True gaming is reborn on the PlayStation Vita with the launch of A-Men, a riddle within a retro game that will satisfy your cravings for tactical play. With more than a hint of the old school style of logic, platforms and creatures, we think our new, highly addictive title is an unexpected launch in a market dominated by pump-action big titles. Created by Bloober Team and honourably inspired by retro-cult classics Lemmings and Lost Vikings, the game gives you control of up to five army characters, each with their own personalities, skills and tools, whose mission is to round up their equally endearing enemies across a series of worlds and puzzles. Highly tactical and completely addictive, the game is immediately easy to play and yet, like many classic games, it is hard to truly master. You’ll definitely need a brain for this one, folks.
The gameplay takes the player on a journey through a series of different worlds and themes including Forest World, Seacoast World, Winterland World and Factory World. A-Men players use all of their five classes of characters to go up against two types of enemies. The first is a dumb lemming-like character and the second is very smart with the ability to avoid your clever traps. The characters are Spy, Muscleman, Commando, Engineer and Private, but beware of being fooled by their military-sounding names. Each one has their own very distinct personality and unique abilities that more skilled players will delve into to find that they can be combined across characters to ‘power up’ their individual capabilities.
If you want to change the look of your characters you can even visit clothing stores within the game to change outfits into something you prefer. As you might expect for a brand new game on a new platform, we have made use of the Vita’s astounding technical features, including the possibility to use proximity play with other gamers to exchange items won in the many levels throughout the different Worlds.
We have also made best use of the OLED screen, action buttons and touch controls of the PS Vita, the only platform with this combination that makes for truly enjoyable, old-school style gameplay. It really shows off the advantage of the PlayStation system over app-based gaming. There’s enough involved to keep you up all night and the cute, well-delivered style makes it worth it. Throw in Trophies available for hardcore enthusiasts and there is something in this game for everyone, and just one of the many reasons why A-Men is going to dominate the forums with players looking for walkthroughs. Like the Rubik’s cube or Tetris, it’s one of those games you get utterly absorbed in but not everyone can master. A-Men has cult classic written all over it.