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Moon Diver Review for PlayStation 3 (PS3)

Moon Diver Review for PlayStation 3 (PS3)

The Future’s (Repetitive) Ninja

All the best side scrollers have something that makes them stand out from the crowd, whether it’s the steep difficulty in Battletoads, the unique style and humor from a Behemoth game, or the great personality found in the Streets of Rage series. Moon Diver, sadly, has absolutely none of this. As always, Square Enix is able to give us an interesting concept on paper: ninjas using over-the-top powers and abilities to save an apocalyptic world. It just doesn’t work out on paper.

Moon Diver Screenshot

The biggest issue is that Moon Diver is generic. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: In an anime-inspired story in the 22nd century, four ninjas, known as the Moondivers, are tasked with saving Earth from demons who seek to destroy all humanity. I get that the story is second fiddle to the gameplay, but the gameplay is so repetitive (jump off walls, mash buttons, rinse and repeat) that it only displays the game’s other flaws. The game offers a level-up system, unlocking various abilities, spells, and techniques to customize your character. It’s a bit deeper than some of the other similar systems to the market and does offer some hope for the title, but it isn’t really fleshed out enough.

For how evil the threat is supposed to be, most enemies are content watching you slice them up. Things felt a bit too easy, until I’d run across either special enemies or bosses themselves; the grunts are merely fodder to add up combos, yet if this is their sole purpose, there aren’t enough of them. They ultimately become a nuisance, adding into the game’s repetition.

Moon Diver Screenshot

The one thing Moon Diver does right, however, is the co-op gameplay. This game is meant to be played with friends, but at times it feels like the entire development cycle was spent developing co-op, and other portions of the game weren’t focused on. You are able to play the game alone, but you’re not going to have fun. The game shines with four players, at times showing signs of promise and bringing back the nostalgia of pumping quarters into arcade machines. But despite its over-the-top action, I wasn’t impressed. The gameplay is nearly identical to a game like The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai, only without the insane combo building and violent kills. The game eventually adds in some nifty platforming, but it could have seen better usage throughout the game, combining the platforming and killing into one. I mean, it’s not like you’re playing as a ninja. Oh, wait…

Moon Diver Screenshot

Use of the platforming sections to encourage combos between jumping and slicing up enemies would have made for better gameplay. But since they don’t reach their potential, they feel tacked-on. The game as a whole feels like it was a shell of a much larger idea, as if it were rushed to meet an internal deadline, which is a shame because the concept is great. Since it is never realized, it becomes a victim of weak gameplay.

Moon Diver Screenshot

The game’s boring feel is enhanced by the art direction: as you’d expect from any game based on an anime series, things look bland, environments are dark, and character models look severely dated. Closer inspection, however, reveals surprisingly crisp models and environments. There’s great artwork done here, but there’s a dirty filter applied over everything.

As one might expect, Moon Diver has an electronic soundtrack, featuring a synth musical score. Sadly, none of the songs are able to stand out on their own merit. While occasionally you’ll hum along with the tune or bob your head as you play in rhythm, it doesn’t add anything to the gameplay.

Moon Diver has no personality to call its own. Every aspect of the game merely comes in, does their job, and leaves without leaving any memorable mark. You’ll have some fun with Moon Diver, but don’t expect it to last forever. Try the demo, and if you think you will enjoy playing the same style of game for a good couple of hours, then you’ll enjoy Moon Diver. Chances are, however, that you won’t. Before long, the game will likely become lost in the crowd of online marketplace offerings.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 3.0 Graphics
Art direction is typical of every anime game on the market: dark and bland. Yet the character models themselves are clean and crisp. 3.5 Control
This is, without a doubt, a button masher. Platforming sections handle nicely. 3.0 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The sound is stereotypical, despite a somewhat catchy soundtrack. 2.0 Play Value
Move. Kill. Move. Kill. Repeat for hours upon hours until you pass out. 2.9 Overall Rating – Average
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 – 1.9 = Avoid 2.5 – 2.9 = Average 3.5 – 3.9 = Good 4.5 – 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 – 2.4 = Poor 3.0 – 3.4 = Fair 4.0 – 4.4 = Great 5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

  • The Diver System allows players to jump in or out at any time, for a maximum of up to four players total. Guest players are awarded experience points for helping out.
  • Combos increase in power and intensity according to the number of players. Collect new combo moves by picking them up on the map or fulfilling certain requirements.
  • Adjust the difficulty level at any time with the Chaos Accelerator. Higher levels are rewarded with enhanced visuals and greater experience points. Players set the challenge rating as they see fit.
  • Experience twelve stages alone or with four friends online.

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