Sony’s PlayStation ‘Minis’ service has given smaller developers a chance to have their work published, but has also led to an influx of mediocre games. The latest Mini title comes in the form of Freekscape: Escape from Hell. Is it, like many others within the PlayStation Minis library, bland and boring, or is it a polished game which packs great entertainment?
Freekscape: Escape from Hell’s main 
objective is to get out of hell. The character you control within the game is a small creature named Freek. Freek isn’t too fond of hell, and would rather be in heaven, so upon discovering a holy trident, Freek embarks on his adventure to a better place.
The story translates into core gameplay elements which suit the story perfectly. Simple yet fun is what defines Freekscape: Escape from Hell’s gameplay mechanics. Freek’s main weapon is his trident, which can be poked into enemies, which he can then use to his advantage for gliding, tackling, and even pogo-jumping.
Freek is controlled by the PSP’s analog stick, though the levels are designed in a way that would be more suited to D-Pad controls. Instead, the D-pad is used to look around – a feature which would have been better suited to the analog stick.
The visuals in the game are decent. The 3D environments can grab your attention, but they’re nothing special. Had the game been fully 2D, the game would have appealed to a larger audience without a doubt. The main character, along with the other creatures, lacks detail, and considering that the game is primarily based in hell, the environments don’t really stand out in any way.
In each level, Freek is required to figure out how
he will progress to the next level. To do so, he’ll need to make full use of the enemies within the level. The puzzles may frustrate a few, but are ultimately what adds to the value of the game. There are plenty of levels to play through – around 15 – so the replayability is certainly not lacking, especially if you consider the fact that you can go back and replay levels to beat your previous times.
Freekscape: Escape from Hell is a good example of the entertainment and value a PlayStation Minis title should contain, or indeed any PlayStation Network title. Although the graphics may be lackluster, this shouldn’t detract from the experience that Freekscape: Escape from Hell delivers – and shouldn’t be missed by any PlayStation owner.
PlayStation LifeStyle’s Final Score
Fun and colorful platformer Plenty of replayability Visuals lacking in some aspects |
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