A fruit and veggie combo platter to die for.
So I’m sitting at my desk one day and I get an email from my EiC. It talked about needing a reviewer for a game called Organic Panic. I’ve never heard of this, no one seemingly has any idea what it’s about, so I decide to go for it. The best part about reviewing games, especially indie titles, is that I might never know just what to expect or how they will turn out. Sometimes they are monumental disappointments, other times surprising hits. Touché Organic Panic, I pegged you wrong from the start, and you’re some of the best time I’ve had with veggies in a video game.
Let’s get healthy!
Looking at screenshots for this game, one might think It appears to be a worms type of caliber strategy game. It has some very minor ways it relates to those in similar looking level designs, but it’s a completely different beast. Here players have direct control of various fruits as they attempt to escape areas that offer various levels of challenges. Using the cherry, it can shoot dirt from the ground at enemies in a constant stream or dig through the environment. The kiwi can shoot water, flood areas, and swim. The carrot can climb surfaces, shoot explosions, and burn stuff. As players might have noticed, each one has different uses, and as they are unlocked, eventually have to switch between their various abilities to find ways to progress in the levels.
MSRP: $14.99
Price I’d Pay: $14.99
Multiplayer: 1-2
How long to beat: 5+ hours
Each level is broken down in sort of a challenge in how to get to the exit portal. Using the different abilities is where the fun comes in, like flooding areas to swim to new locations or an area that wasn’t reachable. What also adds to the fun and mayhem is that the levels are physics based, so cutting through the environment can send it toppling over. See an area with water above it? Blow the bottom out and watch the water rush and flow realistically into the areas below. It’s these elements that absolutely surprised me, and at times floored me with excitement. Being able to change the elements of land and water the player is navigating is fun, and the developers realize this as the levels get more complicated and require more outside of the box thinking in order to reach the exit. All this combined is what truly makes this title stand out.
No rotten produce here.
The gameplay which I would say is part platformer, part destruction, part puzzler, all feels rather well done. The interface is a little basic, the story is throw away, and at times and the screen tearing can drive me absolutely bonkers when it happens. Otherwise I found an extremely enjoyable and unique title. The combination of all the fruits and veggies really gave way to an experience I thought was originally going to come off extremely tame or very basic, and instead I walked away absolutely delighted and charmed. It made me think, made me curse, and made me smile in mostly all the right ways. It has that “just one more” element to it that will have players trying again and again it completion.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
