Future Publishing


Detonator

Author: Paul Roundell
Publisher: Midas
Machine: PlayStation 2 (EU Version)

 
Published in Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine #44

It's the al-Qaeda game of choice

Detonator (Midas)

So closely does Detonator brush against Tetris's trademark block-shaping style in places, you wonder if its creator Alexey Pajitnov isn't getting a decent cut of the wonga.

The hook here is buildings - we're blowing them up. Sounds like a blast and indeed it might be if the detonations amounted to any more than a muffled pop or the buildings were represented in a fashion other than a two-dimensional play board. Place a shape, press a button, watch the blocks change colour to indicate fault lines and the building will collapse if you've done your sums right. Cut-scenes depicting the destruction add nothing to the game, though a two-player battle mode (first to balls a building up wins) does.

Detonator looks like Tetris in places but Skodas have the same basic parts as Ferraris but you don't need asking twice which one you'd drive, do you?

Verdict

Far from terrible puzzler but not close enough to a good one to warrant attention.

Paul Roundell

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