Sidescrolling puzzle-platformers have flooded the downloadable market over the last few years, but there cannot be too much of a good thing when the quality bar is this high.
Rochard
From: Sony Online Entertainment ESRB
For: Playstation 3
Rating: Teen
Rochard gets its name from lead character John Rochard, a salt-of-the-universe astro miner who turns superman when his crew comes under attack by space bandits.
The game eventually outfits you with traditional firepower and explosives, but for a good while, your only means of defence are a device that changes gravity on the fly and a tractor beam that can push, pull and throw objects. Rochard presents combat applications for both, but the real treat comes from the clever ways you must use the beam and gravity (and, eventually, other gadgets) to safely traverse from room to room.
Reliable controls, believable physics, sensible puzzle design and generous checkpoints make for a game that's universally accessible.
But Rochard isn't afraid to make you work, filling levels with enemies and puzzles that require timing and controller finesse as well as brain-power to overcome. (That goes triple when, as occasionally happens, the gravity reverses and you must play upside down.)
The audiovisual presentation is terrific, with a funny voice cast and a great look that will remind many of Team Fortress 2. The lengthy adventure easily commands the $10 asking price, and if you're up for it, the more difficult puzzles standing in the way of bonus collectables, along with a special trophy for speed runners, make it worth replaying once and possibly twice.
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