Xbox Live Arcade Review: N+

by John Robertson on April 3, 2008 at 2:25 pm

Some time ago a stylish little browser-based game appeared that mixed fiendishly addictive gameplay with a striking artistic style. That game was N, from developers Metanet Software. Now on XBLA, branded as N+, Xbox 360 owners can experience the game with some valuable additions.

To say that N+ is difficult would be somewhat of an understatement. You will die a lot. However, therein lies the beauty of the game. N+ is a platformer that rewards experimentation, practice, and sheer perseverance in equal measures. There is no real penalty for failure; you just have to improve your play in order to progress through each area.

The object of the game is to guide N, a ninja, through a huge number of arenas to an exit point. However, to make use of the exits you must first activate a switch, allowing you to pass through. It’s the journey to the switch and then to the exit point that is that is the hard part, crammed full of danger, both in terms of enemies and life-ending plunges to the floor below.

In terms of level design, the developers have chosen to limit themselves to the bare minimum in terms of enemies and the environment. Levels all have the same minimal style and are filled with enemies that reoccur throughout the duration of the game. This means you quickly learn what to expect from each enemy, and can get on with the job of working out just how to get past them.

As if it wasn’t difficult enough, you’ll also be up against the clock. Dotted around each level are golden blocks, which you must collect if you want to increase your time limit. You’ll need to make a tough decision as to whether you want to go after these, as they are often in very difficult to reach (or just plain suicidal) locations. Often the time spent going for the gold outweighs the time gained through collecting it.

Levels are rounded up in sets of five, presented as episodes, and with fifty single players episodes (as well as a robust map creator) there’s plenty to keep you occupied. And that’s a good thing, because the game is just so damn addictive. The core mechanics in the game such as wall jumping, wall sliding and controlling your momentum, all work so well, and the level design is so good, that you won’t be able to stop yourself playing for perhaps hours on end.

This may all sound rather repetitive, but what keeps it from being so is that the game is constantly challenging you, both in your ability to maneuver N and in your puzzle solving skills. Visually, the minimal design can start to get a little old after a while, but any other style would have lessened the effect of the game. The purity of the visuals perfectly reflect the purity of the gameplay.

New to N+ is the much anticipated multiplayer component, supporting four players in both co-op and versus modes. While the multiplayer generally works well and is a lot of fun, especially in co-op, the game isn’t as crisp as it is in single player. Hit detection with enemies can be erratic and some issues with lag also raise their ugly head.

Generally though, N+ is a fantastic game and offers some of the most addictive platform action seen on any system for some time. The game can sometimes get frustrating, and at points feels nearly impossible, but the satisfaction of overcoming everything it throws at you outweighs it all.

While not perfect, N+ offers one of the best experiences on Xbox Live Arcade. It has no story, but pure gameplay.