Noby Noby Boy (PSN) Review

Posted by Armando Rodriguez on 03.10.2009

How does the quirky PSN title fair? Let's find out!



Title: Noby Noby Boy
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Developer: Namco Bandai
Genre: Action
Players: 1
Rated: E for Everyone

It has been really hard for me to review Noby Noby Boy because I can’t really decide how to classify it. From the makers of Katamari Damacy, Noby Noby is equally weird and addictive, but at the same time lacks true purpose. It is more like a toy than a video game.

In Noby Noby Boy you control BOY, a worm-like creature. BOY has two sides; his front side has eyes, a mouth and two arms, while his backside also has two small arms. You control his left side with the left analog stick and his backside with the right analog stick. Pressing them in opposite directions will cause BOY to stretch and grow. L2 and R2 can be held down for BOY to use his arms and grab whatever is close by (even the ground) which allows you to anchor one side while stretching the other. You can tap those same buttons to make BOY jump and even fly a little. L2 is also used to eat things.

Anything you eat goes through your insides and makes you grow fat. The longer you are, the more things you can eat without pooping them out. Yes, if you eat too much, a fart like sound will be heard and the first thing you ate will fly out of BOY’s ass like a cannonball. You can also fart things out by pressing the R2 button. Some things can even be combined, for example, if you eat a person and a fruit, or person and animal, you can poop out a hybrid thing, such as a little girl with a rabbit face. What is the purpose of doing that? Well, there is no real purpose besides the amusement you get from creating these odd-looking hybrids.

The real purpose of the game is to grow as big as you can and then reporting that total online, which will make another creature called GIRL grow. Every once in a while, GIRL will reach a new planet and it will become open for play. Recently, GIRL got to the Moon and is now on her way to Mars. This adds a community aspect to the game since lots of players need to play and report their lengths for these new areas to become playable.

Unfortunately, the game’s randomly generated maps play the same, no matter if it’s on Earth or the Moon. The game creates a square-shaped map with objects on it, like trees, houses, people, animals and objects like bicycles and soccer balls. The idea is to use your own imagination on what things to eat and what things to wrap around you. You can also take people and animals for a ride on your back, although, like most of the game, this has no real purpose outside of achieving the ridiculously easy trophy list. Yes, the game supports trophies for things such as “Give 20 people a ride on your back”, “Stretch BOY for X amounts of length” and “Create an animal-person or Fruit-person hybrid”.

The biggest problem with the game, for me, is that it has no real purpose. You can make BOY very long in a matter of seconds and report that online, so unless you feel creative or like to experiment with the environment, you can achieve for goal in a very short amount of time. The game ends up feeling more like a toy box than a true video game, an experience in which you are guided by your own curiosity and creativity and less by any structured goal. Obviously, this makes the game a niche product and not one that will be welcomed and appreciated by everyone. It is easy to learn, easy to get into and fun in short bursts, but I don’t think anyone will come to me and say “I spent 8 hours playing Noby Noby Boy today”.

The graphics are very artistic and charming, but nothing that could not have been done in the PlayStation 2. The sound is very Japanese and BOY’s funny fart sounds will make you laugh like crazy. The real problem comes from the controls. There are way too many functions mapped to L2 and eating things proves to be a chore, especially when you are right in front of something and trying to eat it, only for BOY to hop up and down in front of it, like some weird humping dance. The camera is also quite difficult to control. You need to hold L1 and tilt forward or backward to zoom in and out. Holding L1 or R1 and tilting left and right will scroll the camera in that direction. I like the use of the tilt mechanics here, but there is a learning curve, since it is very difficult to learn how to be precise with your tilts in order to get the camera on the right spot.


The 411:
How much you enjoy Noby Noby Boy depends on your willingness to play for the sake of playing and experimenting with the environment. The game is full of charm and funny moments, but the lack of a true advancement structure hurts the game’s appeal. For $5 Noby Noby Boy is not a bad deal as it provides something refreshingly unique and a relaxing experience. To those that “Get It” Noby Noby Boy will become an addiction, but for the rest of us, it will be just mildly entertaining.

Graphics	7.5	Nothing that can’t be done in a PS2, but they are full of charm and personality. Some of the animations look a bit stiff.
Gameplay	7.0	If you don’t like a structured way of progressing, there is a lot to like here. Stretch BOY, eat and combine things and just explore at your leisure
Sound	7.0	Quirky and very Japanese, but it fits right in with the game. The funny fart sounds will have you giggling like a school girl.
Lasting Appeal	7.5	As long as you keep experimenting and the community continues to contribute, new planets and locations will become available, extending replay value.
Fun Factor	7.0	Fun Factor depends sorely on you, on your creativity and willingness to explore and create.
Overall	7.2   [ Good ]

Screenshots
All 4 Noby Noby Boy Screenshots