Castle Crashing Chaos

  

Despite knowing each other for years, there is very little that Linz and I have in common.  While that's probably a testament to our friendship, we have yet find a video game that we both play.  Instead of just hanging out in party, we attempted to enjoy our time playing the same game.  We both purchased Castle Crashers and its fair to say that we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.

Castle Crashers in a side scrolling beat 'em up title with a shallow third dimension.  While it can be played with a single player, the game is designed for co-op.  It allows up to four players at one time to venture through woods, rivers, and castles to save princesses and kill bad guys.  Along the way, characters have the opportunity to pick up sidekick animals that provide perks.

This game is pretty tough if you play alone; there is no progressive or corrected leveling to accommodate for the number of players.  But completing this quest with a party of four isn't exactly easy.  There is so much activity on the screen that I find it difficult to even keep track of where my character is.  With four characters, four supporting animal friends, and a boatload of enemies, it's really tough to stay on top of everything.  The super shallow third dimension makes it easy to get lost behind bigger enemies or even co-op partners.

This is all happening at once ..... all the time.

It's not that I don't like Castle Crashers, but it is a game to play when you are feeling light at heart.  This is not a game that should be approached with any level of concentration.  If the potentially frustrating chaos isn't evidence of such, the animation of woodland creatures constantly pooping should be.  Seriously, they spray feces when they stand still, after a fight, or just to propel themselves faster.

In the end, I do recommend Castle Crashers as a party game that doesn't take itself too seriously.  I think the cost of 1600 MS points is a bit high, especially considering it's over two years old.  But if you have the green and you're in the right mood, this could be the perfect game for you.