Henry Hatsworth: holy hell, this puzzling/platforming combo is hard

Wordherder

A new video game character is about to be unleashed on the world. A character with more hip attitude than Shadow the Hedgehog and Poochie combined! It's...



Okay, he's an old English guy in a bowler and monocle. So he'll just sit there and sip tea while telling boring, rambling stories about the Great War, right? No! He'll go out there and wage war, by jove! A war with two fronts... platforming and puzzling.



Both at the same time? On that confounded two-screened DS contraption? However will that work? Perhaps this short documentary on the life and times of an enemy in the game shall enlighten you:

http://ds.ign.com/dor/objects/14273466/henry-hatsworth/videos/henryh_puzzleenemytrailer_021009.html

For those of you who can't see the video, whenever Henry defeats one of those blighters on the top screen, he goes to the bottom screen and transforms into a block. If enemy blocks get close to other enemy blocks and don't get taken care of, they'll come back to the top screen. But if you match colors of blocks, you'll earn energy that can be used for power-ups.

Though yes, like every good British stereotype, Henry will spend some time in the game drinking tea.



One good cuppa will, like countless English novels over the centuries have described, transform Henry into a giant robot.



This spot of fun comes out in March. Cheerio!

Update: So how awesome is www.henryhatsworth.com? So awesome. You can get the entire soundtrack there, including a song that is essentially the Old English Chap's Chorus. (You can hear that one in the background by going to the "about the game" section.)

Lunker

HELL YES

Game looks and sounds awesome. MTV's Multiplayer blog has a few more screens and more details about how the game actually plays, though the writeup "spoils" some bosses and mechanics.

Based on the top screen’s action, you’d think the game was a side-scrolling action-adventure. And you might imagine that formula being a good thing for fans of old-school Super-Nintendo-era stuff.

But the bottom screen is a puzzle game that plays like “Planet Puzzle League,” and therefore maybe makes this game a bit more.. mom-oriented?

Having played this game on and off for several weeks, I can assure you that it’s the former. This game is a throwback, a game of bottomless pits, precise jumps and hard bosses. So far, I like it. But, to be honest, sometimes I yell at it. Then try again.

Action in “Henry Hatsworth” unfolds in that top screen, but when you need a power boost, you press the DS’ x-button, which pauses the side-scrolling and lets you do the puzzle. The advance of the puzzle pieces up from the bottom screen never pauses, but it’s only when you’re working on that bottom screen that you can do anything about it. match three or more colored squares and you clear the pieces out, the reward being some added power to use to shoot enemies or transform Hatsworth.

The wrinkle is that that enemies killed on the top screen fall to the bottom screen. When they land there, they become blocks that you need to clear, or else they advance back to the top to cause Hatsworth problems on the upper screen again. One more thing: some combos on the bottom screen activate special items and powers that you can use to get past hard parts of the action on the top screen.

So…do think of it as an old-school game, but with more strategic options available to the player, thanks to the puzzle-based power management in the bottom screen.

Wordherder

Aw poop, I was just about to put that new info in the OP.

Also, this boss looks hilarious.

SlayerVin

I didn't even really touch my DS for most of 2008, but now... Good god, the thing's back in full force for me. This sounds like it's going to be great.

Cameron_Talley

I'm torn.

I love the English character and think the platforming part looks awesome. Teatime is a powerup? Hell yeah.

But I'm not a fan of puzzle games (outside of Tetris).

So...I guess I'll have to wait and see.

Falstaff

Man, the DS really is the best thing to happen since anything ever.

The name alone merits a day 1 purchase!

Sorenson

Oh my god

If he starts off every single level/world like Commander McBragg I will die of glee.

Lunker

cloudeagle wrote:

One good cuppa will make Henry younger. Drink another and, like countless English novels over the centuries have described, Henry will transform into a giant robot.

I think this is how A Tale of Two Cities ended, wasn't it?

darleysam

Lunker wrote: »

cloudeagle wrote:

One good cuppa will make Henry younger. Drink another and, like countless English novels over the centuries have described, Henry will transform into a giant robot.

I think this is how A Tale of Two Cities ended, wasn't it?

Mecha Carton blowing up half of France in a successful bid to save Charles Darnay, but is slain by a stray bullet as Darnay and Lucie board the last VTOL out of town.

Wordherder

darleysam wrote: »

Lunker wrote: »

cloudeagle wrote:

One good cuppa will make Henry younger. Drink another and, like countless English novels over the centuries have described, Henry will transform into a giant robot.

I think this is how A Tale of Two Cities ended, wasn't it?

Mecha Carton blowing up half of France in a successful bid to save Charles Darnay, but is slain by a stray bullet as Darnay and Lucie board the last VTOL out of town.

Ah, the classics. I'm sure everyone has heard of this one by now, but it's still worth mentioning:



Back on topic, it looks like the game's doing everything in its power to be quirky and hilarious.

darleysam

Damnit, wait, no, I've got a better ending for that!

Mecha Carton blowing up the Bastille in a successful bid to rescue Charles Darnay, but is decapitated by Madame Defarge's experimental Guillotine Rifle as Darnay and Lucie board the last VTOL out of town.

Okay, I had to get that out of my system.

Back to the subject in hand! This intrigues me, but I'm not sure how much I'd actually play the game (like so many things on the DS for me, unfortunately).

Falstaff

Man, even Emma would be good with steampunk robots.


Well ok, no it wouldn't. Helluva lot better though.

Brainiac 8

Super Robot Juice is the greatest thing I have ever heard of. I have a feeling that Professor Layton and Henry Hatsworth will be having a battle to shake all of the Earth! :shock:

Can't wait to get this.

Xagarath

I still think the character is far too much a conscious attempt to be "cult" than anything actually imaginative.
Gameplay is interesting, however.

Brainiac 8

Cult status may not be the worst thing to strive for though. I mean, yes, the sales may end up being hurt in the short term, but the game is remembered for far longer than most big budget overhyped money machines.

We'll see though, it does look genuinly fun.

Falstaff

Xagarath wrote: »

I still think the character is far too much a conscious attempt to be "cult" than anything actually imaginative.

It's only an "attempt" if it fails though.

Xagarath

Falstaff wrote: »

Xagarath wrote: »

I still think the character is far too much a conscious attempt to be "cult" than anything actually imaginative.

It's only an "attempt" if it fails though.

This is puzzlingly wrong.
Attempts succeed all the time.

Falstaff

Xagarath wrote: »

Falstaff wrote: »

Xagarath wrote: »

I still think the character is far too much a conscious attempt to be "cult" than anything actually imaginative.

It's only an "attempt" if it fails though.

This is puzzlingly wrong.
Attempts succeed all the time.

Except then you'd just call it an imaginative cult game.

Wordherder

Xagarath wrote: »

I still think the character is far too much a conscious attempt to be "cult" than anything actually imaginative.
Gameplay is interesting, however.

Eh, I don't think they're trying to be cult, I think they're just trying to be different. In reaction to EA's past years of being violently uncreative. After all, we got things like Mirror's Edge for the consoles.

SlayerVin

Xagarath wrote: »

I still think the character is far too much a conscious attempt to be "cult" than anything actually imaginative.

I'll give you that. It does seem kind of "conveniently" guided towards a specific audience. Like every Atlus game ever published.

Are you just saying this because you're from the UK though? Don't you all wear bowlers and monocles over there? Drinking your tea and eating your crumpets, discussing world politics with an air of superiority. You smarmy bastards. :P

Hmm.... I may have a point here, this guy does seem to be a pretty bad stereotype. I predict British nationals boycotting this game.

Xagarath

Falstaff wrote: »

Xagarath wrote: »

Falstaff wrote: »

Xagarath wrote: »

I still think the character is far too much a conscious attempt to be "cult" than anything actually imaginative.

It's only an "attempt" if it fails though.

This is puzzlingly wrong.
Attempts succeed all the time.

Except then you'd just call it an imaginative cult game.

But since it hasn't yet been released, and is only successful in potentia, attempt is accurate

Falstaff

Xagarath wrote: »

Falstaff wrote: »

Xagarath wrote: »

Falstaff wrote: »

Xagarath wrote: »

I still think the character is far too much a conscious attempt to be "cult" than anything actually imaginative.

It's only an "attempt" if it fails though.

This is puzzlingly wrong.
Attempts succeed all the time.

Except then you'd just call it an imaginative cult game.

But since it hasn't yet been released, and is only successful in potentia, attempt is accurate

Yep.

I can't wait to judge first hand.

jeddy lee

Based off the artwork posted in the dsi thread, and now reading the op, I think this is a day one for me now.

Brainiac 8

It should be a day one for everyone.

Nik Huze

This looks so awesome. It comes out the same day as GTA:Chinatown Wars though. That seems like a bad marketing idea, but I guess it makes for a very interesting alternative. And, hey, does anyone know when Layton 2 will come to the states? I yearn for that game with every fiber of my being.

Xagarath

Nik Huze wrote: »

And, hey, does anyone know when Layton 2 will come to the states? I yearn for that game with every fiber of my being.

Given how ridiculously well the first one's been selling in the UK, it's really getting overdue.

UnbreakableVow

I just heard about this game the other day.

It sounds so awesome.

JamesKeenan

Holy shit... this game looks...

fun.

Makes me wish I had a DS.

Oats

I may buy this game in spite of the fact that I do not own a DS.

Brainiac 8

People without a DS are crazy. No other system has such an offering of awesomeness as the DS does.

Lunker

They talked about this more on the Listen Up podcast recently, and both Patrick Klepek and John Davison were stoked about it. To clarify, you don't play the puzzle game and the platformer simultaneously—think of the puzzle game as kind of a timed power-up that gives you benefits in the platformer, if I'm understanding it correctly. Beating enemies gives you additional time on the puzzle clock, but certain enemies appear as infected blocks that you have to clear before they reach the top of the bottom screen.

It all sounds so inventive. Can't wait!

Lly

Xagarath wrote: »

Nik Huze wrote: »

And, hey, does anyone know when Layton 2 will come to the states? I yearn for that game with every fiber of my being.

Given how ridiculously well the first one's been selling in the UK, it's really getting overdue.

To be fair why would they release the sequel when the first one is still selling so well?

Also this game does look amazing, but the puzzle element is pretty much my least favourite type of puzzle there is, which is a shame. Hopefully it won't suffer (for me) too much because of that.

Rhesus Positive

I demand a walnut-panelled DS to play this on. With a tweed case.

Brainiac 8

I would buy it. :^:

Wordherder

So IGN is orgasming all over this. Yeah yeah, IGN, but it's yet another place that's really excited for this.

Here's some more details:

Of course there's some obvious balance that needs to come into place, namely the fact that players won't be able to play both games at the same time. Instead, there's a link between the two modes, though each will play a backset while the other is in progress. Run around on the top screen, and the bottom screen will darken, but slowly scroll in new tiles line by line. When killing an enemy, however, they fall down to the bottom screen in place of a colored block, and right along with everything else on the screen, begin to rise up to the top row by row. If enemy blocks push back up onto the top screen, their spirits will come back to haunt Henry, slamming down from above until killed again. The only way to stop them – and also the gateway to power-pus, health, and the like – is to hit X, pause the top screen, and go clear away blocks. In order to keep things moving, however, you'll only have a certain amount of time to clear things away before being brought back up into the main gameplay area.

What's really impressive about Henry Hatsworth, however, is that it doesn't feel like two halves of games mashed up together. Yes, there's an obvious distinction between the two modes, but where other games of this nature (mash-up titles) only seem to half execute on each screen, Hatsworth is truly two games merged together. If the bottom screen was magically removed from the game, you've got a great platformer with nice combo fighting, a jewel system that allows you to collect cash and upgrade attacks, damage, and item appearance rate. On the bottom screen, Hatsworth is a well-designed Tetris Attack clone that includes things like full color-removing super-blocks (hit one green, and all greens will be removed), its own combo system, and stylus/button control for those that want to play it with a tactile feel, or just want to use the d-pad and buttons so they can easily jump right back into the platforming aspects again. Rather than feeling like Hatsworth is two halves of different games, it's an experience built around two fully-realized mechanics. Good show.

...

As another surprising aspect of the game though, Hatsworth has a really strong sense of presentation to it. The music is playful and very original, the sprite art, animations, and level design is all well produced visually, and characters have a "love it or hate it" (we love it) Banjo Kazooie-inspired voice blabber system, mixing up gibberish as they speak. I personally found myself cracking up out loud a few times in just the game's first hour alone, and the mix of old man humor, random oddities (like the gibberish audio), and story itself is really fresh and entertaining. Without giving too much of the mains story away, Hatsworth and his rival, Leopold Charles Anthony Weasleby the Third, have a relationship very similar to the Farnsworth/Wernstrom rivalry from Futurama, though in this case it isn't about which doddering old man is the best scientist, but rather the greatest adventurer. Not sure how Weasleby will contend with an old man that can turn into a giant robot, but I'm sure we'll see an epic face-off by the end of the game.

http://ds.ign.com/articles/959/959849p2.html

That tears it, I must have this now.

Brainiac 8

Two weeks....two weeks...two weeks...two weeks.

Forar

Oh hell this sounds awesome!

The Farnsworth / Wernstrom comparison alone is selling me on this.

Brainiac 8

We need to keep spreading word on this!

Kyougu

They raved about this game on last week's 1up. Seeing the video, I can see why. This looks like a blast.

Taxman29

Sorry if it's been mentioned already, but you all should go to the official website (www.henryhatsworth.com) and download the full soundtrack. It's awesome, especially the old guys singing. I think it's awesome they put the whole soundtrack up for free when it's not even out yet.

Wordherder

Okay, everyone needs to go to www.henryhatsworth.com NOW. If nothing else, click on "about the game" to hear the old man chorus. So awesome.