Introduction:The Microsoft Xbox doesn’t have as many platform titles as some other consoles, but quantity isn’t quality. Voodoo Vince is pure quality, skipping all the junk and going right for originality. Vince offers a fun gameplay with interesting and unique levels behind a entertaining story. Voodoo Vince is a great lead character for the Xbox right along side of Master Chief. We now have another great Xbox franchise

The Game:At first glance you would wonder what a game Voodoo Vince is all about, sounds evil (Voodoo), but Vince looks so cute. Who ever knew a voodoo doll could be cute? Well someone at BEEP INDUSTRIES thought it would be a good idea and it works. Now I'm waiting for the line of plush dolls.

The story of Vince is that he is thrown into a plot to save his creator ‘Madame Charmaine’ from the evil clutches of ‘Cosmo the Inscrutable. It sounds like a standard cliché and it is, but the difference is that is that you are a Voodoo Doll which can destroy itself to destroy others.

The gameplay plays like most other standard games. You have your powers, punches and jumps. You have to solve puzzles, jump past obstacles and destroy evil bad guys. Vince does offer some new gaming aspects with little twists in the game, like gaining energy through little Mardi Gras beads that levitate towards Vince’s body, being able to kill yourself and not die in such ways of the devastation as electrocution, burning and drinking laxatives. Err, don’t ask. This gives Vince the edge considering he is the size of a smurf.

The mystique of witchcraft, fantasy and voodoo lore have come together to bring a fresh look at the platform way of thinking. The levels are very interesting and diverse for the majority of the game and they did a great job of mixing up your objectives. In Voodoo Vince you’re not always just finding the key to open the door. Vince will add on many interesting things to accomplish like learning to play Jazz, or carrying fuel through a mountain maze. There is a good enough variety of puzzles to conquer making each level feels fresh, disregarding the generic end boss segments.

Although the levels in Voodoo Vince can become frustrating at times, it’s a given. Platform games always had a different level of difficulty in them. In Voodoo Vince the levels fluctuate from easy to hard. This could discourage some gamers, but usually if you stick with it you will get the idea and surpass the areas. Overall Vince packs a great package and runs smooth and most importantly is fun to play.

Graphics & Sound:Voodoo Vince does well adding the atmospheric touches to the graphics department. There is a great deal of reflective and lighting effects that bring the smooth textures all together to give a polished impressive standing. The character design is interesting and original (gas pump bosses). This game sure doesn’t lack in the art design segment of the game, hopefully Beep Industries keeps up the original designs in their games. Voodoo Vince is Xbox exclusive and looks the part. It’s not overdone, it done just right.

The sound is put together well in Voodoo Vince. As you would expect the soundtrack is full of eerie, caribana sounding music with gives the game an added ambiance. The sound effects are cheesy, but they suspect they wanted them to be that way. The voice acting, atmospheric extra sounds are all top notch.

Innovation:Voodoo Vince isn’t a ground breaking innovative game, but it does offer some neat twists to the standard platform genre. The biggest noticeable innovation would be in the way you can use abuse Vince to hurt others. Knocking the stuffing of this little yourself brings death to others, bringing in a new option to gaming and has your brain asking some bizarre questions… not how can I kill this evil doer? How can I kill myself, to kill the evil doer?

Other innovations would come in the form of the unique puzzles, the overall design and concepts within the game. For Voodoo Vince the innovation gains points in the way of originality and a solid concept. No platform game has entered this realm of Voodooness that Vince has.

Mojo:Vince is one cool doll who definitely has the mojo on his side. Vince can work the voodoo mojo like nothing else. Mischievous, Devious the character of Vince is larger than his small exterior. Even though a voodoo doll unusual pick for a lead character… I couldn’t imagine anyone else having the same effect. Crystal Ball Vince? Tarot Card Vince?

I’m not a huge fan of platform titles, but I think the subject matter helped me through. I find it hard to play a game with such a used over concept ‘THE END BOSS’ even though all games have them, when you fight them at the end of each level it becomes to feel a little dated. Besides jumping, falling and climbing back up to fall again… I felt the creepatious vibes and had a great time playing this little rag doll.

Lowdown:Vince is a little Gimmicky, but we like him that way. How else could you approach a subject matter like this? Overall Voodoo Vince fills a void in the Xbox’s library of games and provides a fun to play, light hearted game filled to the brim with interested and fresh ideas. Voodoo Vince puts in the extra effort to keep you interested and challenged throughout the game. This is one Xbox title that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Gameplay: 7, Graphics/Sound: 8, Innovation: 7, Mojo: 8. Final: 8