I fired up Pixel Planet last week intending just to just check it out for a few minutes. I’ve been obsessively checking in on my growing pixel town ever since. Gamers will be able to check the title out for themselves when it launches this Thursday. To help you Get Hype, here are four reasons this is more than just your typical freemium town builder:
With humanity wiped out it’s up to you to rebuild society one cloned profession at a time. Players start with just two unlocked professions: Mayor and Mechanic. At the Arrival Center players can splice together two professions in the hope of unlocking a new one. Mayor + Mechanic unlocks Engineer. Engineer + Mayor unlocks Architect, and so-on.
Some of the combinations make more sense than others (Plumber + Construction Worker unlocks Janitor, I guess?) – but it’s a great feeling when you have a flash of insight and just know that a job combination will work. Vet + Coroner = Taxidermist? Of course it does.
Newly unlocked professions open up more town buildings, making the entire process of profession mixing and town building an addictive journey of discovery and rebuilding.
Early on I thought Pixel People was a polished and cute town builder that didn’t have much to it. But the longer I played I learned that many of the unlockable businesses serve dual purposes. As your town grows, more gameplay and decoration options are steadily introduced as well.
The Police Station unlocks access to an achievements menu, giving gamers new goals to track down. The Astro Church and Law Firm give gamers alternative ways to expand their city. The Fortune Teller provides one free profession combination per day. Tech Support, not unlocked until more than halfway through the game, opens up the ability to upgrade businesses.
Growing your town in Pixel People feels like peeling back layers of an onion.
Many gamers have compared Pixel People’s squat, minimalistic inhabitants with Nimblebit’s pixel art style, popularized by Tiny Tower and Pocket Planes. It’s a fair comparison. It’s a good look, regardless of originality. As a child of the 80s, the more games that bring back high quality pixel art the happier I am.
Besides, Pixel People’s style extends beyond its pixelated aesthetics. The game is well-written, with each new profession accompanied by a witty one-liner. Each building is also accompanied by a clever description. Pixel People is always good for a smile. The art, catchy music and great writing combine to create a friendly and inviting atmosphere, right from the start.
Pixel People is free to download and play. Players can purchase Utopium with real-world dough and spend it on fancier decorations, skipping construction wait times and other conveniences. In freemium titles like this, the devil is often in the details. Is it a shameless cash-grab? Or is it truly easy to play without ponying up dough on a regular basis?
I’m happy to report that after many hours of play, with more than 100 of the 150 jobs unlocked, I’ve yet to feel the need to pay to speed up my Pixel People progress. Players are given numerous in-game opportunities to get Utopium for free. Planted trees will occasionally award Utopium. The occasional heart reward can contain up to 5 Utopium. Your starter Utopium Mine also awards a free daily bonus.
I’ve purchased nearly 10 premium decorations and 10 more premium houses, all without spending a cent.
IGN will have a full review of Pixel People when it launcher this Thursday, January 31. In the meantime, I've got more gene splicing to do. Hmm... I wonder what happens if you cross a Mechanical Engineer with a Pilot...
Justin is Editor of IGN Wireless. He has been reviewing mobile games since the dark days of Java flip phones. You can follow him on Twitter at @ErrorJustin and on IGN.
Source : ign[dot]com
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