Juicy Realm blasts its way onto console. Does it flourish or leave a sour taste in the mouth?
The Fruits of Labour
Developed by SpaceCan Games and published by X.D Network, Juicy Realm has finally made its way to the PlayStation 5 system almost 6 years after its initial pc release. Juicy Realm is a roguelike twin stick shooter set in a world where fruit have become animalistic type creatures, threatening the very way of life. You play as one of four characters, (more characters become available later) each with his/her own unique weapons and abilities. Whether it’s PonPon who has an auto regenerating shield and a stun power or Alpha, who can revive himself only one time, the game has done a great job at giving you varied classes from the start.
Story-wise, the plot is as simple as can be: fruits across the world have turned into creatures and it’s up to you to save the day and the planet from these fruit abominations. That’s as much as you’re going to get if you’re looking for story, but this game doesn’t rely on the story to capture the imagination of the player. This is the type of game that relies on its gameplay and presentation to sell itself to you. And this is where Juicy Realm truly grabbed my attention.
The Apple Of Your Eye
Astonishingly made by just a two man development team at SpaceCan, the visuals of this game are truly something to behold. Each area of the game is vibrant and beautiful, whether it’s the forests at the beginning of the game or the harsh desert of the later levels. Each randomly generated level oozes colour and style, making each level truly unique for the player. The characters and enemies are gorgeously animated and glide across the screen during fights, making it a true spectacle when you are facing waves of enemies. Upon completing an area, the text bubble showing area complete bursts onto your screen in a puff of smoke; a small but memorable touch for me. Enemy projectiles are bright and colourful, making them easy to spot, with death animations for both character and enemy beautiful in their style. SpaceCan have done an incredible job with the presentation in this game; it’s among the best I’ve seen in terms of the scale of the game and size of the development team. A wonderful achievement!
The UI is simple and sleek, not taking up too much space on your screen, which is vital for a game like this where you’re on the move constantly. With the levels being randomly generated upon each run you take, the map system is a lovely touch at the top right of your screen. With red skull symbols warning you a boss fight is coming up or a blue question mark for a mystery area, I really felt in control of my journey and could plan my route accordingly to make sure I was fully prepared for each zone.
Go Bananas
Of course in a roguelike shooter like this, gameplay either makes it or breaks it. Being a twin stick shooter Juicy Realm excels in fast-paced combat. Movement is sleek and responsive with the dash button a vital tool to escape tight situations. Each character comes with their own health and speed, creating different approaches required for the player. The game offers you an auto-aim option which is welcome for newer players in this genre but can feel too easy for veterans. The gunplay itself is fairly bog-standard and nothing I would say that is revolutionary, but it does what it sets out to do and allows the player to mix up gameplay styles. The volume of guns in the game is also something to behold, with well over 70 guns available to unlock and use throughout your runs. Some are wickedly overpowered, such as the keyboard that shoots keys, while some are even more outlandish, the chick bomber being my personal favourite. Secret areas of the game offer random powerups to be purchased via the lucky drum, (a humorous take on a washing machine) allowing you to gain fruit companions to help you fight the waves of enemies or health points to help you gear up before the big boss fight.
The special abilities each character gets are unique and varied, allowing the player to test out different builds on each run to find which character suits them best. Boss fights are a particular highlight for me as each boss felt different due to the bosses’ abilities and health. The game also supports online and local co-op which is a great option for a game in this genre. Often in roguelikes I can feel overwhelmed and underpowered with the permadeath mechanic, so it felt great to play with a friend and blast our way through. Local co-op is a dying breed it seems in this generation of games so it’s worth celebrating the effort SpaceCan have put in to create this mode. Co-op is especially welcome considering the short length of the game; runs can be completed in as quickly as 20 minutes.
Sounds Fruity
Often in smaller scale games like Juicy Realm, the game relies on its musical score and sound design, with mixed results. Created by the development team, the music in the game is fantastic. The music really helps create a retro futuristic vibe to the whole game and it is to be applauded. Music ebbs and flows, depending on the situation with it ramping up during gunfights. For me the music for the boss battles is a particular highlight for the score.
The sound design on the other hand is a different story. The design itself is serviceable and acceptable but what makes it muddled and bizarre is the volume itself. On the default settings I played on, the gunshots and ability audio cues were so loud they overwhelmed the music itself. Too often I was fighting enemies enjoying the music only to be drowned out by the gunfire. A truly bizarre choice and one I recommend changing as soon as you load into the game. Conversely, enemy abilities at times can be harder to hear which is irritating and annoying; you can ill afford to be staring at one place on the screen looking for where each projectile is coming from.
Verdict
Juicy Realm offers a roguelike with a truly unique setting. SpaceCan have done a fantastic job creating this crazy world with stunning visuals and beautiful enemy design. While its short length and bizarre sound design choices at times hinder the game, it’s still a blast, especially when played with a friend. Considering this is SpaceCan’s first attempt in the video game space, it’s exciting to see what they can come up with next. Let’s hope it’s as fruity as this one!
