Feb 21 2008
PSP Review: Downstream Panic! (2008)
Downstream Panic! is part Lemmings and part LocoRoco, and it doesn’t invent new puzzle genre, it is a merely competent one held back by some design choices. In Downstream Panic!, you must guide 100 fish in each level that usually start from the top of the level, to the bottom of the level where there is a body of water. The catch is, the terrain those fish must navigate through needs some help from you, the player. Your arsenal includes plant barriers, missiles, fans, nets and baits. Early levels are pretty simple, requiring 1 to 3 basic tools. However, as you progress through the included 80 levels, it becomes apparent that your strategy must be well planned even before you hit the start button.
Around level 10, the difficulty increases so much that you will rarely get through in the first try, or in the first ten tries. Managing your arsenal, dealing with time issues, and constantly scrolling up and down the map becomes frustrating pretty fast.
Ultimately this mix of Lemmings and LocoRoco is recommended only for the die-hard fan of Lemmings as the challenge level is too great on this otherwise cutesy game.
Rating: 60%
