Treasure World
Genre: Collection
Developer: Aspyr
Publisher: Aspyr
Release Date: 06/30/2009
How do you review a game when it is not actually a game? That is the question facing me as I write this. There have been collection oriented games since Pokemon came to these shores over a decade ago and nesting games since Animal Crossing was released for the GameCube. The thing is, Treasure World is neither fish nor fowl. It is all about collection and nesting, but there is not an actual game here. How did I even get here?
I blame it on Alex Lucard. Do I think he is secretly a vampire torturing mortals from his cavernous domain, plotting the downfall of those with the misfortune to cross his path? No, not really. He might be a little sallow, I doubt that he is undead. Sadistic overlord? That is much more likely. The litany of pain he has rained upon me is proof of his enjoyment in my suffering. Look at this list, if you dare.
Up!
Ben 10
Line Rider 2: Unbound
Flock!
Populous
and, of course…
Deal or No Deal
Now, I am not a religious man, but if there were a deity, I would beg it to save me from the agonies laid at my feet by herr Lucard. This trainwreck of inept game design, lamentably, does not end with Treasure World. The only way this is not a terrible game is if I discount it’s existence as a game.
Treasure World starts off innocuously enough. A space ship with a cute pilot crashes on a strange world. Yes, much like Pikmin. The pilot needs a resource to leave the strange planet. Again, much like Pikmin. In order to gather the resources, the star-headed pilot depoys the player character, the Wish Catcher. The Wish Catcher is a robot that can disguise itself in order to move amongst civilians unnoticed. Logic would dictate that this would mean that there are, in fact, civilians to encounter. There are not. The Wish Catcher disguises itself for no discernible reason. Anyhoo, the Wish Catcher catches wishes by scanning for Wi-Fi signals. These collected signals can contain disguise elements for the Wish Catcher, like hair and shirts, or display items. The display items produce a tone, which can be combined to create music. Sort of like Mario Paint.
So, I drove around Kansas City withmy intrepid DS in my lap, gathering the requisite 1000 Wi-Fi signals to advance the plot. I thought, naively, that there might be some sort of game underneath the collecting. That there might be a point to all of this. I went all over my hometown, picking up signals with names like Polyphemus and Grover. I gathered Grey Tabby Heads and Yellow Lab Bodies, making my avatar look like a deranged furry. This was the most fun I had playing this “game,” dressing myself up as a Gorilla Welder. Seriously.
I do not mind collecting and gathering as a game play element. This is great fun in the Animal Crossing series. Hell, collecting them all is Pokemon. The thing that this “game” is missing is a point to all of this collecting. Collecting just to collect is an activity that I cannot find any joy in. Personalizing an avatar is fine and good if there is something for that avatar to do. This exercise in pain gives my T. Rex headed Goth kid nothing to do. Why spend hours of my life collecting bits and pieces to customize what is basically a digital doll I cannot play with?
One word of positive reinforcement must be given though. The graphics are quite nice. The graphic design is nice. I would love to actually do something with these ace looking critters. There just seems to be a lack of things to do. Back to the reaming.
Look, I know that this game, being all original and being the product of a small company, no doubt took a lot of man hours and effort to produce. I in no way demean the energy expended in pursuit of making a good game. At the end of the day, this is a non-starter, a valiant effort that did not come together.
You will notice that I sprinkled the names of similar, but superior, games throughout this review. That is a hint. Do not spend your valuable gaming dollars and leisure time on this lackluster effort. There are better games waiting to be played. Get to it.
The Scores:
Story: Bad
Graphics: Very Good
Sound: Mediocre
Control/Gameplay: Bad
Replayability: Bad
Balance: Bad
Originality: Awful
Addictiveness: Very Bad
Appeal: Poor
Miscellaneous: Poor
FINAL SCORE: PRETTY POOR GAME
Short Attention Span Summary
If you want to spend your precious time collecting digital doo-dads to decorate a virtual world, then you should check out Treasure World. If you want to play a game, then there are thousands of better ones than this. If you are trying to slowly drive a co-worker insane with awful games, then buy a case of Treasure World cartridges. You will gaslight anyone who puts this in their DS.
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