Even before its release date, Playstation All-Stars was heavily compared to the huge hit series, Super Smash Brothers. Some fans have even said their biggest complaint about the game is that it “steals†game mechanics from Smash Bros, and is simply a copycat.
Yes, there are a myriad of similarities between the two games. Both utilize mascots from across the spectrum of titles for their respective systems. Both have similar play throughs. And both have weapon picks that draw from the mascots’ universes. There are some superficial differences, such as All-Stars not involving knocking opponents off of the stage. However, the two games do closely mirror each other. So, the question stands:
Is All-Stars just a Sony rip-off of Smash Bros?
The answer is no, it is a well done and likely to be underrated remix.
This is a very easy game to pick up and play, and will surely be a hit with casual gamers who either a) are not Nintendo aficionados in general, or b) don’t like the general chaos that tends to ensue with Smash Bros. All-Stars is in the same vein as Smash Bros, but it is a bit more orderly in the midst of battles. The control scheme is easy to grasp. Circle, Triangle, and Square, by themselves or in combination with a directional button do an attack. X jumps, L1 blocks/evades and R1 picks up items. Right analog uses a throw, while L2 taunts. R2 uses your super move. A big issue with the setup though is that you can often find yourself forgetting about circle and triangle and just mashing square over and over. Though, this doesn’t detract much at all from the fun.
The choice of characters is as diverse as the violent Sweet Tooth, to the innocent Sackboy. The creators did a fairly solid job of ensuring that everyone’s move sets were balanced and made sure that each one was distinctive in their individual play style. Some are better at a range, some rely on brute force, and some need to evade and use hit and run tactics. Some of the super moves can be rather overpowered in comparison to others. This is an issue, but not such a big one that it diminishes the pure fun. The necessity of using a super move to knock an opponent out might turn some fans away, but it’s not a major flaw.
The storyline is simple and basic. Polygon Man (a mascot from the early days of the Playstation), has gathered each of these characters to battle each other in a tournament. In the end they face him and, upon victory, gain a huge increase in power. Before they fight Polygon Man, each character has a specific rival battle. Some of the matchups are fairly easy to guess, such as Kratos against Sweet Tooth, or Ratchet battling Jak. But some are outright bizarre, such as Sackboy against Big Daddy, or Heihachi encountering Toro. The humor found in these clashed is pretty solid and enjoyable, even for those who are not familiar with each individual fighter.
Upon completing a story mode, you get extras for that character. The higher your level, the more and better extras you get. They can range from what icon represents you on the character select screen, to your background, to even alternative costume, intros, outros, taunts, and victory music. Increasing your character’s level depends on how many hits you take, how many times you get knocked out, how much variety your attacks have, etc.
As of this article there have only been two announced DLC characters, Emmett Graves from Starhawk and Kat from Gravity Rush Due to the visible slots on the character select screen, there should be at least six more after that.
Overall, Playstation All-Stars is a very solid game, and well worth the purchase. It has its flaws, but it is easily a fun party game, especially with the involvement of alcohol. Is it basically just Smash Bros with Sony characters? Yes, but in a good way.
It’s Sony’s remix.
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