Wii might not boast the processing power of PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, but it certainly is cultivating a spirit of innovation. While ports and remixes have made their way to the system, there have been a few original titles that stand out not only because of their use of motion-controls, but also due to sheer inventiveness. Dewy's Adventure promises to extend this burgeoning spirit with full use of the Wii Remote in a unique game world.
Dewy's Adventure gives you control over a droplet of water as he endeavors to save the mystical Elder Tree from the evil Don Hedron. Playing as Dewy, it's up to you to clear the Black Water the villain which has spread throughout the forest. Doing so requires manipulating stages with movements of the Wii Remote to roll Dewy along and battle against enemies. The game is set on six different worlds and we played through an early stage entitled "Groovy Grasslands" that had us guiding the little drop through a simple series of platform challenges.
Like a cross between Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz and Super Mario Bros., Dewy's Adventure mixes spatial puzzle-solving with traditional platform-action elements; in short, it promises a unique blend of motion-controls and platforming. The game utilizes only the Wii Remote, which is held horizontally. Twists of the remote equate to tilts of the map. Initially we found the sensitivity of the Wii Remote to be daunting; after a few minutes, however, it became easier to guide Dewy past the stage's various obstacles.
Throughout the level were enemies formed from the Black Water released by Don Hedron. Dewy can dispatch the dark creatures several ways. Foremost, you can execute a hip attack by simultaneously pressing 1 and 2; in addition to nailing enemies for damage, you can also use hip attacks to open treasure chests. You can also shake the Wii Remote vertically to set off an earthquake or move from side-to-side for a wind gust that will blow weak enemies off the map.
As a drop of water, Dewy can transform into different states based on temperature. Switching among these forms takes a tap on the directional pad with up heating him into steam and down freezing him into ice. Naturally, Dewy possesses different abilities corresponding to his solid, liquid, and gaseous states. For instance, pressing 1 triggers a spin attack in ice form, while the same button in steam state unleashes a thunderbolt attack. Some enemies can only be defeated while in a specific state, so learning when to transform will play a significant role in the game.
Making our way through the demonstration, we found Dewy's special attacks most effective in dispatching the enemies populating the stage. Clearing the level of Don Hedron's Black Water minions led to a mini-boss confrontation against a four-legged creature. A small health gauge above its head let us know how effective blasts from Dewy's thunderbolt and icy spin attack were. After successfully beating the boss, Dewy was shot from a cannon to the next stage; although, it was here that the demonstration ended.
From the time that we spent with Dewy's Adventure, it's clear that it'll distinguish itself as a unique title. The mix of platform-action and stage manipulation works nicely. We're interested in delving deeper into the game, as Dewy will gain access to more powerful attacks and engage bigger, tougher enemies. We also want to get a look at the editing tools which are supposedly similar to those in Konami’s Elebits. We'll have more for you soon as the game is set to ship in early September.
