You may remember my review of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, published last December. I reviewed the game without having played one of the core components: the drop-in drop-out co-operative mode. I have written this supplemental slice to talk about that feature in full.
I played through the whole of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs in co-operative mode over the space of an evening and a morning. My brother and I tore through the game with little resistance or trouble, and once again my mind was blown by how fun and accessible this game can be and how it completely breaks from the dreaded curse faced by movie tie-in games.
Since I had already played the game, we blistered through most of it because I remembered where to go. I already had every one of the Achievements. I do not know if the Achievements unlock for both players; I would assume that they do not. Because of my previous playthrough, my brother took control of Flint Lockwood, the lovable madcap scientist. I was stuck in the role of Steve, Flint’s pet monkey who can speak.
This is when I discovered that the game is even better in co-op. Some of the puzzles I slaved over when I played the game in single player were now much easier, as one player can devote themselves to one task while the other player compliments their decision by taking up another task.
Cleaning up the collection of Hydronic Foodpods is much easier in co-operative. For starters, Steve the Monkey can jump slightly higher and clip platforms, allowing some of the Foodpods to be collected easily through exploitable glitches.
Co-op also means that the game’s workload can effectively be halved: for example, where a battle has Flint Lockwood taking on two spiraling spaghetti tornadoes, the number of enemies does not increase in co-op, meaning that Steve can take on one tornado while Flint takes on the other.
If you haven’t played this game yet (and that means you don’t trust me when I give a game an “almost perfect” score), then consider grabbing Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs for the co-operative play. Jump into single player, press Start on the second controller, and trust me—it’ll be hours before you realize where you are.
This short game, six months on from the last time I played it, is still relevant, fun and a damn good laugh. Playing as Steve has revealed to me that there is much more to the game than I originally thought. It’s practically being given away now, so pick it up cheap on one of the consoles and have some fun.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
Creator of The EscapeRoute Show. http://www.youtube.com/escaperoutebritish 
Diana (angelfire141) (9)
rizziman33 (6)
JoeReviewer (4)
AnimeF***Head (1)
CaptainZM (1)
Jim Connolly (1)
massielita (1)
Matt (1)
Murat (1)
Nam (1)
Mediocre game remains mediocre
Maybe I have this more forgiving nature when it comes to video games. I focus more on my experience and the joy that comes from every button press. Perhaps that is why many a mediocre game (Kane & Lynch 2, Blade Kitten) shine through for me.
I love the movie Cloudy, and I love many games people consider total shit (Daikatana), but this game is totally going-through-the-motions. Kane and Lynch at least comes into its own in co-op, and Blade Kitten has actual hidden stuff. Cloudy is just spectacularly “fine”.
If I enjoyed the book, will I love this game?
I don’t know, as I have never read the book. It must be a cultural thing, as the book was never around when I was a kid.
Oh really? I still think of the book first whenever I hear the name; my five-year-old self thought it was the funniest thing that the sky was raining cheeseburgers.
Paul, for the love of Goodness Gracious, you need to watch the movie. It’s the funniest animated film of the last… forever, probably. I’ve seen it six or seven times, at least.
Are you joking? I can’t tell if you’re joking.
I’m serious as cancer when I talk Cloudy.
It was a gorgeous animation; instant points for that. Plus, now the game sounds real good.
I just saw the movie for the first time today, and — well, it’s probably one of the best animated movies I have ever seen. The pacing is superb, the humour is outlandish and and the jokes come in quick succession one after the other. The greatest parts of the movie are undoubtedly that great recurring theme music and the astonishing art direction employed in every lovingly crafted shot.