Don’t Stop Eatin’ – Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack Review

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation Vita.

What’s a blob to do anymore? After being captured and mercilessly subjected to hundreds of horrible experiments with needles, axes, spiked presses and more, our slimy and soon-not-to-be-so-tiny hero is out to get a little revenge… by eating everything in sight! Drinkbox Studios is back with Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack! The sequel to the highly popular About a Blob, Mutant Blobs Attack lands on the PlayStation Vita with a few new tricks up its… err… sleeve! So, how does this 2D platforming formula work on the new platform? Let’s find out!

Like its predecessor, Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack is a 2D platforming game where you move through your environments and ingest objects ranging from wads of paper and plastic cups, to eventually those pesky humans, their cars, tanks, and more! Also returning from the first game are the blob’s powers of Magnetism (being able to attract or repel steel objects). The goal is simple in concept: eat enough stuff to grow to the minimum size necessary to digest the cork preventing you from making it to the next level. However, while the objective may sound easy, it’s always the execution that has its challenges, and this game is no different. Many obstacles will block your path, the most obvious route may not be the correct one, and sometimes you’ll have to go back to the beginning to move forward.

In Mutant Blobs Attack, you’ll be armed with some new tools thanks to the PlayStation Vita’s features. You will utilize the console’s front touch screen to move platforms, throw switches, and rotate devices such as lasers, blob cannons and more. Other levels will be from a top-down perspective, requiring you to use the Six-Axis tilt functions of the Vita instead of the more traditional analogue or D-pad controls. These levels are more like the old marble maze games where you must avoid the pitfalls in the middle of the path provided.

Coupled with the great gameplay mechanics is a fantastic story from the perspective of the blob. All of the humans speak in gibberish as the blob doesn’t understand English. This leaves the story to be told through cutscenes instead. These cutscenes are amusing enough and convey the general idea of the story as the humans seek the means to destroy the blob; but a story like this couldn’t be effectively told without the colorful and elementary art style’s ability to communicate the message to the players, which Drinkbox has managed flawlessly. Their quirky sense of humor bleeds across the script, providing laughs on just about every scene and level. Their humor doesn’t stop in the cutscenes, however. Pay attention to those billboards in the background and you’ll see some hilarious video game culture spoofs!

All of this 1950s style sci-fi silliness is wrapped up in cartoonishly beautiful graphics that are similar to its predecessor, About a Blob. However, the sequel has received a noticeable upgrade from its predecessor to accommodate the PlayStation Vita. That is to say that the game looks simply stunning on the new hardware. Add in awesome sound effects and a highly entertaining musical score and you have a recipe for a spectacular game overall. While the game will take you approximately three or four hours to burn through, you can easily add another hour or two working to snag gold medals on all of the levels and get the 14 trophies that come with this game.

For the price of just $7.99, this is most definitely a game that every platformer fan should have in their Vita’s arsenal.

Tales From Space: Mutant Blobs Attack receives a 5.0/5.0.