Voodoo Vince

"A painful experience, but in a good way."

At first glance, Voodoo Vince looks like your average platformer. Boss battles, collecting items, jumping, etc. But than why did I give this game a ten? The answer: there are almost no faults in this wonderful game.

Gameplay- 10/10

Voodoo Vince, being a platformer, naturally features a good amount of jumping and collecting. But a bunch of nice small touches makes this game incredibly fun to play. Vince has a few ways to attack. He can use punch (in the air this makes Vince slam down head-first) or use a spinning attack. Vince can also double jump. One unique feature is that you can have Vince slowly hover down, which is useful when you need to land on something small. Another nice feature is that you can increase Vince's maximum health and voodoo energy throughout the game, which helps make some of the tougher parts of the game easier.

Each of the game's levels is unique and requires different things to be done in order to advance. Most of these tasks aren't what you would normally see in a platformer, such as trapping a giant crayfish in a cage or powering up carnival rides to get to a previously inaccessible place.

Whenever Vince hits an enemy, beads appear that allow Vince to use his voodoo powers (you collect more voodoo powers as you progress through the game). Using a voodoo power reduces Vince's voodoo energy, but allows you to wipe out enemies close to Vince instantly without having to fight.

Graphics- 10/10

This game simply looks wonderful. I cannot find anything wrong with the graphics. Of note however are the voodoo attacks. Watching the voodoo attacks unfold and the effects they have on the enemy is amusing.

Sound/Music- 10/10

Everything in Voodoo Vince sounds great as well. The voice acting fits every character wonderfully. The music is the best I have ever heard. Every bit of music in the game is original and fun to listen to. Even the title screen music is good! I wish more games sounded like this.

Story- 10/10

The story is pretty clever. Vince is the third best voodoo doll of Madame Charmaine. When Madame Charmaine is captured, Vince is brought to life by some zombie dust. The story gets stranger from there, but remains enjoyable (mostly due to Vince's sarcastic attitude). The story is told through top-quality cutscenes.

Replay Value- 10/10

Although there really isn't much to do after you complete the game, it will take you a while to collect everything there is to do the first time through the game.

Controls- 10/10

Voodoo Vince controls nearly flawlessly. You will feel in total control as you move Vince around. The only minor complaint I have is that the camera is a tiny bit difficult to use.

Overall- 10/10

Pros:

Excellent graphics.
Excellent gameplay.
Best music I have ever heard in a video game.
Excellent voice acting.
Excellent cutscenes.
Excellent controls.
Interesting story.

Cons:

Minor camera problems.
Not too much to do after completion.

Conclusion

Voodoo Vince is a great gaming experience that I am sure everyone will enjoy. The only reason not to buy this is if you have a hatred towards platformers or love multiplayer games. Otherwise, pick this game up for sure.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 04/11/07, Updated 06/20/08

Game Release: Voodoo Vince (US, 09/23/03)