TerRover - The Game Journal Review

Title: TerRover

Developed By: Creat Studios

Published By: Sony Online Entertainment

In TerRover, the newest game from Creat Studios, you are tasked with guiding an all-purpose space off-roader through various levels in search of a new home that not only is habitable, but also a place that is fun.

TerRover's art style is very impressive. The environments are wonderfully realized and each has their own unique look and feel, and the rover itself is very given a lot of character through its animations. The rover shows its emotions. You'll know when it is frustrated, surprised, happy or mad. The art is probably my favorite aspect of the game, but it's not surprising given the past work of Creat, who always seem to nail the presentation of their games. 

The gameplay itself is where things come a bit unglued. The game's cartoony art style contrasts sharply with the game's difficulty. I think a fair gameplay comparison would be Trials HD, in that both games employ a lean with the stick mechanic to get you through difficult physics based levels. Though unlike Trials HD, TeRover adds more variation, giving letting you quickly switch directions, flip our rover, jump and, with the help of upgrades, use weapons as well. While these embellishments of the basic mechanics found in Trials HD add complexity to the gameplay, the rover's lack of "weight" is what ultimately makes the game's controls feel, at times, frustrating.

The level designs encourage exploration, with hidden items and collectibles scattered throughout. As I mentioned before, each of the five planets feature diverse terrain for you to explore. Each planet looks excellent, with the ice planet Congelata being my personal favorite. Additionally, you'll have reasons to go through levels multiple times, as there are parts of levels you can reach only when you've upgraded your rover.

 In the very least, the game will have life for me as a multiplayer experience. There is local multiplayer for up to 4 players spread over three different game modes. By far I had the most fun with the racing mode. 

It's not easy to critique a game whose difficulty hampers your enjoyment of it. My first thought is that I'm doing something wrong, that my lens is distorted due to my lack of skill I think, at some level this is true. There is no doubt that TerRover is intended to be a difficult game. This is a game of trial and error, with each mistake hopefully helping you get one step closer to finishing each level. But, in my mind, TerRover is missing the sense of accomplishment that one feels when playing a game such as Trials HD. It's hard to pinpoint why, but I really think it does come down to the controls. The  weightlessness of my rover never really let me get a good feeling of how to control it. I didn't feel that my skills were progressing along with the game. 

I wanted to love TerRover. Really, I did. TerRover contains numerous elements that I really enjoy, but ultimately, these elements were undermined by some control issues. There is definitely fun to be had in the game, but the frustrating moments are what dominate my experience. There were moments when I thought that I'd finally "gotten" the controls, as I tore through a level only to get stuck over and over again on the next stage.

I think anyone concerned about the controls should download the demo and give it a few plays to see how the game feels. If it clicks with you, I imagine this would be an excellent game. My frustrations keep me from showering TerRover with praise but, oddly enough, I still like the game. Maybe I'm a masochist, but as I'm typing this I want to go pick up the controller and play TerRover some more. That speaks to all the game does right, in spite of the moments of frustration.