So I figured that since I'd pretty much played out God of War: Chains of Olympus, WipEout: Pulse, and haven't been in the mood for heavy Japanese grinds (a la Monster Hunter Freedom 2 and Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness), I should probably look into picking up something new for my plane ride to Europe.
I've been wanting to buy Dead Head Fred since its release, but never got around to it. My impending trip and the game's recent price drop to $15 were enough incentive to get me to take the plunge.
Five hours in, and I can see why the game got an award for its writing. The story is humorous and engrossing, with unique characters, amazing voice acting (John C. McGinley, of Dr. Cox fame, voices the main character) and an art style that gives everything unique personality and disturbing charm. The platforming isn't too difficult, but it's not too easy. The environments are fun to explore and the load times are minimal for a portable game.
Problems I've encountered so far were minor (I couldn't figure out how to win the first boss fight). The camera is good for a portable game, but lacking a second analog nub on the PSP means you get into some weird situations. While the options and customization due to the switchable heads adds good amounts of depth, it can seem shallow at times. Combat has lots of interesting combos and animations, but you're never compelled to use any of them- I quickly found that a Square + Square + X, used repeatedly, will interrupt all special and normal attack sequences farely quickly, while dealing minimal damage to yourself (bosses are faster than other enemies, so you can take some hits there).
The heads offer unique styles of gameplay and puzzle solving for anyone, and the upgrades are actually useful.
In short- Dead Head Fred, while not the most popular title (I don't think it even qualifies as a cult classic), is definitely worth the minimal scratch you throw down to acquire it.
Oh, and Diablo3. Looking forward to playing it, Winter of 2011.
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