| System: PS4*, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U |  |
| Dev: Toys For Bob | |
| Pub: Activision | |
| Release: October 5, 2014 | |
| Players: 1-2 | |
| Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p | Cartoon Violence |
On the technical side, visuals are pretty much what I expected from a Skylanders title. The established style was created on the last generation of consoles and hasn’t changed much, so it looks more or less the same no matter what console you choose to play on, next-gen or not. However, the game performed admirably under heavy visual loads creating an experience uninterrupted by frame rate drops or janky model animations. Visually, the game simply lays a solid foundation, like a smooth canvas for the story to be painted on without interruption.
The soundscape only helps to solidify the foundation, adding in a plethora of comically (and individually) voiced characters and an ambient score that doesn’t detract from gameplay. The Traptanium portal also contains a speaker this time around and utilizes perfectly synced sound effects that fade from your TV and escalate on your portal when capturing or releasing a baddie. Villains also comment on your gameplay from the portal and add extra banter to help bring the game out of the television. Although, the speaker isn’t particularly high quality, so the voices coming through it do sound digitized and “toy-like.”
In the end, Skylanders: Trap Team is an exercise in evolution. Each game in the franchise has progressively added new gameplay elements that add to the overall experience, while keeping the functionality and features that made the game a success in the first place. Not to mention that every Skylander ever released is compatible with Trap Team. Yes, you can tear through the world with your completely leveled up Legendary Trigger Happy or your favorite Swap Force combination right from the start.
This game is gaming at its best if you can afford to track down the extra characters. Trap Team (along with any other Skylanders game) is fun for gamers of any age as long as you can put down that bloody shooter and play something more akin to the platformers of gaming past. But be warned, the Skylanders addiction is a tricky thing and your need to collect that final character can become quite costly. Bah, who cares? It’s only money right?
 |
By Joshua Bruce Video Director Date: October 1, 2014 |
Game Features:
