Voodoo Vince Remastered

Voodoo Vince Remastered for XONE and PC is a refreshed edition of a 3D platformer which debuted in 2003 on the Xbox console. The same team that had developed the original edition, that is, Beep Industries, created this version.

Plot

The player takes on the role of Vince, who is a voodoo doll. The protagonist served their part as an exhibit at the store belonging to Madam Charmaine. One day, Vince becomes a living doll when burglars try to steal a mysterious substance known as Zombie Dust. Because the owner of the shop caught them in the act, the criminals decided to kidnapp the woman and get away from the place. Then the protagonist enters the story, because they have managed to establish a telepathic connection with their owner. The protagonist's goal is not only to find Madam Charmaine, but also to reverse the effects of the dust that is ruining the world around.

Mechanics

Voodoo Vince Remastered for XONE and PC is played from a third-person view. Exploring different locations constitutes the core of the experience, as the adventure takes the player to dark swamplands, haunted graveyards or an eccentric district in France. Traversing subsequent places and jumping from one platform to another, the protagonist must avoid many traps. Simple environmental puzzles were included here, and those usually require the player to activate switches. The levels that put the player in control of vehicles, including a boat, a little car, and even a plane, complete the experience.

Apart from traps and obstacles, the presence of enemies poses another danger to the protagonist: when facing them, Vince can make use of over 30 attacks. The list begins with basic movements, such as a fist punch or a rotational attack, and those are accompanied by special powers. The latter are fairly unusual – apart from thunders one can call in to battle, the protagonist can drop heavy safes on the opponents, or toss sticky pins to hinder their progress. From time to time, the player encounters bosses; defeating them usually requires applying adequate tactics, though these can be oftentimes unusual.

However, the protagonist can use their special powers only after the player has filled a special meter, which is done through collecting beads left by the opponents defeated. On the other hand, the player gains access to new, more and more powerful abilities through finding the special icons hidden in certain places on the maps. Additionally, Vince collects bags containing the aforementioned Zombie Dust (obtaining a hundred of such bags results in the energy meter growing longer), hearts (additional lives), as well as skulls – finding and catching one enlarges the number of voodoo powers the protagonist can be making use of at a time.

Technical aspects

Compared to the original release, Voodoo Vince Remastered for XONE and PC offers above all, improved audio and visuals. The game runs in 1080p resolution settings, retaining 60 frames per second when it comes to animation. The graphics were enriched with several modern-day effects, and some of the original textures were replaced. Additionally, a refreshed soundtrack, the works on which were supervised by Steve Kirk, who had composed the music for the original release, accompanies the experience.

Last updated on 10 March 2017