Undergarden
Publisher: Atari
Rating: NR - Not Rated
Platform(s): W7
  • Game Site: http://www.atari.com/undergarden/
    The colors are stunning and the swaying motions mesmerizing. If you have ever scuba dived in tropical waters you will recall the luminescent underwater colors that rival anything on land. This is where you find yourself in the Undergarden - as a small creature that jumps on pollen sacks and brings the sea floor to bloom. The game play is cleverly enhanced with down to earth physics that you don't notice at first, but if you carry too much fruit - you can't swim and getting past barricades involve handling fruits that float or have weight and eventually those that explode.

    There are 14 levels, there is no dying and the sessions are not timed. Checkpoints light lanterns as you pass and you can warp to them. Download games seem to think that there is no need for an adequate manual and so there are objects that may have some effect or are just decorative - can't tell. The music accompanies the game very well - sometimes sounding like an orchestra tuning up - appropriate since there are musicians in this game.

    My big gripe is that there is no instruction as to how to save. Thinking that checkpoints were save points I had the Zen experience of replaying the game over a couple of times. That frustration could have been avoided with a single sentence, "Save is at (pick one)", and if it is an exiting save - that has to be spelled out too. Hopefully when the game is finally released there will be more instructions. It's slow loading - but definitely worth the wait. The upcoming downloadable game can be accessed from XBLA and Steam.

    11/28/2010