POSTED 29/1/13


DOKURO

Game Arts
Vita/PSN

Princesses. Humph! They’re more bloody trouble than they’re worth.

Seriously, if they’re not fucking off to other castles just when you’ve schlepped through myriad worlds of hurt to come to their rescue, they’re busy gorging themselves stupid on cake or perfecting dumb-as-dog-shit lemming impersonations.

It’s the latter princess brand we’re dealing with in Dokuro. You see, nasty-pastie old Dark Prince went all googly-eyes over her, couldn’t woo traditionally and had his minions snatch her for marital servitude. Who said romance is dead? Anyway, you’re a bony underling – evidently old DP doesn’t feed his staff - who also takes a shine to the royal bimbo, deciding to help her escape from fiery vassalage. Aww, you sweetie! There’s just one problem, you’re invisible to her.

We’re talking devious puzzler here. Basically, she of the regal bloodlines moves right until reaching something she’s incapable of traversing, like, say, a teensy step. It’s up to your boniness to clear her way to the next pretty flower, whereby you careen straight into the next of 147 puzzles.

Things start simply as you slide boxes, slash minions or flip switches, but intricacies soon reveal themselves. You’ll metamorphose from invisible serf to visible sword-wielding spunk-rat to get seriously Inigo Montoya on beastie arse, with the by-product of being able to pick Ms Princess up. But then you can’t jump for shit. Bony backslide and you can neatly double jump to reach this switch or that coin. Then there are chalky screen swipes which yield connections, fire and wetness – all abilities you’ll require to get anywhere other than dead. Erm, deader.

Visually gorgeous – imagine Tim Burton rampaging with a box of coloured chalk – Dokuro’s wicked. In more of the traditional sense of the word – some of the puzzles may have you scratching your bonce until it bleeds.

Hey, chicks – even princesses - dig scars, yeah?

CLICK THIS!



CLICK THIS!