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Oh look at this, another running game in the Playstation Minis. I mean, I love the idea
behind the Minis. They are short, easy to pick up and play games that should bring a
decent amount of fun, you know, the idea behind a video game. And especially with the low
price tag and basic ideas, these are welcome additions to the PSN. But what the Minis should
not be are games that you can play for free online or with a smart phone, only now with
a price tag.
And here we have Canabalt, a running game. You know the games, you run to the right and
have to jump over gaps and obstacles that block your path. You will eventually die,
just like normal life, so your objective is to see just how far you can get before the
inevitable end, again just like real life but real life doesn’t necessarily have to
end with you falling off a building or missing a jump into a window.
But what makes this endless runner different from all the hundreds of others out there?
This is a pretty old game, originally released online in 2009 and some say actually created
the genre. That’s interesting. But also it is just a solid runner. The jumps are challenging
and the obstacles hazardous, giving you a good sense of accomplishment when you beat
your previous best distance. But the game does mix things up and make them challenging
by having a changing world. Buildings will crumble around you, making you have to take
the next jump a little earlier than you anticipated. And as the speeds increase, and the music
heightens, you will actually feel a good sense of dread of your coming demise.
But one thing this game does do better than most is in the presentation. The game is shown
in black, white and gray, but still gives off a good amount of character. Your
runner is in a black suit and very pixelated, as is the rest of the world. But the detail
and ascetics round off the world and make it feel alive, with pigeons on rooftops and
helicopters circling around.
But also a great addition is the music. It starts out calming enough as you take your
first steps, but as the speeds pick up and the jumps become more challenging, the music
reflects this and goes up in tempo, building the tension.
There are a lot of endless runners out there, and this is one of the best. But I just have
trouble paying money for something I know I can get easily for free.