A free demo version of the PS3’s downloadable tower defense (TD) game, PixelJunk Monsters, is now up at the PlayStation store. I’ve been saving the actual purchase of the game as a reward for finishing up a project I’m currently working on, but I figured it wasn’t cheating (much) to download the demo.
Even though most TD games are pretty much the same, I’m a sucker for all of them. In each game, packs of monsters–each with their own strengths and weaknesses–run through a maze, trying to get to the other side. Meanwhile, you buy and set up towers that fire arrows, cannonballs, rockets, and other projectiles at the monsters as they run past. The strategy comes in spending your money wisely, putting the right towers where they need to be, when they need to be there.
In some TD games, you do most of the work between rounds: setting up your towers how you like, and then sending the monsters through when you’re ready. In PixelJunk Monsters, you play a cute little masked character who has to run around constantly, setting up towers as the baddies come in non-stop waves. When each monster dies, it leaves behind treasure that disappears if you let it sit too long. So, when you’re not setting up towers ahead of the monsters, you’ll be trailing behind them, claiming your due. All this adds an action element to the strategic gameplay.
The cel-shaded graphics look great, and the ambient music is easy on the ears. The game also has a cooperative mode, which I’ll try as soon as I have a friend.
Judging by the demo, PixelJunk Monsters seems every bit as fun and addictive as a tower defense game should be. I’m sure I’ll be spending my ten bucks on the full version, soon enough.
If you haven’t played a tower defense game before, I recommend giving Flash Element TD a whirl. It’s a free browser-based game that’s a great introduction to the genre. I also recommend Vector TD, once you get the hang of things. I wouldn’t try either of them out if you were planning on going to bed anytime soon, though.
Filed under: videogames | Tagged: flash element td., pixeljunk monsters, ps3, tower defense, vector td
