can’t go trick-or-treating anymore without being creepy.
At its core, Costume Quest is an RPG. It takes a basic formula, adds a Halloween setting and runs with it. The gameplay isn’t incredibly deep, but it has enough nuances to keep you busy until the end. You can collect costumes, equip passive abilities and level up. The combat itself remains engaging by requiring timed button presses in order to defend or attack with full power. A costume system allows each of your characters to equip a costume that changes their abilities inside and outside of battle. A few clever environmental puzzles use this mechanic to its full effect, but it never really feels like it lives up to its potential.
At its core, Costume Quest is an RPG. It takes a basic formula, adds a Halloween setting and runs with it. The gameplay isn’t incredibly deep, but it has enough nuances to keep you busy until the end. You can collect costumes, equip passive abilities and level up. The combat itself remains engaging by requiring timed button presses in order to defend or attack with full power. A costume system allows each of your characters to equip a costume that changes their abilities inside and outside of battle. A few clever environmental puzzles use this mechanic to its full effect, but it never really feels like it lives up to its potential.
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The majority of the action is in the exploration though. The environments are ripe with hidden items, costume pieces and candy. I can’t remember a time when I was so obsessive about collecting everything. Even when I had more candy than I could use, I had to smack every mailbox and trash can, hoping that a mint or lollipop would jump out and add to my already-full candy bag.
The world of costume quest is full of humor. There are real monsters, but this isn’t a horror game. The game doesn’t take itself seriously and the writing succeeds in keeping the story interesting and fun. The writing is good enough to keep the heavy reliance on one-liners and puns from getting old. The humor is innocent and simple, but it had me laughing out loud quite a few times.
Puzzle Quest is a fun little game with charming graphics and a unique style. It serves as a great palette cleanser when the big-budget, AAA titles start to feel repetitive. Old school RPG mechanics are back in full force here, and the game is an excellent entry point for anyone looking to get into the genre.
