The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun Review for Nintendo Wii

The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun box art

System: Wii, PS2, DS, PSP	Review Rating Legend
Dev: 1st Playable Productions	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: D3 Publisher	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Oct. 20, 2009	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

There are, however, frustrating things in the game that may turn its intended audience away from the game, or have their older siblings or parents do it for them. The major problem is the camera. This game tries desperately to be both a side-scrolling adventure and an arena battle game. As a result, the camera will confuse what is going on. Too often I experienced "jitters" on the screen. The constant jumping up and down of the camera can cause minor motion sickness as Zak traverses from the 2D to 2.5-D elements of the game. At times, these jitters will happen just because you may be going too fast through the levels. It becomes very disorienting when faced with multi-tiered boss battles. The biggest problem with this is that occasionally the camera will stop following Zak and stick to one location. So, for example, if you miss one of the swings and you fall, the camera loses you and then you have to restart the level - the entire level.

The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun screenshot

This brings me to another complaint; again stemming from the faulty camera. While the initial design of the game looks on par with the show, you can only look at the semi-repeated areas of a level so often. Having to basically do a power reset to the game only further hinders the experience. While the character animation and the backgrounds look good in comparison to the show, I don't know many who can tolerate several repeats of a level just due to the fault of the camera.

The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun will not revolutionize the cartoon to video game market. However, it does do something that tends to be rare with these games - it delivers on the experience fans have come to expect. Retaining the voice actors, the writers of the show participating in the game, and visuals that are on par with the show all help capture what fans have come to expect. Adding in the progressive puzzle elements and thirty, never before seen Cryptids should please those interested in the show. While it is not a rare gem of greatness, it does deliver on an experience fans of the show will love.

By Matthew Walker
CCC Project Coordinator

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.0

Graphics
Excellently rendered backgrounds really cause the less than adequate designs of the characters to stand out.

3.0

Control
Nothing is entirely broken. The one real concern centers on the camera, which decreases control ease of the characters.

3.0

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The original cast of the show provides the voice work, which is always a good highlight.

2.7

Play Value
After the third level, you'll quickly realize you are doing the same tasks over and over.

2.7

Overall Rating - Average
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Explore 10 action-packed levels in amazing worldly environments, from dangerous jungles to lost undersea cities.

Control Zak Saturday and use the Claw to battle enemies and grapple and swing through huge, exciting levels.

Multiple playable characters includes the entire Saturdays family and key Cryptids.

Find and collect over 30 never before seen, all new Cryptids.

Fight recognizable enemies from the show including Van Rook, Piecemeal, Munya and V.V. Argost.

Fun puzzle elements allow you to locate hidden Cryptids and discover new paths.

Use the Cryptipedia to record detailed specs of each Cryptid.

Original storyline based on The Secret Saturdays TV series.