Developer: M2H
Publisher: M2H
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Tested on: PlayStation 4
Marooners (PlayStation 4) – Review
According to www.oxforddictionaries.com, a marooner is a pirate. This is derived from the practice in which a pirate would maroon a victim, which comes down to the pirates leaving their targets behind in a very inaccesible place, preferably a deserted tropical island. It could also refer to the chestnut red/brown colour, which is derived from the french word: marron, but somehow that would clash with the tropical setting. If there’s one thing that screams out party games it’s a console in the living room. Usually computers are found in the office setting and that’s less inviting than sitting back with an alcoholic drink and a controller in your hands slunk back in the comfort of the sofa. So it seems only logical for the game to be released on consoles. This does however make one thing glaringly obvious… The developers didn’t put a lot of effort in changing things up for the port. It’s the same game on another system. You can read up on the PC review here.
Story
Writing a review about a game that’s the same as another version, even down to the non existent story is difficult. It could be really, really easy by just putting the link to the previous article in every category, but that’s not profesionalism.
Knowing what the definition of the word ‘marooner’ is, it raises an interesting question. Are the characters you play as the actual marooned victims or are they the marooners themselves? Did they get ditched there by pirates or by some other means, how did they get there?
The trailer for the game speaks of a legendary treasure on a deserted island and several treasure hunters, and a very nasty curse. This is only mentioned in the trailer however. So if you go in the game blind without watching any promotional material, there would be no narrative. So the developers might have opted for a small text blurb explaining why the deep sea diver or the viking is after massive amounts of gold and precious gemstones.
Graphics
So Marooners isn’t a bad looking game. It exudes everything that sets a good vibe for a party game. The colours are bright and the levels are decently designed that the objective is obvious. If there is one mini game that feels rather unfair because of the graphics it’s the game where you run toward the camera, and at random times a boulder will roll from either the left or the right, and the only warning players have is just a nanosecond in advance as the shadow of the boulder is about to hit the floor, making it near impossible to dodge the danger.
Sound
The tune of the game is also another thing that has stayed the same. When playing this game, a comment was shot my way. ‘Wow that’s a catchy tune.’ This opinion changed half an hour later, as the tune had played over and over again. The music is still upbeat and makes it so that players are always on their toes during a game.
Gameplay
Marooners is an adventure party game. You can play this against NPCs or other players, online or in the safety of your home with the people on the couch. If you want a game that’s more organised then you can opt for it, but if you really want the controllers to start flying and a high possibility that you’ll need a new television screen by the end of the night then your best bet is chaotic. In this mode the games will change at random intervals, not waiting until all but one player is left standing. So you’ll have to keep your wits about and follow the different objectives. These will change up and you’ll also have to start off where you left off.
The game hasn’t changed at all from the PC version. No new modes, no new maps, no new weapons or characters. Then again, the price is rather low, so you can’t fault the developers for not adding in new stuff which would never get them any profit at all, and it’s known that only the sun rises for free. The developers too, have bills to pay.
As you play games, your score will translate to experience, this will fill up a bar and when that’s full, you’ll level up, unlocking other characters and weapons. So you’ll be rewarded for playing the game, however terrible you are. So there’s enough incentive to keep playing.
Conclusion
When it comes to party games, Marooners will give you some bang for your buck. If you’ve played the original on PC and want to add this game to your collection in hopes for some other content, then you’ll be dissappointed. If however you want to play the game with friends online or at home without having to drag them to your office, then the console version is perfect for you.
Marooners (PlayStation 4) - Review,
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