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N+ Review

By Kris Erickson | Posted on Jul 29, 2008

N+ is such an unusual blend of different genres that it is difficult to classify. It combines the frantic maze-running of Lode Runner with the wall-sliding of New Super Mario Brothers and adds a pinch of the sublime jumping controls from classic Ninja Gaiden games. The result is perhaps one of the purest expressions of platform gaming, a tone poem to its retro forbearers that is sure to delight those who appreciate the simpler pleasures of old-school game design.

On the other hand, N+ is also somewhat of a puzzle game and physics simulation. Many of the levels will require some lateral thinking to beat, and often the solution to these problems lies in manipulating the somewhat realistic physics of the main character’s movement. The main character has inertia, which allows the player to pull off some seemingly impossible moves by getting a good long running start or by literally bouncing themselves off of walls like some kind of acrobatic monkey.

In keeping with its retro roots, there are no characters – not even a story – to get in the way of the action. The game has no fancy graphics and no FMV cutscenes to speak of. The action is presented in a functional and clean aesthetic, with simple graphics for items and enemies drawn over a light grey background. The main character is represented by a simple silhouette, ready to do your bidding with loyal precision. The real star of the game is the controls, which allow players to guide their avatar through progressively more harrowing obstacles that never feel “cheap”. The controls take some getting used to – particularly because of the aforementioned inertia effect – but they are good enough that failure is almost always a result of a lack of skill rather than the fault of the game’s programming or the directional pad on the PSP. There is no support for the PSP analogue stick, but we found that the d-pad and face buttons worked fine, once we ascended the learning curve required to be able to fine-tune jumps.

Speaking of skill, N+ will demand every ounce of it that you have. Not only that, but you will need a wide variety of different skills to complete each of the 200 single-player stages in the game. Just when you think you’ve mastered the art of timing jumps precisely to land on infinitesimal platforms, Mister Miyagi style, the game throws something different at you. New challenges come in the form of tricky brain teasers, crazy feats of acrobatics, in which you must leap between laser beams, and timed Pac Man like levels where you must weave between enemy patterns while keeping a cool head.

Ostensibly, the award for completing an episode is unlocking new levels, color schemes and victory animations, but the real prize is the immense feeling of self-satisfaction at beating what appeared to be an insurmountable challenge, only to do it again 199 times. Helpfully, the game gives players different options at any given moment, so if one level is too tough, they can take on another set of levels which undoubtedly offer a completely different kind of challenge. For such a simple setup, the designers have managed to cram a lot of different ideas, puzzles and tests of skill into the package.

Secondly, despite the large number of levels on offer, some gamers will likely question the value of this $30 title, particularly since it is based on a free flash game. It will take around 8 hours for the most skilled to beat the PSP game, and there were many points during the single-player campaign where we thought “Thank goodness I don’t have to beat that level again”. After that there is some limited replayability in the form of versus multiplayer mode (local only) and downloadable level packs, but the premise of the game will only hold its appeal for the most devoted platform fans after this point.

The game includes a level editor, but we can’t imagine anybody but the most fanatical would be patient enough to build a stage using the clunky PSP input system. There is a “Community” option where players can use their PSP and a wireless hotspot to connect and download whatever new levels the developers and fan base create.

Overall, N+ offers somewhat limited long-term value, but it is very good at what it does. Puzzle freaks and platform freaks and everyone in between will find this to be an enjoyable diversion. If you were one of those kids who spent hours in front of your Commodore 64 beating all 100 levels of Lode Runner, this modern update is definitely worth a look.