Skylar & Plux: Adventure on Clover Island

A guilty pleasure I had when I was a younger gamer was the 3D platformer genre. Titles like Ratchet & Clank or Jak & Daxter were very much a staple in my consoles. Over the past 12 months the 3D platformer genre has made a bit of a resurgence, bringing us the likes of Skylar & Plux: Adventure on Clover Island.

You play as Skylar, a humanoid cat like creature who wakes up on space station with no memory and thanks to CRT, an evil robot, you now have a robotic arm. You escape the station only to crash land on the tropical Clover Island. It is here you meet Plux, a talking owl who is also stranded, and together you must quest to save the Lo'a who have been captured by CRT and stop him from destroying Clover Island. The story is told through comic like cutscenes but they do suffer slightly with Skylar being the silent type, banter between the two main characters would only help strengthen the story and it is very much missed.

Gameplay you will find your usual 3D platforming controls on offer, but what the developer has done is really tune these elements for the best results, making the game fun to play and easy for anyone to pick up. Initially you start with the grappling hook allowing you to swing across gaps, slowly a jetpack and the ability to control time is introduced adding a new layer on how you tackle area's and puzzles.

As with other games of this type combat is relatively simple, your standard attacks are there and given the team has worked so well on the controls they always feel responsive. As you defeat enemies and destroy boxes you are gifted with crystals, these serve to refill your health and also to open the Lo'as cages.

Skylar & Plux is relatively easy with a full playthrough lasting just over 2 hours. While it will frustrate some, it is perfect for those trying out something new or a good stepping stone for kids coming to the age where you can leave them alone for a bit with the controller. The only let down with the length of the story is just after you really start to get into it and the characters start to build it ends.

Right Nice Games has started off with a bang and with a team of only 5 people the makings of a great future are already there. Skylar & Plux: Adventure on Clover Island is available now on the PS4 for $22.95, a little steep compared to other regions but it is a bit of fun.

Keep an eye out for a full playthrough stream coming soon!

Pat (Snoogs)

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