Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine is currently free via Xbox 360 Games With Gold through September 15th.
Monaco: What's Yours is Mine is an overhead stealth game where you're trying to get collectibles without being viciously beaten by weapon toting guards. It features local co-op, a feature that I was very excited about, and it has a loosely held together plot between the levels.
The gameplay is moderately entertaining, although I must say I didn't care for the utter lack of explanation at the outset. I do frequently decry games that bombard the player with information too early, but this game offered no tutorial and no introduction to the gameplay or strategy. It was basically a "go until you fail and then you know not to try to punch that guy again". Because you can't punch that guy. And it would have been nice to know that before I tried.
Source: http://matrixforce.in/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/att-security-guard-070607.329234840_std.jpg
What exactly were you trying to do to me?*
That's doubly important for this game, in fact, because each different character has a different skill set. They have unique abilities and moves that set them apart from their thieving cohorts. But what sets them apart? Aside from the blurb when you pick the character, there's no in game explanation. You're left to find that part out on your own. There's one character who's able to disable a guard, but you have to figure out that it requires sneaking (and therefore how to sneak) as well as the fact that the guard can't be following another character. And it's also dangerously temporary, so make sure you get the hell out of there after you disable him.
Long story short, I wanted more explanation.
The gameplay itself is standard stealth. Avoid detection, get collectibles, and get out. It works, and if you get past the special abilities and learn how to play the game, it actually flows pretty smoothly. The level design was nice, and the colors were stylish. I didn't care for the flashlights dimming and disappearing at certain turns, but it was very artsy. The game felt more like an art project than a complete experience, and while I liked that art project, it made the game less enjoyable.
Source: http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2013/04/monaco-header.jpg
Colorful, yes. Sensical? Less yes.
So do I recommend it? I'm not really sure who would enjoy this game. I suppose if you're a fan of the stealth genre and you're tired of being Batman, you can give this a try. It's kind of an arcade version of those triple A stealth titles, so it's a more laid back experience. But this has a steep learning curve and frustrating difficulty (with no discernible way to change it), so player beware.
Scorecard:
Category
|
Score
|
Time Value
|
6
|
Money Value
|
10
|
Originality
|
8
|
Ryplayability
|
2
|
Fulfillment
|
5
|
Final Score
|
6.2
|
Let me know what you think of Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine!
Until next time,
Ryan
Images courtesy of Wikipedia except where noted
*The AT&T logo was a happy non-sequitur accident
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