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I’ve seen games with product placement. I’ve also seen games that were full-on commercials. There hasn’t ever really been one of the latter that was considered a good game. Then, along comes World Gone Sour, a game based off the candy treat Sour Patch Kids. Yes, this is one of those games. Don’t judge too quickly, though. This game may defy expectations and surprise you.
You play as a Sour Patch Kid whose goal in life is to be eaten by a human. The poor guy was dropped into a movie theater garbage can and left for dead. Now, it’s up to you to guide the poor fella out of the garbage and through other environments to reach his ultimate destination: a human’s stomach. It’s kind of a strange concept, but it is a game starring a piece of candy.
The game is a 2D, side scrolling platformer. Your Sour Patch Kid can jump, double jump, wall jump, ground pound and throw or roll other Sour Patch Kids into enemies and breakable walls. The mechanic of gathering followers serves as ammo for your throws and rolls, or to make your Sour Patch Kid bigger and stronger by absorbing your companions. Absorbing other candy boys/girls you collect will not only make your character larger in size, but also allow you to take more hits. Think of it like getting the mushroom in Mario. You can absorb your followers twice, allowing you to take 2 extra hits before dying.
The game features drop-in/drop-out local co-op for two players. The game can get a little hectic with two, but if one player dies, they will get resurrected at the next checkpoint. One thing I do have to mention, the checkpoints are well done in this game. You never have to start over from too far back.
The co-op camera leaves something to be desired at times. It moves strangely; almost like it’s going into 3D in some parts. This threw us off when trying to make jumps. Luckily, if both players do die, you always seem to have enough extra lives to keep going. You can collect green orbs that will slowly fill up an icon on the screen. When it’s full, you gain an extra life. They are also available as pick-ups, as well.
The game has a narrator much like Little Big Planet. In fact, a lot of this game feels like Sony’s marquee title. The small objects that seem large to a bite-sized candy look great, and the jokes and commentary that the narrator provides are both funny and off-putting at the same time. You’d think that this game was designed for kids with the look and over all feel, but the narrator is making sexual innuendos and cursing while you play as a little green candy trying to make it to a human’s tummy. It is quite amusing.
All in all, for five dollars, you can easily have a fun time with World Gone Sour. Sure, it is a glorified commercial for Sour Patch Kids, but that doesn’t stop it from being rather enjoyable. It’s a competent little platformer that you and a friend on the couch can enjoy. The style is great, and the narrator is legitimately funny at times. Give it a shot.
Review copy of game provided by publisher. Primary play on Xbox 360.
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