Review :: N+

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March 12th, 2008 posted by Link in Reviews, Xbox 360

Once a free independent flash game, N is reborn on Xbox Live Arcade in N+. Is it worth shelling out $10 for a new version?

Obviously from the score, my answer is yes. N+ improves on the basic N formula in every way possible. The XBLA version features 400 new single player levels (with additional ones through DLC coming soon) and a whole new way to play N with its multiplayer offerings. There are co-op, racing, or survival challenges for up to four players to work together or compete in, and they’re all playable off or online. It also comes with the standard Xbox Live leaderboard support, but you can watch replays of the top players for each level. There’s also a level editor, but unfortunately there isn’t any support for downloading or trading user maps over Live (probably to prevent people from sharing phallic terrain).

This minor frustration aside, N+ is almost an entirely new game. It sports a slick techno soundtrack that manages to fit itself into the background quite well. The new graphics are simple yet refined, and the clean look suits the game’s style very well. Some people might complain that there isn’t enough color, or that your character can be hard to see sometimes, but I grew to appreciate the simplicity as I progressed into harder levels. Speaking of difficulty, N+ is even more brutal than the original N. You’ll find yourself dying multiple times before completing some of the levels, but the repetition of trial and error in N+ doesn’t get nearly as aggravating as in other games because failure isn’t a result of a bad camera or poor controls. It’s all because of clever level design. You’ll know how to beat a level once you die a few times, and you’re expected to fail before you succeed. There’s even an achievement for dying 1000 times. The game has a wonderful sense of humor, as you’ll find from level titles, tutorials, and the developer’s attempt to explain the game’s “story.”

Having played the original N years ago and knowing that the PC version is still up for download, I wouldn’t pay for something I could get for free. N+ is so much better than the original (which was awesome in itself) that I can easily recommend it to anyone. Try it out on PC, and if you like it, you’ll absolutely love N+.