PixelJunk Eden PlayStation 3
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Jul 31, 2008
Metascore
80 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 34 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 34
  3. Negative: 0 out of 34
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  1. DarkStation
    99
    At the bargain price of $9.99 there is no reason you should not pick up this game.
  2. Game Chronicles
    95
    Great visual style, great audio soundtrack, great gameplay, and great technical add-ins make PixelJunk Eden is the best ten dollars that gamers can spend on their PS3 this year.
  3. ZTGD
    95
    With such rich presentation the simple gameplay is more than engaging, it's addictive.
  4. TheSixthAxis
    90
    It's a remarkable title and yet another shining example of the excellent quality we’ve come to expect from the PSN Store when developers put their mind to it.
  5. Cheat Code Central
    90
    All these features and ultimately the exciting, addictive, and utterly entertaining gameplay make this game deserving of a high score.
  6. Destructoid
    90
    For the price, it totally delivers.
  7. Playstation Universe
    90
    From the addictive gameplay to the beautiful visuals to the absolute abundance of features, PixelJunk Eden is the best game released on the PlayStation Network this year.
  8. Gamer 2.0
    89
    Eden's certainly another notch on Sony's belt as far as great, unique PSN games are concerned, but it's also proof that platformers haven't disappeared yet, they've just found a better place to foster their evolution.
  9. IGN
    84
    A unique title, one that brings a breath of fresh air to the PlayStation Network. If you give it time, it'll grab you and keep you coming back for just one more Spectra time and time again.
  10. GameTrailers
    84
    Its simple, intuitive gameplay, combined with a clever use of strategy and impressive length make it a great buy for PS3 owners looking for a cheap fix.
  11. The A.V. Club
    83
    PixelJunk Eden is mesmerizing, visually sumptuous, and insanely frustrating.
  12. Gaming Age
    83
    The few detriments Eden has are hidden well and can be argued as an attempt to challenge the player, or simply as poor design choices. That doesn't change the fact that as a whole, it's a game that makes you feel thankful for playing.
  13. 1UP
    83
    The game is uniquely engaging, and it's not even remotely similar to its predecessors...or any other games, really. The elegant pairing of a psychedelic aesthetic and smart, addictive platforming mechanics is a rare find indeed.
  14. GameFocus
    81
    Presentation is great.
  15. games(TM)
    80
    Small, affordable, and utterly absorbing. [Oct 2008, p.121]
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  16. Boomtown
    80
    There’s a great game underneath the gimmickery.
  17. VideoGamer
    80
    It's exhausting, it's cruel and the control system could have done with some tweaking - the lack of in-air mobility really seems unfair. But there are also a lot of things it does right: it's truly original; it's got buckets of style; it allows three players to work together at once. Best of all, it's got a built-in video recorder that helps you film your acrobatics and upload them to YouTube.
  18. Gamer.nl
    80
    PixelJunk Eden is without a doubt a creative expression that let's you play like you've never played before. As a Grimp, your sole task is to furtalise a garden. But you have to believe us when we tell you that the game plays way better than it sounds. And with a very cheap pricetag it's easily worth the money.
  19. Gamervision
    80
    Even without a plot, somewhat stunted multiplayer offerings, and a few issues with the game design, Pixeljunk Eden is definitely worth checking out.
  20. TotalPlayStation
    80
    You'll be beaten and angered so many times you'll lose count, but you'll keep coming back, again and again and again and again and...
  21. Gameplanet
    80
    Yet another quirky PSN title that just screams replayability. It's challenging, but ultimately may prove too frustrating for the casual gamer which it appears to be aimed at. Nevertheless, good value for money and definitely one for the platform/side-scroller freaks out there.
  22. GamePro
    80
    A beautiful and mesmerizing title that warrants a look. It can't top the cream of the current crop of downloadable PSN games like Super Stardust HD, PixelJunk Monsters, and Tekken 5 Dark Resurrection Online, but it certainly holds its weight if you're looking to kill a few hours on a lazy Sunday.
  23. Hardcore Gamer Magazine
    80
    Despite the time constraints, which are actually pretty generous, Pixeljunk Eden is a peaceful, relaxing, and oddly pretty chill-out game that's very easy to lose a good chunk of time in. [Fall 2008, p.54]
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  24. Games Master UK
    77
    Like "flOw," it's magical for short periods but not enough to pull you back repeatedly. [Nov 2008, p.82]
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  25. PSM3 Magazine UK
    76
    Money well spent for a few hours of fun. [Nov 2008, p.84]
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  26. GamerNode
    75
    If you can survive the frustrating moments, you'll find a game unlike any other which can offer a tremendous experience completely its own.
  27. PTGamers
    75
    PixelJunk Eden has character and some good ideas, although they clash with some frustrating design choices, lessening its relaxing mood.
  28. Gamers' Temple
    72
    Pixel Junk Eden is innovative and visually intriguing, but there's not enough to it to keep you playing for very long.
  29. Edge Magazine
    70
    Eden’s precise artistic vision, dreamlike menus and sharply contemporary Japanese ambience is a perfect fit for PSN, but for all its purity this is an Eden too mechanically flawed to match its presentation. [Oct 2008, p.98]
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  30. Eurogamer
    70
    I stand by my assertions that inconsistent physics and poor level design make for a game which is frustrating. And having to start all over again, all of the time, is boring. But PixelJunk Eden still manages to be addictive. The more you experience and experiment with the control system, the more you realise how innovative it is.
  31. Thunderbolt
    70
    PixelJunk Eden is one of the best downloadable games on the PlayStation 3. The gameplay and controls are easy to get a hold of, and once you master the different gameplay techniques you’ll be gliding through the gardens with ease.
  32. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    70
    Eden might be an acquired taste, but with its one-of-a-kind controls, creative art style and cracking multiplayer, it's definitely worth the hard work...and the 4.99 BP asking price. [Oct 2008, p.94]
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  33. GameSpot
    70
    PixelJunk Eden is beautiful and serene, until an impatient clock mixes far too much stress into this otherwise leisurely game.
  34. Play UK
    67
    A lovely working title with plenty of character. For some that may be enough, but for us it was just that little too frustrating. [Issue#169, p.88]

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 31 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 14
  3. Negative: 1 out of 14
  1. iBash
    6
    In theory, I really like this game. It gives you beautiful 2D playgrounds remotely resembling gardens with a very stylized look and hypnotic, if repetitive, electronic music where your task is to collect pollen. They float around in bigger pollen balls which, if you or your thread on which you swing through the levels touch them, burst open and release said pollen, slowly descending to the ground. You then will have to touch those yourself or with your thread to make them fly to waiting blossoms which will, when filled with enough pollen, start to bloom and add more surfaces to hold on to to the level, allowing you to jump and swing higher in order to reach more blossoms to fill. The ultimate goal are the "spectra" more or less hidden in the levels, those you want to collect because, well, that's the goal and they make blossoms in the "main menu" - navigated just like playing the levels - bloom that allow you to reach new levels.

    So far, so simple? Well, not exactly, because there are a few things to it that make the game quite challenging. Most obvious would be the time limit you have to reach a spectra. You can refill it by collecting certain "bubbles" or "cells" placed throughout the levels and can make some appear by collecting a lot of pollen in a short time, but it always remains a threat which is, on its own, a good thing.

    Another hurdle are the controls, because, while not bad by any means, require an extreme precision from the player, especially since one bad move or a jump timed a bit too early or late can result in falling back to the ground or at least a very large part of the level, wasting a lot of precious time.

    That still isn't too bad, honestly, and would, at least for me, mean the perfect balance between relaxing and challenging, but there's one more aspect that pretty much ruins this game for me.

    Enemies.

    What were they thinking? These go far beyond adding challenge, they're an outright annoyance. First of all, what happens when you meet enemies? They don't kill you or anything, but when they touch your thread, they cut it and you fall helplessly. When they touch you, you lose your thread AND for a short time the ability to stick to surfaces, also resulting in a helpless cropper. It is worth noticing at this point, that you cannot shoot another thread while in midair, you must wait until you stick to another surface.

    And this only when they float around, they can, in addition directly approach and attack you. It is only for a very, very short moment after an actual attack that they're vulnerable and can be defeated, but even that's harder to pull off than it sounds - to make things worse, they respawn very soon, so you pretty much just wasted your precious time. Some of them also have long distance attacks and the worst thing is they actively follow you around the level and are not slow.

    In short: they're a complete pain in the behind. I have no idea how they could think them to be a good idea. I mean, even if not that tough, they would, at least for me, be bothersome and distracting from the actually fun gameplay, but the way they are, they just suck. (Defenders might say I just suck at the game, granted, but I really think that aspect fits to the game in general. I have nothing against challenging, but I don't like being harassed and annoyed.)

    Another aspect I consider a little weak is the way they force you to replay parts of the levels. Each level contains several spectra, but you're not allowed to collect them all right away. No, first time you play, you can collect one spectra, then the level ends and you must restart it to gather two spectra this time before the level ends, then restart, get three spectra and so on until you got all of them. That's a very cheap way of stretching the game's length.

    Since the levels also play all pretty much the same and just get harder, there's a lot of repetition anyways, though you won't mind it if you like the gameplay. Overall, I cannot give this game anything more than 6/10, so a bit better than your average game. Could've been a decent 9 or even 10, if not for the enemies.    … Full Review »
  2. fuchikoma
    8
    This is a great game. Some slam it for the difficulty curve, but I found it's pretty good. The problem there is that you're doing most of your work at very high altitudes, so if you flub some acrobatics, you may fall all the way to the ground and waste all your remaining time trying to climb back - it's stressful. Still, if you ration your time crystals and just pick up what you need, and just pursue the objectives, it's a game that really rewards mastery of the mechanics and adds interesting challenges as you progress.
    Additionally, the visuals are typical Pixeljunk - that is, they look unique, vibrantly colorful, animated and lively, and the music by fits perfectly - both products of multimedia artist "Baiyon." On the Q-Games side, things feel right: Everything seems to have its own weight and momentum. Some things are soft, some hard, others springy, with a bit of give. Swinging, you do sweep an arc, but it feels like your string has tension, and you need the right inertia to keep swinging. It makes a nice, varied world that may be challenging, but is consistent and feels fair. Oddly, you don't walk - you always jump. This isn't a big handicap, but adds a bit of challenge too - like how you can't "jump" in Bionic Commando.
    An expertly crafted game by the PixelJunk team. I strongly recommend it for people who like platformers, but want something really different.    … Full Review »
  3. boomshanka
    5
    maybe i'm missing something but i found this game very boring.
    note: i only played the demo.
    ok; points for asthetic... sorta... its go    od to get away from the eye-candy overload occasionally, but the vectorish graphics weren't overly engaging.
    the gameplay is, well, at best basic - at worst tedious.
    maybe it gets better in the full version or further down the track but... too late. yerv lost me .

    as someone said below... PLAY THE DEMO FIRST    … Full Review »
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