When Vikings Attack: PS3 Review

When Vikings Attack: PS3 Review

Platform: PS3/ Vita
Released by Sony Computer Entertainment.

In a move that may astonish you, When Vikings Attack is a title which does exactly what it says on the tin....

Developer Clever Beans is the brains behind this latest disposable title, which sees hordes of cartoon Vikings invading the green and pleasant lands of England. It's up to you and a bunch of mates on the screen to repel them by getting your hands on whatever you can and hurling it at them.

From benches to parked cars, haybales to chairs, you just roll your group of characters over them and chuck whatever you can to knock them down. It's a multiplayer effort which you can play online or solo; but the numbers of people you control fluctuates on how many you roll over on the screen - and the bigger your horde of good guys is, the heavier the objects you can lift to throw.

Objects can be intercepted and returned to sender if you time it right, but most of the time you'll have to be careful as your numbers swell. Faster runners can be recruited to the cause, and end of level bosses need to be taken care of as well.

When Vikings Attack is a simple proposition - it has a bit of humour thrown in as the groups pick up their heavier objects and mumble disgruntedly at what's expected of them. Graphically, it's quite cartoony and the 3D characters work nicely. Each level sees you unlock further characters which get to join your marauding masses but to be honest, you may be pushed for enthusiasm to collect them all.

The problem with When Vikings Attack is one of repetition. There's little else to do in the levels and the game itself other than throw stuff left, right and centre and after a while, it has to be admitted that that becomes somewhat of a drawback. Disposably fun in short bursts, with more of an emphasis on playing with friends, When Vikings Attack is an intriguing peek into a new developer - and it's to be hoped their next title has a little more depth and longevity to mark them as a major player in the marketplace.

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