Henry Hatsworth

This game is AWESOME. The platforming portion is closer to Astro Boy (GBA) than anything, complete with a combo system and gigantic epic bosses. The puzzle portion is just basic Tetris Attack. The platforming is definitely the main draw, as you'll spend most of your time playing in that part. You switch to the puzzle half to get powerups, reveal platforms, build up a super meter (that results in this), and clear away enemies before they can cause more trouble.

The art is great, the music is excellent, and the game is hilariously awesome. It even has actual difficulty! After the first three or so levels, the challenge ramps up considerably. I do think this might just be the best game on DS.

Love the art direction, probably the best portable platformer since Drill Dozer.

I sensed invocation of the name ~ Drill Dozer ~ and came running.

Does the puzzle stuff interrupt the flow of the platforming at all? I've watched a couple of videos, and it looks to me like playing Klonoa, moving along at a pretty good clip, then pausing Klonoa to pick up a GBA to play Tetris Attack for a few minutes at designated time intervals. I love Klonoa and I love Tetris Attack, but I don't want one mucking the other up, y'know?

Bangai-O Spirits pretty much knocked the action+puzzle thing out of the park in its better Puzzle stages. Henry isn't action+puzzle, though. It's action, puzzle. It doesn't look very cohesive. :(

So yeah, this game is fucking ace. I'd liken the platforming more to Wario Land than anything, although combat-wise the Astro Boy comparison is pretty apt. I love the "voice acting": WOT HRM WOT WOT HRM HRM WOT HARUMPH

If you don't buy this, you're probably a sucklord.

Girlfriend grabbed this for my "early" birthday gift. We both were clamoring for it after the opening - so it looks like this will be a shared copy. I think Mario & Luigi was the last handheld game that threw me in hysterics like this. The concept, voices, animation are all top notch!

Also digging that it isn't all that easy, requires some attention and reflexes, plus good management of Henry's super meter. Thought the pausing between puzzle and platforming would be off-putting but it's actually the opposite. One thing I liked but found frustrating in The World Ends With You was the dual gameplay. Although the realtime element made doing anything useful on both screens too hard to manage. I like Henry's approach better.

Does anyone know if this was developed internally at EA, or were they just publishing?

It was internally developed at EA Tiburon, headed up by Kyle Gray (the other Kyle behind the Experimental Gameplay Project that gave birth to Tower of Goo and then World of Goo, and Crayon Physics Deluxe).

What a coincidence - I picked up World of Goo a few weeks back and it too has been one of the most enjoyable, unique games I've played in a while. I just hope and pray that with all the changes at EA they get all the backing they deserve!

OMG world 2 boss!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bacon McShig

If you don't buy this, you're probably a sucklord.

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Ass-tro Boy is a sucklord. Comparing it to that piece of shit is not making me want it at all.

However i think it looks neat anyway and will probably get it sometime next month.

Interview with Kyle Gray:

http://ds.nintendolife.com/news/2009...nd_indie_plans

Apparently working on a Wiiware title with 2D Boy members and wouldn't be against a sequel to Hatsworth....

Quote:

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KG: If I got a call from EA that gamers were clamouring for a second Hatsworth (call me EA!) then I’d once again don my bowler hat and set to work on the sequel. I think we only managed to scratch the surface of British stereotypes, and I’ve love to broaden out – into French stereotypes, for example!

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