The only slightly negative thing about PixelJunk Monsters is the music. Apart from that it’s perfect; we’ve not had the joy of a title of PixelJunk Monsters’ consummate quality for some time. As a two-player co-operative effort, it’s about as good as you could get. It makes people talk, discuss and debate, and it’s fair to say that there’s little genuine dialogue in gaming. The last games that got us doing that were the top-down shooters of old, which required a degree of communication previously unnecessary in most titles to that point. We’re totally enamoured of PJ Monsters, and we’re confident that you will be too, whether you play it with someone else or not.

But what exactly is it? It’s certainly not a ‘my first RTS’, that’s for sure, but it’s also nothing like the more complex efforts like Command & Conquer that put the barrier of control between your ideas and how they translate onto the screen. You’re given a number of turret types – some which you have to buy – with set places you’re able to drop them, and the enemies gradually creep towards your base, taking flak from your weapons. With PixelJunk, though, whatever your brain decides can be created in a matter of seconds and, interestingly, when you get to playing often with the same person, you’ll more than likely wind up going to do exactly the same thing. It may sound simple, but the balance and types of both enemies and monsters puts each situation just the right side of guessable, making you feel like a genius when you get it right. It’s hard though, and you’re not given the ability to progress to the end without a fair few perfect rounds. Easier said than done.

This rending down of genres to their core gameplay elements, as we’ve seen with titles like Everyday Shooter and flOw is something we’re very much in favour of, as it seems to deliver delightful games worthy of both attention and discussion. While there are elements that don’t necessarily fit into the RTS mould, all the basics are there, and little more. There’s no detritus, nothing of a superfluous nature, and nothing that you don’t wind up using at some stage in a level. Games so well conceived and tightly put together are difficult to deride, as it’s clear that the development process has been a smooth process with a clear direction. Having been created in a matter of months appears to have helped the cause here. It’s so difficult to quantify, as, on paper, it’s really quite inane. The reality is that, while it doesn’t have the aesthetic appeal of Worms or Lemmings, and won’t catch on in the same way, it gives you that feeling of purified joy that those titles did in their day.

It’s enjoyable on so many levels. Rather than offer the player a simple cursor, the premise means you take control of a cutesy turtle shaman who’s been charged with the task of protecting villagers. Given that you’re an entity within the game, rather than an ethereal cursor, your reactions with negotiating the caravans of monsters is an integral element of the game. How adept you are at collecting the coins and gems necessary for building, buying and upgrading the towers necessary to wipe out the shambling creeps, before they reach your hut and dispatch the nervous villagers, is also important. The fact that you’re only allowed to build where trees originally stood brings challenges you just don’t get in other RTSs. There’s a wide array of weapons, and similarly myriad monsters with strengths and weaknesses so marvellously balanced you’ll find each level genuinely satisfying to complete. It’s certainly not a title to be completed by default. Like we said, we found it very difficult but, importantly, we never, ever wanted to stop playing. Ever. The level of character, and joy you’ll find with this makes most other games seem insipid, which is probably the best accolade we could give it.

PixelJunk Monsters, were it not for the tunes – which aren’t horrific, but don’t hold up as well as other aspects of this brilliant RTS – would bring up a point we haven’t contemplated for a fair while: what score do you give the perfect game? Do you go for an all out 100%, or do you drop the score a couple of points for prudence? We’re kind of glad we haven’t delved into that issue, as that one can rage for days, but there’s absolutely no contention with PixelJunk Monsters as a game. Buy it, find a mate and enjoy what could be the download game of the year.

Tom Leclerc