Monster Lab
| Monster Lab | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Backbone Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Eidos |
| Platform(s) | Wii, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS |
| Release date(s) | November 4, 2008 |
| Genre(s) | Action RPG |
Monster Lab is a video game for the Wii, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS that was developed by Backbone Entertainment's Vancouver, British Columbia-based studio and published by Eidos.[1] Debuting at the 2006 Comic-Con International convention in comic book form as Mad Science Alliance,[2] the game is described as "Pokémon meets Tim Burton".[3] The player controls a scientist and is helped by three professors to build his own monster. There are 150 parts to build a monster (which effect the monster's strengths and weaknesses), and 300 items. The Wii version features Wi-Fi online modes. In addition to turn-based combat, extensive use is made of the DS stylus and Wii Remote in monster-building minigames.
This game's original working title as conceived by Backbone was "Mad Science Alliance," not to be confused with the unreleased trading card game of the same name, conceived by Michael Pace and Dan Burton.[4]
Mad Sciences
A main point of the game focuses on the three types of Mad Sciences. They are, mechanical, biological, and alchemical. Three portions of the Castle (your HQ) are the three areas of these sciences. They are the Workshop (owned by Professor Fuseless), bio chamber (owned by Dr. Heleena Sonderbar), and arcanium (owned by Señor De La Sombra).
- The mechanical science makes mechanical parts for your monster, they may be gear and steam powered or shiny and futuristic.
- The biology science makes living parts, a lot of plants, and things made of human and animal flesh.
- The alchemical science makes (summons) magic parts for your monsters, including undead, elemental, or mythical creature components.
Mechanical attacks are strong against biological parts, biological attacks are strong against alchemical parts, and alchemical attacks are strong against mechanical parts. In order to create parts you have to collect pieces from defeated enemies and mini-games. Then those pieces are brought to the labs of one of the three mad scientists where you play mini-games to combine the pieces into either Legs, Heads, Torsos, and arms. You then may create your own controllable monster by combining the parts into a single creature.
Reception
The Wii version was nominated for Best RPG for the Wii by IGN in its 2008 video game awards.[5]
References
- ↑ Official site: http://www.monsterlabthegame.com/
- ↑ Comic con announcement: http://www.geek.com/articles/games/foundation-9-uses-comic-con-for-ip-launch-20060720/
- ↑ IGN review: http://wii.ign.com/articles/929/929103p1.html
- ↑ Official site of trading card game: http://www.monsterlab.com/about.html
- ↑ "IGN Wii: Best RPG 2008". IGN.com. 2008-12-18. Retrieved 2008-12-19.