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Impressions: PixelJunk Eden is a platforming paradise

PixelJunk Eden combines a strong platforming engine with vertical gameplay and …

Q Games' PixelJunk franchise has been steadily getting better and better. PixelJunk Racers was good, PixelJunk Monsters was great, and PixelJunk Eden is excellent. The modest game, with its vibrant graphics and stunning soundtrack, stands as one of the best original platformers to come out of the downloadable platforms on the big three consoles, even edging out LostWinds

As a small Grimp in the gardens of Eden, you and up to two of your friends need to traverse vertical levels in order to gather glowing orbs called Spectra hidden about the gardens. When you begin the level, though, most of the vertical platforms have yet to be built. By collecting pollen from floating Pollen Prowlers and various other enemies, you'll be able to charge up and eventually unleash seeds that create new plants to climb on.

Climbing isn't just a matter of jumping, though, as your Grimp can spin silk threads to swing with. The game's physics engine allows you to use this to your advantage as you can catapult yourself higher or even use your silks as a trapeze for your friends. Simple controls make this all a breeze.

To keep things interesting, you'll be constantly on the clock thanks to the Oscillator. This bar constantly depletes as you spend time in a level, and you'll need to collect crystals to gain back a little Oscillation or Spectra to gain back a lot. This creates tension in an otherwise relaxing game, as you'll need to zip along with grace to keep from running out of time. Thankfully, crystals are plentiful and it's entirely possible to spend hours in a single level, as the items do respawn. It's a good balance between having the freedom to move about the level at your own pace and still being pushed to actually complete objectives and manage risk versus reward when taking leaps.

Really, though, the experience is as strong as it is because of the presentation. The combination of the smooth 2D vector graphics and the low-key melodic sound-track creates an experience that bests even the likes of flOw; it's so easy to just zone out and really get into a groove, and that's something that few games out there are capable of doing with such vivid imagery and entrancing sounds.

With a ton of gardens to explore, each with its own theme and music, trophies, remote play support, YouTube support (here's a video I made over the weekend), local multiplayer, and leaderboards, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better deal for $10 on the PlayStation Network. Sony has shown that it has a knack for finding the most impressive projects for the PSN, and PixelJunk Eden stands with Everyday Shooter as the best of them.

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Channel Ars Technica