Just look at the seeds here battling it out. I guess it's in our nature to be violent.
By: Uma Smith
A seed forms during the process of reproduction and is initialized by the development of flowers and pollination. Because of this, they play a crucial part in the spread and continuous survival of plants. If you’re having a hard time grasping this concept, you’re in luck as Omini Systems will provide the necessary visuals via its PlayStation Network debut title, Eufloria. And even better, you’ll get to witness as nature engages in battle in a peaceful manner. How is this possible? Put on your thinking caps and start paying attention as Eufloria sprouts into action!
CONTROLS (3/5)
I should mention that this game was originally released for the PC and apparently played out really well with mouse-based controls. That said, I’ve come to terms with the fact that consoles will never match that on the PC for certain games. Keeping that in mind, it’s unfortunate for me to say that the layout for this PSN version could’ve been better.
My advice when playing Eufloria is to pay close attention to the on-screen tutorial to familiarize yourself with the controls. Both analog sticks and the shoulder/trigger buttons serve to perform camera functions (i.e. zooming and panning) as well as fast-forwarding the game. There are also three face buttons you need to acquaint yourself with to execute commands like selecting and “attacking.” What results is a challenging and difficult control scheme to master. However, once you get over the hump, there are no other flaws to concern yourself with.
GRAPHICS/SOUND (3.75/5)
Since simplicity is the very theme behind Eufloria, the presentation is executed very effectively. Visually, the look is artistic and clean, which makes the game stand out. Eufloria‘s animations in the growing trees appear fluid and lifelike, giving it a very beautiful and majestic style.
While the sound is peaceful, it never goes beyond the calming ambiance. Although that’s what Omini Systems intended, it also creates a greater possibility that Eufloria can have a boring feel. Nonetheless, the relaxing audio does effectively set the atmosphere’s tone and theme.
GAMEPLAY (3.5/5)
Eufloria can be classified as a strategy game where you have seedlings on asteroids that you manage. You need 10 seedlings on an empty asteroid in order to grow a tree and produce more seedlings — and the larger the asteroid, the more trees can be grown. By directing your seedlings to other asteroids they will attack foreign seedlings and trees. It’s a very passive and simplistic approach in terms of the game’s premise, which may serve to be the source of its success (or failure).
Eufloria plays out as a slow-paced real-time strategy game where you sit back and watch your seedlings grow and attack peacefully (two words you don’t normally see side by side). To effectively conquer an asteroid, you need to have a massive amount of seedlings overwhelming it. When that happens, you’ll see the plants get infected down to their very roots. Success, however, depends on the path you decide to take from one asteroid to the next.
As you progress, additional elements are added to the game. Another type of tree that acts as a defense against your enemies is introduced. Later on, you get to select different types of seeds that vary in terms of speed, power of attack and energy. There are also flowers added to the celestial mix that can be directed onto any asteroid to enhance a single tree’s growth.
Besides your typical campaign mode, Eufloria has Skirmish where you battle against more aggressive computer opponents. There isn’t a multiplayer mode but in a game like this it’s not necessary.
You still get a nice, calming experience — unless you get antsy about the lack of action. Unfortunately, Eufloria may not be a favorite amongst hardcore RTS players as the game’s objective can seem like a tedious chore as it drags on for hours. But then again, you should be grateful that the tree’s growth process is at a relatively faster pace than in real life!
OVERALL (3.5/5)
Eufloria has a lovely ambient feel. And as long as you can overlook the game’s shortcomings in regard to its simplicity, the unique premise behind this ambitious PSN title should be enough to grow and even blossom some satisfaction out of gamers.
RotoRob GAMING 