Page 55 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #8

objectives or goals other than to make it
through an area in one piece.

The game's biggest fault is its repetitiveness,
which is primarily a result of your limited and
boring move set. This could have been
addressed with better character customization.
The leveling system makes little sense, since it's
possible to max out your character before you
get to the final stage, and there are no choices to
make in regards to new attacks. While there are
five playable characters, they share nearly
identical moves. Some attacks are useless, so
you'll end up relying on the same two or three
techniques simply because they are the most
efficient way to take down enemies.

If we were to judge Scott Pilgrim solely on its
faithfulness to the genre, it would earn high
marks. Classic gamers will be pleasantly
surprised at how genuine the game looks,
sounds, and feels to earlier titles. The replay
value is enhanced to a degree with a zombie
survival mode, a boss rush mode, and four-
player cooperative action, though the latter is
limited to sofa sharing around the same
television. Yet when compared to a title like
Castle Crashers, which offers more depth,
variety, and humor, Pilgrim is a bit
disappointing. Not for where it goes, but for
where it doesn't.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Movie
Reviewed by: Jason Buchanan

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is a retro gamer's movie fantasy made real, a comic book adaptation
with an 8-bit heart that pumps with the pixelated blood of pop-culture nostalgia. A caffeine blast
directly to the brain, it's a dazzling display of frenetic cinema energy created by geeks, for geeks. And
while that might make the mainstream appeal rather limited (as indicated by the film's lackluster
performance at the box-office -- apparently lovelorn rockers are no match for macho mercenaries),
it's destined for cult status in the hearts of hardcore gamers, comic book aficionados and movie
junkies alike.

Yet as genuine as it all feels, by the time Pilgrim is preparing to face down with the last of Ramona
Flowers' seven evil ex's, all this sugary goodness may leave your brain feeling like your stomach after
binging on too much Halloween candy. Because of that, it may be better enjoyed in small doses once
it's released to the home video market, where it will likely find a wider audience for a good reason:
There are just so many references and visual treats being constantly hurled at the viewer, it's hard to
catch them all. Edgar Wright makes movies (and shows) that benefit from repeat viewing, and fans
of both the comic and the feature will have plenty to dissect and relish once they can analyze Scott
Pilgrim frame-by-frame.

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