However, you can combine certain items by tapping one weapon with your stylus and seeing which of the other items are compatible. Those that aren’t have a giant red “X” over them. We were able to wield a powerful melee tool by combining a small rod, fishhook and crankshaft. Other weapons include a mallet made from a stick and bead. Of course, the attack power and speed rating changes, so it’s best to mix and match weapons depending on your situation. We had a hell of a time trying to swat mosquitoes with a slow-ass sharpened pencil. Switching to a toothpick evened the odds. And if one makeshift weapon isn’t working, you can always break them down and reuse the items for something else.
Throughout your adventure, you’ll find floating green dust, or “mutagen.” Collecting enough will enable you to upgrade your stats, of which there are four - health, power, speed and spore power. Spore power essentially dictates how much magic power you have to unleash special attacks. These powers are activated by drawing a pre-determined shape over the enemy you’re aiming at. We only tried the first power, which is performed by drawing an upside down “V” on the screen. A green mist erupted from our mushroom hands and barreled towards our foes. We’re worried that the power might shoot a little too slowly; especially considering the first boss was a giant mosquito that quickly bounced around screen.
With an online co-op mode and now featuring music from Les Claypool (Primus, South Park and Robot Chicken themes), Mushroom Men: Rise of the Fungi is completely on track for its release later this year. Right now, Red Fly has another few months to tweak the game. Our biggest complaint is that sometimes platforms are difficult to discern because they blend too much to the background. We fell to a number of deaths because of this, but we’ve been assured this has been one of the top priorities for a while. Regardless, check back for more on Mushroom Men in the near future.
Apr 11, 2008
