Dewy's Adventure, from the same team that brought us Elebits, is a simple game. Some might even call it childish -- and I'd agree with them. What I wouldn't say, however, is that the game is solely for children. There's enough here to keep any open-minded gamer interested for at least a little while, despite its simplicity.
As explained in the game's opening segment (where the voice is borderline horrifying) this is the story of Dewy, a small water droplet who is on a mission to save his pristine world from the Black Water that threatens to destroy it. In the process, he must rescue the Eau -- the funny-shaped inhabitants of the land -- from the evil Don Hedron. The theme is somewhat reminiscent of the de-sludging and Pianta rescuing in Super Mario Sunshine, although the games play much differently.
Dewy's Adventure is a novel work, and players may get a sensation similar to the one brought about by the innovative Loco Roco. The game puts the Wii remote to good use, requiring players to tilt the device in order to move Dewy around his world. Imagine directing a marble sitting on top of the remote and you'll get the picture (Marble Madness for the modern gaming era). The point is to reach the end of each stage while freeing as many Eau as possible from the Black Water. It plays something like Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, except jumping is not controlled with a flick of the wrist, but instead with the 2 button (and there's more of it). Special gestures are reserved for actions such as creating a gust of wind (shake the Wii-mote up and down) or calling forth an earthquake (shake the remote side-to-side), as well as context-sensitive wagglings during boss battles and to interact with certain parts of the environment.
Being made of high quality H2O, Dewy can use the air temperature to his advantage. Players can raise or lower the temperature with the d-pad, after which it gradually returns to normal. While in the altered climate, though, Dewy takes on new identities as either a block of ice or a small cloud of water vapor. Each of these forms has its advantages. In ice form, Dewy is fast and lethal, with a more advanced attack than in liquid form. He can also travel safely across now-frozen bodies of water. In mist form, he can target his foes and fire bolts of lightning that either deal damage or leave them stunned and vulnerable.
| GamePlay: Tilt control takes a bit of getting used to, but is effective. Other gestures thrown in appropriately. | |
| Graphics: Minimal appeal, besides its colorful fantasy feel. Unimpressive. | |
| Sound: Basic loops of childlike music. Terrible voice acting in the intro | |
| Replay Value: Every level can be replayed to achieve a better rank, and some players may very well feel compelled to do so. | |
| 6.5 | Final Word: Dewy's Adventure is a rental title. The unique gameplay is appealing, but the lack of depth and variety is disappointing. |
Kyle Stallock
Updated June 4th, 2008
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