GameSpot editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Excellent
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 04/24/2009
- Released on: 04/22/2009
- Originally published on GameSpot: Lode Runner (Xbox 360) Review
When Lode Runner first debuted on home computers in 1983, its compelling mix of fast-paced action and puzzling level design made it an addictive hit that was unlike anything that had come before. More than 25 years later, there's still nothing else quite like Lode Runner, and the new version on the Xbox Live Arcade proves that the unique gameplay is every bit as engaging today as it was then. This release also tosses in some terrific co-op content that makes this gold-hunting adventure as enjoyable for a twosome as it is for solo runners.
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As the eponymous hero, you're on a quest for gold, and the game's main Journey mode has 80 increasingly challenging two-dimensional levels that you run around while attempting to collect the precious metal, all the while avoiding the rapid, relentless pursuit of robots, monks, abominable snowmen, and other villains. You can run left or right, climb ladders, and move hand over hand along ropes and other overhead objects. You can't jump, but you do have one trick up your sleeve, which, more than anything else, defines Lode Runner and sets it apart from other platformers.
That's the blasting mechanic. You have a handy blaster that lets you destroy certain types of blocks, provided that they're beneath you to your left or right. The tricky level designs require you to make smart use of your blaster to access all the gold, and you can also use it to create traps for any pursuing enemies. Your enemies move along predictable patterns, but that doesn't mean they're stupid. On the contrary, they're very good at cornering you, and their patterns are tough to outsmart, so you'll rarely feel safe. Indeed, their relentless pursuit can be nerve-wracking, and one touch from an enemy means instant death. But if you blast a block and then an enemy runs into that spot, he'll fall into it, letting you safely run across his head and collect any gold he may have been carrying. You'll need to be careful and plan ahead, though, because it's easy for you to end up trapping yourself. The combination of platforming, which requires you to think fast and move fast to stay ahead of your pursuers, and puzzling level design makes Lode Runner that rare game that's as mentally engaging as it is thrilling. And while the nuances of Lode Runner's unique gameplay carry with them a learning curve, the tutorials do a fine job of bringing newcomers up to speed on the fundamentals.
Lode Runner is a challenging game, and it's a better one for it. If you die at any point on a level, all the gold is restored to the environment and you must once again collect all of it and then make your way to the exit. You'll need to learn from your mistakes--and you will make mistakes--to get through the levels. It can certainly lead to some frustration, but it's also largely this sense of getting better, of learning to use the layout of each level to your advantage, that makes progressing so rewarding. If you're looking for a breezy platformer, though, look elsewhere. Lode Runner is tough and requires focus.
It's a little-known fact that your garden-variety yeti is madly obsessed with gold.
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