- October 8, 2013
- Crystal Dynamics
Pandemonium
Almost two years before Pandemonium!, Clockwork Knight on the SEGA Saturn was an early example of a platformer using scaling and 2.5D to add depth to its background visuals. However, in 1996 there was something magical about how Toys for Bob's camera wrapped its side-scrolling gameplay around the curvature of paths and buildings, so it's no joke to state that PSone Pandemonium! expanded upon 2.5D's visual potential. With a determination to combine 32-bit 3D graphics with traditional 2D gameplay, the single-player journey of Fargus the jester or Nikki the acrobat is a strictly linear 18 level progression through its Mystic Map of Lyr – plus defeating three separate circular boss stages for the reward of three wishes from the Wishing Engine. Yet, it's also no jest to articulate that Pandemonium! was bested a year later by Klonoa: Door to Phantomile as PSone's truly spellbinding 2.5D platforming game.
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Pandemonium is a single player action game. It was developed by Crystal Dynamics and was released on October 8, 2013. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.
In Pandemonium, players navigate two characters, Fargus and Nikki, through a series of levels to reverse a spell gone wrong that destroyed their town. Each character possesses unique abilities: Fargus with a spinning attack and Nikki with a double jump. The game features diverse level designs with interactive objects like watermelons, clouds, spider webs, and logs, all contributing to a distinctive and engaging gameplay experience.
+6
- Pandemonium offers a nostalgic experience for players who enjoyed the original game on PS1, with its vibrant graphics and unique 2.5D gameplay.
- The soundtrack is highly praised, with catchy tunes that enhance the overall experience and evoke fond memories from the past.
- Despite its flaws, the gameplay can be fun and engaging, with interesting level designs and the ability to transform into various characters with unique abilities.
- The Steam port is criticized for being a lazy and poorly executed version of the original, with numerous technical issues such as crashes, unresponsive controls, and a frustrating password save system instead of modern save options.
- Many players report inconsistent performance, including the game running too fast or freezing, making it difficult to enjoy the gameplay.
- The lack of customizable controls and a proper options menu adds to the frustration, as players struggle with awkward key mappings and the inability to adjust sound levels.
- music64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
The music in *Pandemonium* is widely praised for its energetic and fitting soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience, particularly in the later levels. However, the PC version suffers from significant drawbacks, including the loss of multiple tracks per level and issues with audio volume control, leading to a less favorable comparison with the original PS1 version. Overall, while the soundtrack is memorable and nostalgic, its execution in the PC version has left many players disappointed.
“One aspect of Pandemonium that deserves special mention is its unbelievably good soundtrack.”
“The music perfectly complements the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.”
“The music has a very unique fusion going on, as composed by Burke Trieschmann, instilling feelings of adventure and mysticism along the way.”
“One of the biggest issues with the PC version of Pandemonium is that it uses Redbook audio, which means that most of the original soundtrack had to be cut.”
“The way the music is handled in this version compared to the PS1 version is atrocious.”
“Without the music, it feels like it's had its soul ripped out by the publishers - and as you progress through the game and the levels get longer and longer, the music issue becomes a much bigger problem.”
Pandemonium! Review
Almost two years before Pandemonium!, Clockwork Knight on the SEGA Saturn was an early example of a platformer using scaling and 2.5D to add depth to its background visuals. However, in 1996 there was something magical about how Toys for Bob's camera wrapped its side-scrolling gameplay around the curvature of paths and buildings, so it's no joke to state that PSone Pandemonium! expanded upon 2.5D's visual potential. With a determination to combine 32-bit 3D graphics with traditional 2D gameplay, the single-player journey of Fargus the jester or Nikki the acrobat is a strictly linear 18 level progression through its Mystic Map of Lyr – plus defeating three separate circular boss stages for the reward of three wishes from the Wishing Engine. Yet, it's also no jest to articulate that Pandemonium! was bested a year later by Klonoa: Door to Phantomile as PSone's truly spellbinding 2.5D platforming game.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Pandemonium is a action game.
Pandemonium is available on PC, Phone, iPad, iPhone and others.
Pandemonium was released on October 8, 2013.
Pandemonium was developed by Crystal Dynamics.
Pandemonium has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its music but disliked it for its story.
Pandemonium is a single player game.
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