Not Quite, but it Comes Damned Close
HIGH Everything screams quality.
LOW Using the Pigsy Prod on a second-to-last attacking robot.
WTF Why aren't more pieces of DLC done as well as this?
The first (and likely only) add-on to Enslaved: Odyssey to the West is now available. Titled "Pigsy's Perfect 10", this downloadable content (DLC) costs 800 MS points ($10.00) and delivers a complete adventure with a narrative arc and Achievements that exist independently of the main campaign.
While greasy mech-head Pigsy plays an awkward third wheel to the protagonists in Enslaved's story, Perfect 10 takes the pork and places him center-stage. The gist of the tale is that life in the post-apocalyptic junkyard is a little too quiet, and this rotund, greasy man craves some company. Unfortunately, several of the parts necessary to create artificial life are not on hand. The only answer, of course, is to go and get them.
The first thing that will strike anyone who's played through Enslaved is that Pigsy's action is totally different than what players got the first time around. Rather than a simple character-swap or packaging up some unused levels from the cutting-room floor, Ninja Theory has created a brand-new play style incorporating minor stealth gameplay with a lot of sniping.
Since Pigsy is weak and fragile compared to the melee-happy Monkey (the protagonist of Enslaved proper) he survives by sneaking around and slipping past enemy sentries undetected, or by taking the high ground and putting bullets in their head casings from a safe distance. To aid him in his efforts, he also uses a mechanical hand as a grappling hook, and can employ unique types of supplemental gear. Things like a powerful plant-able explosive, or a device which turns hostile robots into friendlies provide several opportunities for strategy-lite play.
I have to admit that I was initially dubious this supporting character could hold his own, but all doubt evaporated almost instantly. Strangely enough, I think the content in this add-on is (in some ways) better than what players get on the retail disc.
The new play style is quite enjoyable and adds welcome variety. None of the levels included feel like obvious rehashes (except when appropriate within the context of the story) and the handling of the character elements themselves is top-notch. Voice actor Richard Ridings gives a fantastic performance as Pigsy, and while I won't spoil the story, I will say that the events are fairly touching, and much deeper than they first appear.
Pigsy's Perfect 10 is exactly the sort of DLC that I love the most—it builds on a character in a way not seen during the main game, but of equal import, the gameplay offered was not only interesting, but substantial enough to stand on its own. This optional content easily justifies the price of entry, and stands as a perfect example to other developers on how to do it right.
Disclosures: This game was obtained via paid download and reviewed on the Xbox 360. Approximately 3.5 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the content was completed. There are no multiplayer modes.
Parents: According to the ESRB, this game contains blood, language, suggestive themes, and violence. While the game is not particularly graphic (the main character never fights anything besides robots) the story and writing are definitely slanted towards older audiences. That's not to say that it's graphic or explicit in any way, because it's not, but I'm of the opinion that it will be more properly received by older audiences.
Deaf & Hard of Hearing: You should be aware that although the game contains quite a bit of dialogue during cut-scenes, the developers were smart and added subtitles for all of it. There are certain times when being able to hear audio cues is a minor advantage, but overall I would say that the game does not rely heavily on sound.
Transformers fan. MOTU stan. Black Lives Matter, pro-LGBTQIA. Anti-fascist.
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If you read through both disclosures, you’ll see that they’re both completely different writeups except for the playtime, which actually was 3.5 hours for each.
I like the idea of your disclosures and other review criteria, but did you just copy and paste the disclosure from Epic Dungeon and Enslaved DLC or did both games really take 3.5 hours to complete? It’s a bit sloppy and really reduces the credibility of the disclosures.