Karimogi (PSN) Review

With its life-affirming little ditty, bright & breezy graphics and cute characterisation, Karimogi is a fun little blocks game. It should by rights have the sort of gameplay that sucks you in and makes you wonder where the hours have gone.

The only trouble is you're never really all that in control of things and can spend too long just waiting for something to happen - and its very easy to get stuck. The aim is to build complete rows within the trap your character has fallen into. To this end, you can shove some blocks around, but only push - never pull - and you have a small supply of bombs to get rid of unflattering lines.

Get a sub-row of three or more matching objects and you score more points when the row completes, complete enough rows and you escape the level. The real trouble is that your bombs are more likely to kill you than help and getting hit by a falling shape means instant game over.

The overall mechanics of the game don't make for a fun or particularly friendly or challenging experience. In later levels, rockets and other challenges are added to the mix, but the core gameplay just doesn't really grab. A shame, as everything else has the potential to entertain.

Perhaps if the character could hammer and break blocks (like Rockman) this would be a better game. It needs something more, that is for certain.

Available on PSN for £2.49 [StormBasic]

5/10 If you met this game in a bar, you'd really want to talk to it. But all it would do is discuss climate change, and get its facts wrong!

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