Story: The nefarious INKT Corporation is up to no good, declaring war on colors and aiming to turn the entire world to a monochrome spectrum. All of the beautiful, vivid colors have been drained out by the robotic henchmen, who are watched over by guards prepared to thump anyone who stands up to INKT. This might seem like all is lost and the world is doomed to a black & white existence, but a resistance is underway and de Blob is at the forefront of the revolution. This lovable little goop pile will steal back the colors, then glide across the landscape, turning the grey scale into a rainbow of vibrant hues, or at least that’s the plan. This will be no simple feat, as INKT has prepared for such a rebellion and will not go down without a fight. Can de Blob somehow overcome the corporate forces and restore the world’s colors?

Entertainment Value: de Blob was first released on the Wii and mobile platforms, then a PC release followed almost a decade later and now, we have this quirky platformer on Xbox One. The game is a lot of fun and offers a chill, laid back experience, which makes it a welcome arrival. The goal is to use de Blob to soak up paint, then run all over the place and turn the dull landscape back into a vision of rich colors, mostly however you choose. So you can often just paint an entire area one color if you so choose, though completion bonuses rise as more colors are used. This leads to a relaxed kind of game in most levels, as you can just chill and use the game’s world like a big art project. Take the time to choose each color for certain elements or just wipe the world with purple, it is all in your hands. Some quests task you to use certain colors or perform tasks within a timed window, but the challenge even in these challenges is more just to mix things up than to make you work hard. You can also explore and grab collectibles and upgrades, so it pays to look around, especially if you want gold medals and intend to repaint every last little detail.

The game is a lot of fun, but the controls can be a little unwieldy at times. The jumps can be problematic and while it is often not a real concern, some parts do require good timing and precision, which the controls don’t always provide. But worst case, you lose a life or need to repaint an area, which is a pain, but it is infrequent and for the most part, controls are solid and stable. The game starts off simple enough, then slowly adds new mechanics, so even casual players shouldn’t have issues with the shifts. As I said, you can mostly just tool around and have fun, as the timers are generous, enemies are simple, and the levels are big, but not cumbersome. Unless you are a completionist, you can move to a new area long before the current one frustrates or bores you. The visuals are passable, but not the kind of graphics that dazzle. The HD upgrade might up the ante on the Wii version, but isn’t remarkable. But keep in mind, the game is almost ten years old for this release. de Blob is a rock solid game that offers a fresh experience, one that relaxes and allows for short bursts of play or extended sessions. If you want a unique, creative game to relax with, de Blob fills that niche.

Use this Amazon link to purchase de Blob (or anything else) and support my site!