Voodoo Vince

You'd think a game like this would be up my alley if you've read my other reviews on this site, sadly while I do love the visuals and humour, it just doesn't grab me the way it should due to how surprisingly stale the gameplay is.

For a 3d platformer, there isn't a lot to collect in the game. That's not to say that I would like this game more if each level was stuffed with trinkets that don't serve the gameplay like it was a Disney game, however I have a major pet peeve of levels that give me no incentive to express them but are nonetheless created in a way where I'm expected to find hidden valuables. I also don't care for the voodoo magic mechanic, again I should given how much creative potential there is with voodoo in a video game, however it's basically a gimmick here as Vince will harm himself in order to transfer that damage to his enemies in rather uncreative ways. I also find it hard to control him in these levels, not so much because his controls are stiff or slippery, but rather his move set feels off with the level design which seems more in line with a stealth platformer than they do with a beat em up platformer like this one. I will say the art style is gorgeous here, this is to be expected from a game with this premise even if pyschonauts would take this art style and blow it out of the water later in the decade. The voice acting is great too, bringing to life quirky dialogue which makes this a delight to watch provided you're viewing a playthrough of this game online rather than playing it yourself. Vince is a good hero who's looking to rescue his owner who quite clearly didn't appreciate him until she required him to rescue her given how she refers to him as "my third best voodoo doll." As sparse as they are, the character interactions in this game are a highlight.

I wish I could enjoy this game as it does have a lot to offer, however the gameplay is dull and for me at least not worth subjecting myself to given how much of a slog the campaign is.