The digital delights of Sony’s scrumptious PlayStation Network service know no bounds. Aside from letting punters compete in online gaming, stream films, browse the Internet and more, its premier attraction rests in the copious supply of downloadable games ripe for the picking. From PSN exclusives to PSOne Classics, minis and plain old add-on content, Sony’s online space is chock full of goodies battling it out for your hard-earned digital dollars.
Welcome back to another installment of Inside PlayStation Network, where every Monday – Friday we’ll pluck a PSN release—be it new or old—and put it in the spotlight for a thorough dissection. Fancy getting a new PSN game but don’t know what one to plump for? Perhaps this feature will help. Didn’t realize that a game was available in your region until now? We’ve got you covered. Or, perhaps you were musing over what those lucky Japanese folk were tucking into over in the Land of the Rising Sun? You can be sure our coverage will extend to those rare regional exclusives as much as those firmly embedded on the public consciousness.
Today, we turn our attention to Joe Danger.
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Developer: Hello Games
Region(s) available: North America, Europe
Players: 1-2
The best way to describe Joe Danger is that it’s essentially an amalgamation of Excite Bike and Trials HD. Players control the eponymous motorcycle stuntman as he attempts to ease himself back into the game after suffering a rather nasty injury. Naturally, he’s a bit unsure of himself, so it’s up to you to help him master those eyeball-popping stunts and restore him to his prime once again.
Joe Danger has you progressing through multiple stages by tackling a variety of objectives. Successfully complete each task and you’ll be rewarded with stars, which can be used to invest in extra levels. The game isn’t as linear as one may initially perceive, with players able to pursue objectives in any order they desire. There’s plenty of them too, with some stages packing as many as eight events to have a pop at.
Stages themselves are designed to accommodate platforming-style gameplay, with various hidden areas spread throughout each track. As such, there’s a fair bit of exploration to indulge in if you fancy it. Multiplayer is also up for grabs in the form of two-player splitscreen races, while the game’s sandbox offers some creative freedom in the form of an interactive level editor. Furthermore, the developers have also incorporated a tutorial for this mode into the main game to ease you into the process of cobbling together your own tracks.
All in all, not too shabby for a game developed by four blokes embarking on their first ever videogame project. Make no mistake; this is one PSN offering you’d be wise to invest in, even if you aren’t one to indulge in regular visits to the PlayStation Store.
That’s all for today. Join us again tomorrow for another butcher’s Inside PlayStation Network.