S&S Review: Tokyo Jungle

Title: Tokyo Jungle 
Format: PS3/PSN 
Release Date: 25 September 2012
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: SCE Japan Studio, Crispy's, PlayStation C.A.M.P. 
Price: $15
ESRB Rating: E 

_{I needed a game like no other to get back into the swing of things. My gaming hiatus had ended and I was a raging bull at my controller. Funny I should say bull because the game that caught my eye on the PSN wasn’t a shooter or a sports game. It was about animals and survival.}

_{Tokyo Jungle appealed to me right from the release but as previously mentioned I couldn't go at it just yet (thus the late review). The game's set in Tokyo and the human race has completely vanished. It's deserted and all that is left are wild animals ranging from small harmless herbivores to wild blood thirsty lions. Yes, they’re all in one big city and it really is a jungle out there. Just so it’s clear, there are NO humans, just animals and you are one of them!}

_Gameplay

_{The tutorial does enough to teach you the basics of survival. In your weakest moment as a little hare you’ll need to learn how to defend against, well pretty much anything with teeth. You also get some time with a dog, which will need to learn to hunt as well as fend off other meat eaters. The survival mode is where it all happens, as you’re thrust into this big barren world with nothing but your instincts. To progress you’ll need to fulfil certain tasks, of which include hunting, taking/marking territories and even mating to create future generations of yourself. All this whilst finding food to eat because if you don’t eat… How else could you go on?}

_{All along the way are remnants and archives, basically clue facts from what has remained of the human race. Some items really make you see how remarkable we are. There are also collectibles which affect aspects in your animal life, ie speed, defense, which can all be tuned while progreesing through rank and level. Completing challenges allow you to progress to new areas and will force you to be more aware of the activities of other animals in your surroundings. There’s a “year” bar at the top of your screen which essentially lets you know how long you have lived. Your years of living are your boasting reference. In this game, when you die, you die! Yes, there are checkpoints you can save at but when you get eaten or die of hunger, you will have to begin from scratch. A small relief is that you keep the collectibles which make your wandering a bit easier.}

_{There’s a fun multiplayer mode too where you can help each other survive in the Tokyo Jungle. Several add on items allow you to dress your unlocked animals anyhow you want so you can look silly while hunting/gathering and surviving. A well organised ranked system shows your overall progress which can be compared to others online, while everything from the number of hunts to the distance covered is recorded.  Some unloackables are only activated through paying and that's a downer but i couldnt complain much as they were as reasonable as the game's initial price. The story mode also adds to the longevity of the game. Some might wonder why all this costs you only 15 bucks. These Japanese developers really come through for a consumer.}

_Presentation

_{Graphics are prim and don’t take away anything from the experience. They could obviously be better and more layer-luscious but for this price and type of game, I was surprised to see a moderate levelling and quality to most objects in the streets of Tokyo. The ability to go into the background for a 2.5D like experience really had me gasping as it did not seem likely at first. There’s more to the map than initially meets the eye and it makes exploration that more interesting.} 

_{Scaling and screen/scene positioning are as smooth as they come and makes travelling long distances a bit more bearable. The music could be better. I’m not a fan of one/two track playlists so what I do is leave the game sounds on and mute the music so I can hear bushes rustling or listen to my prey while sneaking up on them, making the catch much more rewarding.}

_{Final Thoughts}

_{The PSN continues to release that odd gem, those that make a gamer proud. This is one of them.The marvel that is Tokyo Jungle satisfies the thirst for a genre or game unlike no other. It also ensures us that there are still developers who think outside the style box and are willing to share their creativity with like-minded gamers. Tasks may seem repetitive at first but play through that barrier and you'll reap some rewarding fun. With over 50 breeds and 80 animals, this isn’t everything you’ve wanted in a PSN game, it’s what every PSN game needs. Some Authenticity.}

S&S Rating: 8.5/10

@Bannermayne

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PSN: siamplante