Parasite Pack | PS4 Review

 A Perfect Pairing of Parasitic Puzzle Platformers. That's what you get when you buy into this two for one deal. Parasite Pack, a game published by Ratalaika Games and developed by Lowtek Games, comes complete with two arcade style retro redesigns centered around a tapeworm, and a flea. One game titled, "Flea", is an auto-jumping and blood collecting puzzle platformer. Wherein you jump around platform based obstacles collecting jars of blood for the local refu-fleas. In return for extra lives. As a flea your actions are limited, but effective enough to help you navigate trap and creepy crawly laden environments as you go about your blood harvesting. Only stopping on occasion to bump into larger fleas which will reward you in kind for the amount of blood you have collected. That and the occasional NPC or boss. All while jumping constantly like a flea with a tiny bit if height handling at your disposal as well as a suicide switch in case you get stuck. That is Flea.

Like Flea, "Tapeworm Disco Puzzle" takes place in a similar underground setting. You are basically a DJ headset wearing tapeworm that can rewind, and collect music notes as well as cassette tapes to add to it's ability to extend. This is the main gimmick, but the game does also incorporate the flea elements in that you will assist, and guide the fleas as you help them get to exits or blood jars. There are also environmental hazards to mind in this game, and that along with other creepy crawlies will end your game if the tapeworm hits them, or his friends the fleas meet their demise by also running into them. Puzzles are room based, and transitional in the sense that once you collect all the notes you will exit the current room, enter a cutscene, and make your way to the next puzzle in line. The "Flea" transitions, in retrospect, happen immediately upon tunnel exit, and will take your flea to an overworld as well as an underworld where the threats differ.

Interestingly enough both games come decked out with retro remake treatment. This includes wallpaper art, screen ratio adjustments, and CRT video filters. It's something extra that makes the games more akin to the arcade games they were aspiring to be. Visually the games are very well done. Simplistic in nature, but with a nice unique pixel art that is definitely from an experienced developer. Even the soundtrack is notably good, especially on the "Tapeworm Disco Puzzle" side of things. 

The Verdict ...

As you can probably tell by this short review that this collection of arcade style indies is gimmicky, and kind of basic. What it does though it does well, regardless of it's minimalist design. The games are paired perfectly in a familiar fashion with a similar art style, but are distinctly different at the same time according to mechanics. One game, "Flea", is your action platformer type of experience. Akin to an auto-runner style game though it is an auto-jumper. The other game, "Tapeworm Disco Puzzle" is more akin to the old mobile phone "Snake" style games, but with a collect-a-thon, and limited movement twist. It is kind of impressive how the developer did so much with so little. I actually enjoyed the games though I did manage to break "Flea" by death glitching into the next room through a wall. That needs to be sorted. Other than that I can recommend this one with great enthusiasm. It is simply retro remade & done right.