Skylanders Superchargers PS4 Review

Gameplay

Graphics

Audio

Value

Summary: Activision successfully introduces vehicles into the Skylander universe which I'm guessing its competitors will soon follow!

4

Reality toys!

Superchargers, the latest in the Skylanders series, sees Activision embarking on yet another solid out in the Toys to Life genre which is aimed more at the younger demographic. In the past the market was utterly dominated by Skylanders, then with the advent of Disney Infinity and now Lego Dimensions, Superchargers shows us that Activision is not taking their audience for granted and that quite a lot of thought was put into this game.

The core of the gameplay has not changed with you either using one of the toys included with the starter pack and levelling it up, or by purchasing additional characters as you progress or your budget allows. The characters level up using XP and there are a number of fused genres integrated into the this gaming experience, making it interesting and accessible for all but the most jaded of gamers.

The nice thing about Superchargers is that it sees the introduction of vehicles into gameplay. This means using the new Portal of Power, you can place vehicles and characters into your game and if you match them up, players will be delighted with the supercharged combo’s available to them. The Starter Pack includes two Skylanders, the Super Shot Stealth Elf and Spitfire. The vehicle on offer is the awesome Hot Streak. Hot Streak is a land vehicle and this game covers this, plus sea and sky elements, so most gamers will quickly find themselves wanting and needing extra toys to take on parts of the game that are clearly locked to them.

If anything, this is the only real let down to the title as it is not subtle in letting you know you are missing out on stuff. Activision were really cool in supplying for review purposes both the Sky Slicer and Dive Bomber sky and sea vehicles respectively. It’s something for fans and parents to be aware of and possible to budget for a couple of extra things so that you or your child can access some really sweet parts of the game otherwise locked out. If you do not want or cannot buy more, the toys included will get you through the majority of gameplay and storyline.

A thing I did not like about the game as a parent was the hard push by the title to get kids to nag at parents for new toys. As you approach the sea and air challenges, Skylanders will plead with you to take part in them which of course you will need the extra toys for. Of course the need for toys is understood but neither Infinity or Dimensions are so open or heavy handed with the push for more purchases.

The vehicles do serve as more than a gimmick too, however they also need specific purchases made such as a racing pack in order to get the most out of the vehicle side of things. Until you get this, you can play the simpler parts of the racing game. There’s also a multiplayer element to the racing which is kind of fun but is largely controlled by who on your friends list also possesses the right toys.

Graphics are lovely on this game as the story unfolds about yet another peril presented by Kaos called the Doomstation of Ultimate Doomstruction. Danger unfolds and the Skylanders must fight to save Skylands over, you guessed it, land, water and sea! The different vehicles all present lots of gameplay options, with gamers needing to rethink how they approach the intriguing puzzles and ways to get through the game. Imagine being on the sea, then diving and realising that there’s another way through the title underwater. There are tons of neat things like that that show that Skylanders is still one heck of a relevant title in this genre. Levels are huge, with a lot of things to do in each part of the game.

In terms of bang for buck, Superchargers totally comes to the party with an utterly massive experience. This is a game that has had a lot of thought put into it, presenting us with a truly quality product full of charm, laughter and things to work out that should present a challenge to anyone who plays the title. Even though there may appear to be a lot of things you need to buy to play this, all you really need to have a great time is the starter pack and a air and sea vehicle. Older figures from previous games will work right here as well.

This is yet another awesome game in this series and I am pleased to report that I can highly recommend it.

Have Fun!

Key Features

Embark on an All New Wild Adventure
Fly, Drive and Dive Through Skylands with 3 Different Vehicle Types: Land, Sea & Sky
Ride Fast & Fully Armed in the New Skylanders Vehicles
Use SuperChargers to Modify Vehicle Parts to Boost Powers and Performance
Battle to Save Skylands Both with the Skylanders SuperChargers and their Vehicles
Compete in High Octane Head-to-Head Combat Races
Challenge Yourself with Fun Mini Games