Plok
Reviewed by Capt'n N
Plok was made in 1993 by Tradewest. It was a claymation game, starring a little
orange and red guy. Who throws his body parts at enemies, and wears special suits.
He travels through at least 4 worlds in the land of polyesta. I remember seeing this
game advertised on a Burger King quite a few years ago, so I got it. The story goes
that Plok loves flags. One day, he wakes up to find his special orange flag has been
stolen. So he looks all over the place, finally sighting it on nearby cotton island.
So begins Plok's quest.
Graphics 8 out of 10
The graphics in this game are relatively good, at some points even rivaling Yoshi's
Island. The frame rate is excellent, and the backgrounds almost look 3-d ish. But
there are still a few problems. For one, each level has 3 layers of backgrounds. But
the one in the back never moves. You won't notice it at first, but you'll eventually
notice in a few later levels. More importantly, the game is touted to be a clay
mation game, while if you look closely, it really isn't, though it does a pretty good
job of replicating one. But overall, the graphics are slightly above average.
Music and Sound 10 out of 10
This game just has excellent sound. I usually judge only on the quality of the tunes,
but this time I have to say that the sound quality itself is almost 32 bit-ish. The
tunes never get annoying, and as I said, are CD perfect. The sound effects are humorous
and in perfect synchronization. There is a different tune for each level.
Game Challenge 8 out of 10
When you play this game, you will doubt it was intended for 8-10 year olds. It's
hard! Even though there are two challenge levels, "child's play" should be renamed
"hard", and "Normal" should be "Insane"! "Normal" mode contains one extra level,
Legacy island, while "CHILD'S PLAY" goes on as if this level never existed. Strange... On
normal mode, you probably won't get past the third level of polyesta. The latter levels
are extremely long.
Game Play-Fun 9 out of 10
This game would be near perfect if not for the difficulty. You die too easily and
frequently. But the gameplay is great. The early levels are the best, though the
challenge gradually increases. If you consider yourself a slightly above average gamer,
you'll get many years of fun out of it. But if you can beat it, call yourself the next
wizard. A great game, overall.
Frustration
The most frustrating parts of this game are how every time you shoot a target,
you lose a body part. Then you have to go to a hangar, and get it back. Another is
the extreme difficulty. Plus, later levels have invincible(yes, invincible) enemies,
and levels taking an hour to defeat. Have a good time on legacy island, if you know
what sarcasm is. In that level, there are THREE Bobbins brothers, and you've got to
nail them all to get the amulet.
Replayability 8 out of 10
This game is good because you do a little better every time you play. You probably
won't beat it in the first sitting, so its a good thing to practice a lot. The levels are
a pleasure to see and hear, making this game very addictive. It's fun to solve the
puzzles. Be patient.
Game Value 10 out of 10
This game is worth the money, if you are good enough. I would buy it for 15 bucks. It
will be worth it.
Overall 8.5 out of 10
This game is a good, hard game that scores A-. It is a pleasure to play, and has good
quality. It will appeal to Yoshi's Island fans, and is often under estimated. It will
appeal to gamers of all ages.