Craziest game ever?
Posted: Jan. 23, 2011, 10:49 p.m.
Related to: Stretch Panic
known in the UK as Freak Out, i found this game while searching the PS2 shelves in Blockbuster for something other than a football game… and i came across this strange looking game.. i was after an unusual game and i really dont think you can get any more unusual than this…
made by treasure back in 2001, it plays nothing like you would expect a treasure game, or in fact, any game to play. they must have been on drugs the whole time they were creating this. there is no other possible reason for its existance…
there are 4 EX Stages (levels) in the game, an ice level, one set on a roof of a factory, one in a graveyard type place and an island. however, this is not an average 3D platformer, for one thing, there is no “platforming” your character, Linda, can’t even jump. and these levels have no goal, and you can go to them in any order you want. the idea of these stages is to gather points to open the door to a boss room.
one of the strangest aspects of this game, (apart from the enemies, which i will get to soon) is the controls. Linda has a scarf attached to her, which is controled by the right analogue stick, you press R1 to grab stuff with the scarf, then can choose to either pull and let go, which does some damage or hold onto something then do a tornado attack by either spinning the right stick or pulling back then clicking the right stick in. this sends you flying into the enemy and does more damage. the enemies in the game are all young girls, who have some kind of….. erm… well just have a look at this picture..
anyway.. you have to use the scarf to grab onto either their heads or their skirt and pull them to get points. they use their… enlarged body parts… to try and block you and also to attack.. and sometimes i think their “balloons” can get a bit heavy and the enemies fall over, and sometimes use them as a helicopter which is very funny to watch! XD
once you think you’ve got enough points from the level you have to find the door and go back to the museum, which is the hub world where you can select any area or boss. it has a very nice graphical effect which puts pencil lines all over the screen (its hard to explain but it looks very nice, just take my word for it)
now for the best part of the game, the Boss fights! from the hub world there are some doors with numbers on, behind these doors are boss fights, and each of them is one of Linda’s sisters which have been transformes (i think) and you have to fight the bosses, each in a different and fun way, using the scarf. but before you kill them, you need to use a special attack which you initiate by pressing down on both the left and right analogue stick and spinning them around like crazy, while locking onto the enemies weak spot and trying not to get cramp in your fingers! this takes up 5 points, but if done successfully it makes a demon appear which lets you finish the boss properly and unlock the next one.
the game has a very odd story, which i will not even try to explain. instead i will wikipedia explain for me:
From wikipedia: The story stars Linda and her 12 vain sisters who have generally gone mad and obsessed with beauty and made her their errand girl. The sisters would always judge her scarf and her colorful fashion sense. One day when Linda was sent to pick up cosmetics to feed their vanity, a mysterious present appears on their doorstep, and upon opening it unleashes 13 Vanity demons. 12 of the demons kidnap and possess Linda’s sisters, but the 13th one gets stuck in Linda’s scarf (Due to her Lack of Vanity). They then all get sucked into a different dimension where beauty is everything. The demons want to punish the sisters for being vain. With full command over her newly possessed scarf, Linda sets out to save her 12 sisters.
so all in all, one of the craziest and most bonkers games i have ever played. its certainly not for everyone, but i enjoyed it, and as long as you dont expect anything too amazing from this game your bound to find some enjoyment from it, even if it is just laughing at the enemies. it can get a bit repetitive going back to the EX levels to get more points, but its worth it to fight the very imaginative bosses. so, go out and grab a copy (with your scarf preferably) and sit back and experience the maddest game ever!! have fun 😛