Developer Purple Lamp Studios has been honing its craft engaged on a number of licensed video games, with multiple SpongeBob title beneath its belt.
Its newest effort, SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide, is one other 3D platformer using the wave of nostalgia attributable to its remake of the fan favorite, Battle for Bikini Backside Rehydrated.
Very similar to its earlier effort, The Cosmic Shake, Titans of the Tide is a strong, enjoyable journey that is clearly made by followers of the long-running cartoon sequence, however some tough edges and reliance on outdated concepts maintain it again from greatness.
There is a particular provide on the Krusty Krab, and it is drawn the eye of two of the ocean’s strongest beings: King Neptune and the ghoulish Flying Dutchman.
The pair conflict, with the latter’s spectral powers turning Bikini Backside residents (together with SpongeBob) into ghosts and inflicting widespread mayhem.
Fortuitously, the oblivious Patrick Star is away from the fallout, and when he reaches the Krusty Krab, he and SpongeBob uncover a singular capacity to swap between their common our bodies and ghostly types. This additionally acts because the crux of the gameplay.
You possibly can change between SpongeBob and Patrick just about everytime you like, and doing so is important, as they every have distinctive talents.
For instance, Patrick can burrow by the sand and decide up heavy objects, whereas SpongeBob has his karate kick and may blow bubbles.
Utilising all these talents is essential to getting by every stage, typically requiring fairly dextrous character swapping to navigate platforming sequences.
It is a neat concept and executed moderately effectively; ranges are designed in such a option to encourage you to maneuver between the characters continually, and even the essential fight incorporates the mechanic, with some enemies a lot simpler to cope with relying on who you are controlling.
For these with an urge for food for a fairly easy 3D platformer, that is ticking a lot of the proper containers.
We had been initially frightened that the ghostly theme of the sport may make it too one-note, however there is a respectable selection within the levels regardless of the set dressing.
Your hub this time round is an airship constructed from what was once the Krusty Krab, and it isn’t an unlimited area to discover, however there’s extra to see and do there as the sport goes on.
From there, you will dive all the way down to places outdated and new, like a low-rent resort referred to as Goldfish Island, the decadent halls of King Neptune’s palace, and even a brand new, snowy spin on Jellyfish Fields.
It feels pretty aware of play, and positively appears to be like the half, with vibrant visuals that echo the present. That is helped immeasurably by having what appears to be the complete solid onboard for voice work; even the additional voices from unnamed Bikini Backside residents are recognisable.
The solid does its greatest with a script that lacks a number of the snappiness of the cartoon. There are some humorous traces and moments all through, however some interactions really feel slightly stunted.
What cannot be knocked, although, is the developer’s clear love for the sequence, because it’s completely full of references and jokes that followers will eat up. The clearest proof of that is within the costume choice for SpongeBob and Patrick, the place you will discover outfits from quite a few episodes.
You should purchase any unlocked costumes with the cash you decide up throughout play, however there’s extra on provide — underpant items, which enhance your well being, and show objects that’ll present up within the hub.
The sport might be one of many higher SpongeBob video games to launch in recent times, however there are a few issues that cease it from laying declare to being high of the pile.
Firstly, we will not ignore a number of the bugs we encountered. A soft-lock state of affairs within the second half of the sport pressured us to start out over once more, and there are another, rather more minor points, like textures taking a very long time to load in correctly.
Secondly, there’s the sensation that Titans of the Tide continues to be borrowing closely from Battle for Bikini Backside, a platformer launched greater than twenty years in the past.
Some mechanics and strikes really feel like they’re lifted straight from that template, and whereas there’s positively an effort right here to strive one thing new, we will not assist however really feel a few of its fundamentals really feel slightly dated at this level.
That being mentioned, followers aren’t going to thoughts. Finally, the sport is one other very serviceable SpongeBob platformer that riffs on the de facto favorite, and it brings nearly sufficient contemporary concepts to the desk to justify itself.
Conclusion
SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide is not going to blow anybody away, nevertheless it’s a superbly respectable 3D platformer that largely captures the power of the present. Swapping between SpongeBob and Patrick is a neat mechanic that is used very effectively all through, and ranges are large and different as you discover Bikini Backside and speak to its populace, all of whom are voiced by the correct solid. It positively has some tough edges and a few smooth writing, and it will not win over any SpongeBob detractors, nevertheless it’s a very good all-ages recreation for each youngsters and longtime followers.
