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Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space Review: Should You Buy?

Blinx 2 Cover Art

Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space Review: Should You Buy?

Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space is a platform style video game released in 2004 for Xbox by Microsoft Game Studios. There are two sides of the story players can play, either as the Time Sweepers (cats) or as the Tom Toms (pigs) with the purpose of preventing a threat to the globe.  It features cutesy characters, an assortment of weapons and gadgets, puzzles, stealth and lots of platforming action. Players don’t get to play as Blinx but you do get to play as both warring sides.

Point of View Matters

Blinx 2 Time Sweepers
Optimize the Time Sweepers characters with customizable options.

What is interesting is that players get to see Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space from each side’s perspective which means there is really no right and no wrong in the big picture. What is not so great is that each side uses different abilities to achieve their goals which means learning how to manipulate a new control system which players may or may not enjoy once you get the hang of it. The two sides consist of pigs and cats. The pigs are called the Tom Tom Gang, and the cats are the Time Sweepers. Both are out to collect the pieces of the Big Crystal. There are plenty of other things to collect along the way. The levels are loaded with collectibles, but players won’t find weapons, armor or gadgets. They’ll have to purchase those at the shops.

Two Sides of the Coin in Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space

Blinx character creation screenshot
Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space character creation.

The cats are time manipulators. They are able to rewind, fast forward, stop and even slow down time to accomplish specific tasks. There are times when players will need to rewind to get information that they may have missed. Other times they will have to slow time down in a “bullet time” fashion to handle multiple enemies. This is the fun side to play as opposed to the pigs. They manipulate space. As such players will be able to trap enemies in black holes and travel through warp tunnels. These moves just don’t seem to work, however. They seem forced and unnatural within the context of Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space. Not to mention they also feel sluggish to implement.

Multiplayer Experience in Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space

Playing co-op through the single player levels is a lot more fun than going it alone. It would be a better game if playing co-op were a mandatory gameplay requirement. With two people the game seems to make a little bit more sense. Players have two independent minds working toward a single goal. Techniques that players don’t particularly care for may be traded. At the very least they can compromise, making the game a more enjoyable experience for each other. There is also a four-player split screen mini game.

Final Thoughts

Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space is a poor man’s Ratchet and Clank. It’s an action platformer that delivers plenty of gameplay diversity but at the expense of cohesion. What we end up with is a perplexing amalgam of moves, gadgets, puzzles, characters and situations that don’t blend. Mechanically the game is sound. It’s very solid. It can be fun to play. In the easiest setting it’s perfect for younger or beginning gamers. While there are some good original ideas the game as whole seems much too familiar. Each character has a different look and personality, but they are typically stereotypically shallow. Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space is all in good lighthearted fun. If players are looking for a little diversion in between this season’s blockbusters, you might consider renting this.

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