Do you have what it takes to get a review published right here on Kotaku? Jenn does, as she knows that all orphans smell like rotten cabbage.
Yes, that’s right, we’re publishing reader reviews here on Kotaku. This is your chance to deliver sensible game purchasing advice to the rest of the Kotaku community.
And thanks to the very kind chaps at Madman Entertainment, purveyor of all kinds of cool, indie and esoteric film, the best reader review we publish each month will win a prize pack containing ten of the latest Madman DVD releases.
This review was submitted by Jenn Christodoulou. If you’ve played Deathspank, or just want to ask Jenn more about it, leave your thoughts in the comments below.
Deathspank (XBLA, PSN)
Deathspank clutches in his hands the final clue in a life’s journey paved with Blood and Steel and Bacon. And I clutch in my hands a copy of Deathspank, because any game that mentions bacon and makes me laugh within the first five minutes is definitely worth purchasing in my books.
Ok, so I can’t actually touch my copy of Deathspank, since I downloaded it off the PSN, but if I close my eyes I can imagine that I can, and this game is nothing if not testament to the fact that imagination is a damn powerful thing. Deathspank is a new RPG title brought to us by the ingenious mind of Ron Gilbert. For some people, that sentence alone would be enough to make them buy it… but some people are picky, so I’ll keep going. For about AU$20 you can purchase Deathspank on the PSN or XBLA.
Loved
Simplicity: This game doesn’t boast in-depth plot lines, or character back-stories that drag on for years. It’s simple: you are the fearless hero Deathspank sent on an epic mission to recover an all important artefact. Along the way, you do quests for townspeople to accumulate better items and weapons. Each level you advance you get a little more badass, a little more skilled, and a little more entertained by how easy it is to kill stuff.
Humorous: The quests you’re sent to do in this game are hilarious. I had to buy some guy a burrito, kill some bishops and then beat the crap out of demons… quite literally, crap. And that was just in my first few hours of playing. Another reason this game is so funny is the voice acting. Some people have slammed it, saying the actors mangled the lines, but I think it’s brilliant. It’s an odd occurrence when voice acting in games is done well and even more absurd when it makes us laugh at the same time.
Hated
Co-op: The multiplayer mode in this game is ‘drop in, drop out’ which means that a second player can enter or leave at any time, taking on the role of Sparkles the wizard. However, Sparkles doesn’t get anything of his own and shares levelling benefits, screen space and even his life bar with Deathspank. He’s a sidekick, in every sense of the word. Though he is also a wizard, so I guess he wins in the game of life, if not in anything else.
Deathspank is a game that is comedic in every sense. The character design, dialogue, quests, and even the item descriptions will have you laughing. It’s a lite game, with a lite price tag and perfect for playing in short instalments. If you need something to do over the next few days and your wallet is just about empty, Deathspank is the perfect game to give a whirl. Plus you don’t even have to get up off your couch to buy it! It’s win win!
Reviewed by: Jenn Christodoulou
You can have your Reader Review published on Kotaku. Send your review to us at the usual address. Make sure it’s written in the same format as above and in under 500 words – yes, we’ve upped the word limit. We’ll publish the best ones we get and the best of the month will win a Madman DVD prize pack.
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