- Publisher: Sony Online Entertainment
- Release Date: Sep 19, 2005
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The puzzles may not be very compelling once the initial stages are completed (i.e., once the developer’s design and logic tendencies are identified), but there are a handful of levels here that are genuinely brain-bending and rewarding.
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Play MagazineGreat sound and remarkably smooth animation. [Dec 2005, p.71]
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Unlike some other games in the genre, where discerning how a levels’ puzzle works is only half the battle, Frantix can be a walk in the park after you solve each level’s puzzle, which is disappointing.
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PSM MagazineThe "Frogger"-like way in which you move kind of sucks, especially when you have to run along a riverbed or around burning lava. [Nov 2005, p.96]
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Frantix would have been a solid budget title. The gameplay isn’t bad and it is nice to spend a few minutes with as you relax.
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Game InformerOften fun and engaging, despite its flaws. [Oct 2005, p.152]
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Frantix is light on concept, lush on eye candy, but overall a simple game that will not have you playing until the wee hours but may have you picking it up when you have 10 minutes to spare.
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Generally speaking however, a week’s rental is about the extent of the lasting value you’ll find here -- it’s fun while it lasts though.
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Electronic Gaming MonthlyControl is a bit janky, maknig cheap deaths easy. The camera also tends to obscure things. [Oct 2005, p.120]
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Frantix will make you more frantic about the controls than the gameplay.
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Had the puzzling been of a more engaging nature, then we may have warmed up to the game considerably, but even at a budget price there isn’t much to recommend.
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There simply isn’t enough variety throughout the entire game to keep interest up, so it takes a lot of devotion to wade through the games nearly 200 levels.
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Official U.S. Playstation MagazineWhile that addictive quality that the best games of this genre have is missing, Frantix isn't a bad way to waste time. [Oct 2005, p.108]
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There's no multiplayer to speak of, or any modes beyond the main single-player quest, for that matter. And the puzzles, while plentiful and reasonably well designed, can become frustrating due to funky control and camera issues.
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Frantix is very linear in play, but is good if you have a few minutes to spare as most levels can be finished pretty quickly.
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One of the major gripes about Frantix is the control; not that it's bad, but rather that it's awkward and inappropriate for timed challenges.
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The thing is, the hooks just don't sink that deeply. It's a nice time waster, when I have time that needs wasting, and it's certainly worth packing along for those transoceanic plane flights or interminable car trips through, say, rural Kansas, but Frantix ain't making the trip to a desert island, if you catch my drift.
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A simple puzzle game. It follows a well-beaten path, and it lacks polish in almost every area one could care to polish, but it's still fairly addictive, simple and long.
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It involves a bit more lateral thinking than the average puzzle game, and it doesn't outstay its welcome or exceed its mandate more than is forgivable. But puzzle games can be and often are a lot better than this.
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With another six months of development time this could have been another enjoyable puzzle game for the PSP, but unfortunately Frantix is just a little too short and a little too budget for our liking.
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Official Playstation 2 Magazine UKWith no back story and totally interchangeable characters, Frantix is as generic as puzzle games get. Challenging to be sure, but the lack of a killer hook cripples long term appeal. [Apr 2006, p.97]
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The puzzles can be fun and challenging, but the anemic gameplay and generic presentation will leave you feeling unsatisfied with Frantix.
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Frantix just doesn't quite work. Seriously, ask yourself "do I find mazes fun?" For most people, the answer is no. Worse, the few diehard maze fanatics out there that actually might want a game like this will probably be turned off by its dodgy controls.
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Frantix gets old very quickly. After the first few rounds you'll find yourself thinking "Is this all?" The answer is yes.
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Puzzlers are supposed to thrive on a handheld such as the PSP. Alas no luck here, as this one doesn't provide enough to last you past 20 minutes.
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A lot of the puzzles require precise placement, and the controls, using the d-pad or analog nub, are a bit inconsistent.
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The game just falls short in too many ways. There are no mini-games to play when maze-running gets old, and there's no multiplayer.
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Edge MagazineSeemingly conflicted between delivering next-gen graphical impact and providing immediately recognisable objectives, Killer Game errs on the side of form over function, and in turn stumbles though a laundry list of poor design decisions. [Dec 2005, p.114]
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Frantix is a no-frills puzzler in dire need of a personality transplant.
Awards & Rankings
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63
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67
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#67 Most Discussed PSP Game of 2005
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User score distribution:
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Positive: 5 out of 6
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Mixed: 0 out of 6
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Negative: 1 out of 6
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MarkB.Jan 17, 2006
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DaveS.Sep 9, 2005The music kicks ass. It's rare to hear really cutting edge electronic music in a video game. Reminds me of the best of Autechre.