Jack of All Controllers

• Developer – All Yes Good
• Publisher – All Yes Good
• Platforms – Nintendo Switch, PC
• Release Date – February 8th, 2018(PC), May 16th, 2019(Nintendo Switch)
• Price – $14.99
• Reviewed On – Nintendo Switch
• Review Code Provided – Yes

Octogeddon starts off with an orange octopus in his cave going on a site similar to YouTube. He comes across a video of a chef cutting the tentacle of an octopus for sushi. The fire comes out of his eyes, and he seeks to destroy monuments such as the Statue of Liberty. Made by the creator of the legendary Plants vs. Zombies, this game is very fun and unique.

Gameplay

Octogeddon’s gameplay is extremely unique. You play as an octopus spinning around, and you must use random combinations of tentacles to help defeat the enemies swarming to you. By defeating enemies, you earn money. Money is stored in a treasure chest like bin that you can track at the bottom left of the screen. Money is used in game to unlock new tentacles, which are quite expensive sometimes. Each tentacle has a unique ability, different from the others. For example, the snake tentacle shoots out a poison projectile, which can hit and destroy an incoming enemy unit. As you spin around, the tentacles attack your enemies around you, which can be somewhat difficult. You have three hearts or lives in the top left of the screen. Having an enemy hit you will dock one, and if you lose all three you fail the level. Early in the game, your octopus only has one tentacle, and it’s not very effective. So, in order to stay alive you must control the direction you are turning to destroy the tiny enemies that come at you. As you progress and unlock more money, you are able to buy more DNA tentacles which unlock unique special tentacles. There’s quite a bit of strategy with the tentacles you choose. Each of them work and attack differently. Some are bigger, some have projectiles, some have a larger hit radius, and more. It’s a very hilarious game, as the reasons for destroying monuments get sillier as time goes on. In late game, the game can get somewhat difficult. Your positioning has to be perfect for each enemy and boss, and sometimes that can be pretty challenging. However, challenge is a good thing in my eyes. It adds to the fun of the game, as well as giving it more life.

Visuals / Design

Visuals in Octogeddon are very good in handheld and docked mode. The framerate is smooth, and there aren’t any noticable bumps. The menu and UI is easy and quick, and makes for a great and enjoyable experience with the game. The character design in Octogeddon is unique, and really fits the vibe of the game as a whole. The cartoonish style is somewhat similar to George Fan’s world renown Plants Vs. Zombies, and it’s an art style that looks amazing in the game. All of the tentacles are designed so well, with so much detail coming all around them. The enemies are also expertly designed, having a personality of sorts with them. I thought the art direction and style in this game was phenomenal, and I’m glad they chose to go this route.

Replayability

My only issue I had with Octogeddon was the replayability, as there was not much of it. I really enjoyed the game, and I was hoping to have quite a lot to do after conquering the final boss. However, to my surprise, there was not much replayability at all. I decided to start another playthrough, but I wish there was more to do post game.

Final Thoughts

Although it has limited replayability, Octogeddon is a ton of fun on the Nintendo Switch. With humor, strategy, and more in this game, players will have a long and enjoyable experience on their hands. If you’re into roguelikes, I highly recommend picking up Octogeddon.

8/10