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Have you ever wanted to work in video games? Well that's what the guys at GameBizCo Inc. do. Literally.

Join the cast of Another Videogame Webcomic as we peek behind the curtain to see what exactly goes into bringing your favorite video games to the small screen. It may be a job in video games, but it's still a job.

Scott Pilgrim Vs The World: The Game (You are my density.)

Platform: Playstation 3, Xbox 360
Price: $9.99 (PSN), 800 Microsoft Points (XBLA)

Back in the day, when arcades were still around, you couldn’t toss a quarter without hitting a side scrolling co-op beat ‘em up. But now, with the living room being the dominant venue for gaming, that genre has all but disappeared. Enter Scott Pilgrim Vs the World: The Game.

“Throwback” is probably the best word I can use to describe the game. There are references to other games hiding in every nook and cranny of this side-scroller beat ‘em up. If you played videogames within the past 20 years, odds are that you’ll recognize at least one (and probably more) of the easter eggs hidden within. Even the music and the sound of the game are made in a throwback 8-bit style, with the soundtrack being provided by Anamanaguchi . The chiptune style of the music instantly transports you back to a simpler time when a game’s sound was limited to the palette of bleeps and bloops that the console could generate.

While the game, at first glance, could be mistaken for a game made back in the arcade’s heyday, there’s a polish to the sprites that make you realize that very few games looked as good as Scott Pilgrim does. The sprites are done in a chibi or super-deformed style which invokes Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O’Malley’s original designs, but makes them fit the retro stylings of the rest of the game.

But speaking of Bryan Lee O’Malley, you’ll probably need to have read his Scott Pilgrim series to really get the references to the series’ plot. The attract mode (another arcade reference) for the game basically sets up the premise, i.e. to date the mysterious Ramona Flowers, Scott Pilgrim needs to defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends, but the game itself doesn’t explain the story any further. Why do you fight two chicks (one with a bionic arm) in the middle of level 3? It’s never really explained in the game, but if you’ve read the books, you know exactly who they are.

The game mechanics are solid yet simple. You initially have access to a light attack, a heavy attack, jump and block, as well as an area attack and a helper character which deplete one of your gauges. But as you defeat more and more of the similarly dressed thugs, you’ll level up your character and gain access to different and more powerful moves. There are also a number of shops scattered throughout the levels which allow you to purchase items (with the Canadian coins the enemies drop) with varying effects like boosting your stats, replenishing your health and even giving you experience bonuses to level up quicker.

And you’ll probably want to level up because the game is hard. Much like it’s arcade ancestors, which were designed to keep you feeding quarters into the machine at a steady pace, Scott Pilgrim’s difficulty feels like it was designed to do the same. The game only saves between each of the seven levels in the game, so if you lose all your lives before beating the final boss for the level, you’ll need to start all over again. Which can be a little frustrating if you end up losing your last life on the final boss. But on the flip side, the game’s difficulty ultimately makes finishing the game much more rewarding.

You and up to three of your other friends can choose one of four characters for a little four player co-op... that is, if your three friends happen to be sitting next to you on your couch. In a world where online gaming is the norm, the exclusion of any online co-op is mind boggling. Especially since the co-op makes the game exponentially more fun. One could make a case that the exclusion of online play is a design choice intended to fit with the arcade sensibilities of the game. But if that’s the case, where’s the drop in, drop out co-op? In the arcades, the only thing you needed to join someone else’s game was a quarter. But in Scott Pilgrim, all the players need to join in from the very beginning, otherwise if a friend of yours wants to join in while you’re playing, you’ll need to restart all over again from the main menus.

Despite those minor shortcomings (which will hopefully be rectified with a patch later on down the line), Scott Pilgrim Vs The World: The Game is all around fun. It’s a simple game that you can just pick up and play. It doesn't really do anything new, but that’s not really the point. Scott Pilgrim transports you to a simpler time and really highlights that they don’t make games like this anymore.

Rating

If arcades still existed and I saw this game in a cabinet, I’d probably plunk down a couple quarters. Then I’d die and have to plunk down a few more. If I had to put in a quarter for every time I died in the game, I’d probably have spent way more than the ten bucks I spent to buy the game. So in that regard, I’d say “buy” this one. Plus it’s a whole lot of fun...

Recommendations

Scott Pilgrim - To really get the most out of the game, you should probably read the Scott Piilgrim series . There are a ton of gaming references in the books, so if you’re reading this comic, the books are probably right up your alley. (Also, while the movie is great, it’s not really a substitute for the books...)


Player Two

After the resurgence of multiplayer co-op, GameBizCo Inc. hired Player Two to be the Goose to someone else's Maverick. His workload isn't quite as heavy as most of the other people working at GameBizCo Inc. and as a result, he spends a lot of time in the break room or playing computer solitaire.
First Appearance: Another Videogame Webcomic?!? An Introduction

Player One

Player One is top dog at GameBizCo Inc. Nearly every game, from Pong to Mario Bros to Grand Theft Auto, requires Player One's expertise. His cocksure and sometimes inappropriate attitude is an annoyance to his coworkers but seeing as every game needs a first player, they make due.
First Appearance: Bonus Stage! Here comes Player One!

Damsel I. Distress

Whether it be a castle, a dungeon or mystical island, Damsel always needs to be saved... and she hates it. Damsel longs for the day when she's given the role of a strong female lead character who doesn't have huge breasts with hyper accurate physics.
First Appearance: LittleBIGPlanet

Final Boss

Underneath the huge brute that is Final Boss lies a timid creature who wouldn't hurt a fly. He puts on his "angry face" when throwing barrels down ramps or breathing fire but deep down he feels sorry for doing so. He's been known to throw a game or two in the player's favor.
First Appearance: World Record

John Minion

John Minion, or Min for short, is the hardest working employee at GameBizCo Inc. Playing everything from Goombas to no name thugs, Min gets beat up on a daily basis but loves every minute of it. He always wanted to work in the gaming industry and was originally hired as an intern. After years of getting coffee, his big break came when someone called in sick... and the rest is history.
First Appearance: Watchmen: The End is Nigh

Middle Manager

Middle Manager works in the Human Resources department. He runs staff meetings and interviews prospective employees. The other 90% of his time is spent playing Freecell on his computer.
First Appearance: Another Videogame Webcomic?!? An Introduction