It’s difficult to really love a game based off a well-known or popular property
because many of these games come off as rushed, lack innovation or are utterly
unplayable to the point that the game has no redeemable qualities. Having sat
through a Last Airbender game or even a Sponge Bob game, I can tell you I had my
share of disappointed. Then I got to play The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th
Sun for the PSP and it changed my outlook.
Based on the Cartoon Network show, The Secret Saturdays has become a popular
animated series about a family of secret scientists that get into many
adventures and fight enemies looking to use science as a means to rule the
world. Zak Saturday is the curious and adventurous offspring of the daring
Doctor Solomon and the lovely Drew who spends his days jetting off to exotic
locales in search of Cryptids (mysterious creatures not officially classified
like the Chupacabra for instance) like his furry friend, Fiskerton.
In Beasts of the 5th Sun, the Saturday family is enjoying a day of
rest when Van Rook decides to make this the day he crashes into the Saturday
Headquarters to grab the latest artifact the family managed to find during their
last adventure. You quickly assume the role of Zak Saturday as he attempts to
help his family get the artifact back from the enemy. Armed with his trusty claw
his parents had made into a staff he uses as both a weapon and grappling hook,
Zak leads the mission with his family as backup.
While you play Zak throughout most of the game, you do assume the roll of other
members of the Saturday clan who bring their own skills to the table. Assuming
control of Fiskerton, for instance, you can reach places you cannot as Zak as
well as scale walls. Drew Saturday, Zak’s mother, has her Tibetan Fire Sword to
fight against the enemies in combat. Meanwhile, Doc has a high-tech power glove
he uses to blast away at enemies.
The game blends a 2D platform game with a number of 3D segments in the game as
you go about the 10 missions. Zak jumps and attacks uses his claw and he even
uses said claw as a grappling hook to swing or reach platforms he can’t reach
with a double jump. Most importantly, though, Zak has the special ability to
bond with Cryptids. That means that Zak can, by way of the L shoulder button,
focus on a Cryptid and stun it or even control it for a second or two. For
instance, a giant bat-like Cryptid overhead can be controlled so Zak could use
his grappling hook on it and reach a platform he normally couldn’t have reached.
The levels are actually quite inventive, adding diversity to the action and
platform jumping. This alone makes the game quite enjoyable on its own but
adding the Saturday family’s abilities and Zak’s skills and you have a unique
action/platform game. Combat might not be overly challenging but it does keep
you on your toes and the puzzles are simple but not too easy. In other words,
they’re done right.
There are plenty of secrets to uncover in the game as well as collectibles to
locate within the game’s levels. The best part is that the collectibles and
secrets will give you reason to want to keep playing. The bad news is that in a
game that features three unique Saturday family members why didn’t the game add
co-op?
As far as the graphics are concerned, the game does look just as good as the
animated series and the characters look the way you expect them to look so if
you’re a fan of the show you are in for a treat. There are plenty of neat little
Cryptids and the backgrounds do look nicely detailed but the game could have
used more visual effects There also a great soundtrack in this game that also
feels like it comes straight from the show as well as the voice cast that can be
heard throughout the game. It will certainly help feel like you’re playing a
game based on The Secret Saturdays.
The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun for the PSP is
surprisingly fun and satisfying action game based on the Cartoon Network show.
The levels are designed well enough that the platforming action and the combat
make for an exciting game with a lot to offer. If you’ve been waiting for a good
game featuring the Saturday family then look no further because this game will
not disappoint.
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Gameplay: 7.5
That pesky Van Rook is back and he’s causing mayhem for the Saturday family that
decides to fight back as well as get into a new adventure. You control Zak
Saturday but you also get to play as his parents and furry friend, Fiskerton.
Plenty of platform action mixed with enough fights to give action fans young and
old something to like.
Graphics: 8.0
As far as the graphics are concerned, the game looks great on the PSP and the
characters look sharp and nicely detailed during the action as well as during
the cut scenes. There are some solid effects as well.
Sound: 8.0
The original voice cast from the animated series is present and the music works
marvelously throughout the game. It certainly does a great job of making you
feel like you’re playing a game based on The Secret Saturdays show.
Difficulty: Medium
Some of the platform jumping can be a tad challenging for young gamers and some
battles will give your thumbs a workout but there’s nothing here that is too
difficult.
Concept: 7.5
While you mainly take control of Zak, you can control other members of his
family as well including their pet. The levels offer plenty to do and there are
Cryptids aplenty to collect but we really would have loved co-op play via Ad Hoc
at least.
Overall: 7.5
Sometimes a game like Beasts of the 5th Sun come along that not only
takes gamers by surprise with a game that just isn’t another way to use a
popular property to cash in on it but also manages to be delightfully enjoyable.
Fans of The Secret Saturdays will certainly find a lot to like about the PSP
title.
