Last year, a quirky title named Viva
Pinata hit the Xbox 360. Offering up bright, colorful characters and addictive
simulation gameplay, it stood out as the best game to come out of beloved
developer Rare since they were bought up by Microsoft. The game did very well
critically, but unfortunately didn’t make much of a mark on commercial side of
things. Luckily, PC gamers are getting a chance to live out on of the best
surprises of last year as Viva Pinata has now released for the PC. For the most
part, the game succeeds at being a fine port of the Xbox 360 version, offering
the same great gameplay and quirky creatures. If you’re a PC gamer and fan of
sims and quirky cartoon-style animals, then check out Viva Pinata.
If you aren’t at all familiar with
the game’s concept, Viva Pinata basically has you tending to a garden of living
Pinatas, making sure that they have everything they need to thrive, from food to
shelter and companionship. Creatures will come to your garden in peace, while
others may come by to raise some trouble. You’ll have to ward off predators as
well as coax wild animals to become your residents, be it through digging ponds
or growing certain plants.
You’ll also be able to enlist the
help of other characters, like a doctor for when your creatures get sick, or buy
seeds or structures for your Pinatas from a vendor. The gameplay is very fun and
engaging, with several different paths to take when tending to your garden, as
well as many different kinds of Pinatas that you can obtain. In that regard, the
game succeeds in offering PC gamers just what made the Xbox 360 version so
great. However, the PC version does have a few flaws that keep it from being
truly an improvement.
One problem that the game suffers
from in terms of the PC port is the default keyboard and mouse controls. To be
sure, the game (being a Games for Windows title) fully supports the Xbox 360
Controller for Windows, which renders the control scheme identical to the Xbox
360 version of the game. However, those gamers without the gamepad will find the
controls a tad unwieldy, requiring you to move the mouse up to the HUD in the
right corner of the screen to perform certain secondary functions with your
items like your shovel. This is a minor inconvenience most of the time, but
constantly having to click up in the right corner can be a pain.
Another problem is that the game has
some stability issues, with frequent crashes occurring, usually as a result of
Games for Windows Live causing incompatibility problems on the review system a
few times. It’s safe to assume that Microsoft Game Studios will release a patch
to fix this issue down the line, but in the meantime it’s an annoyance.
Graphically, the game looks just as
good on the PC as it did a year ago on the Xbox 360. The characters are bright
and colorful with loads of personality. The game boasts some good lighting
effects, like bloom lighting, providing a nice sense of atmosphere.
The music and sound effects are
identical to the Xbox 360 version, with a light soundtrack that fits well with
the game’s mood, as well as some good voice work throughout.
Viva Pinata is a solid port of a fun
and underrated game. While there are a few issues here and there, the game is a
worthy investment if you missed out on it on the Xbox 360.
Gameplay: 8.0
Aside from a few technical and control issues, Viva Pinata offers all of the fun
simulation elements and quirky characters from the Xbox 360 and is still a joy
to play.
Graphics: 8.5
Quirky characters with tons of personality highlight the graphical presentation,
and the bright and colorful theme is fun and appealing.
Sound: 8.5
The sounds are identical to the Xbox 360 version, with a lighthearted soundtrack
and some good voice work.
Difficulty: Medium
Concept: 8.0
A solid port of the addicting 360 game, the PC version has a few technical
shortcomings that may frustrate some.
Overall: 8.0
Viva Pinata is not perfect, as there are some control problems that get annoying
and stability problems, but worth a look from PC gamers looking to get a hold of
something a little different.
