Last Tinker, The: City of Colors Review for PC

Reviewed on: PC
Developer: Mimimi Productions
Publisher: Unity Games
Rated: "M" for Mature

CHEATfactor Game Review
by Joe Sinicki

Presentation	6/10
The Last Tinker serves as a throwback to a time gone by, a time ruled by Insomniac and Rare - and it looks like it. It's not necessarily a bad thing that it looks like an early PS3 game since it aims to, but it does feel dated.
Gameplay	5/10
If you were a fan of Jak and Daxter and Banjo Kazooie, The Last Tinker will at least bring a smile to your face. That being said, this would be a bargain bin game even ten-years ago thanks to the uninspired gameplay.
Lasting Appeal	4/10
There's no doubt that kids will get more out of The Last Tinker than more experienced gamers but the repetitive sections, unsatisfying gameplay and linear paths are sure to bore even though most easily pleased gamers.
Overall	5/10
While it nails the look and feel of Banjo Kazooie and Jak and Daxter, it fails to recapture the gameplay, appeal and most importantly the heart of these games and as a result, The Last Tinker feels shallow and disappointing.
CHEATfactor	0/10

Ten years ago, The Last Tinker: City of Colors would have been on the bargain shelf. It would have stood in the shadow of games like Jak and Daxter, Banjo Kazooie and Ratchet and Clank; games that defined an era seemingly gone-by. The developers may have tried to channel the mechanics and accessibility of these games but they failed to recreate anything of what made these games special in the first place. The Last Tinker may seem appealing to younger gamers and those who lived through the PS2 era but take warning, this isn't what you remember and it doesn't do your memories justice.

"... feels like an updated version of the 3D platformers of years ago."

At first glance, The Last Tinker plays the role just right. It instantly looks and even feels like an updated version of the 3D platformers of years ago. You control Koru, an ape who learns that he's a Tinker; meaning that he can harness the spirit of each color. That's awfully convenient since all of the color in Colortown is endangered by a mysterious form called The Bleakness and as you've probably guessed it's up to Koru to return the color. There's not much depth to the story but if you look close enough you'll find hints at themes involving racism and individuality. It's a bit off putting to see these themes in a game mainly for kids but they don't play too prominent of a role here and they don't make much of a difference.

If you've played any of the great 3D platformers released in the last ten or fifteen years you'll feel right at home with the world of Colortown and The Last Tinker. The gameplay is all about running, jumping and collecting in a bright and vivid world with interesting characters. Unfortunately, Kuro shares almost nothing with the games it uses as its source material. No, The Last Tinker is not the second coming of 3D platformers - in fact, it's not even close.

At the heart of any great platformer is it's sense of movement and how it feels in your hands. Sadly The Last Tinker falls dramatically short here as movement feels remarkably weightless and shallow. You don't as much run and walk over surfaces as you glide awkwardly over them. Kuro has a parkour style of movement, which allows him to, at least in theory, move effortlessly from ledge to platform and back again but the game constantly trips over its own feet and never allows you to gain any momentum.

"Combat-wise, it's a case of a developer trying to do too much with so little."

Combat-wise, The Last Tinker is a case of a developer trying to do too much with so little. The basic combat is rhythm based, which wouldn't be so bad if the developers actually put some effort into the idea but there's really only one or two offensive maneuvers and a dodge mechanic. Later on in the game you learn how to use colors to help you fend off larger enemies (green enemies turn into cowards and run from you while blue enemies freeze) but this just turns the combat into a boring and escapable mess. I often found myself wishing I had the simple combat of some of the better 3D platformers.

The Last Tinker: City of Color aims to make you remember why you loved mascot games like Banjo Kazooie, Mario and Jak and Daxter. While it nails the look and feel of the forgotten genre, it fails to recapture the gameplay, appeal and most importantly the heart of these games and as a result, The Last Tinker often feels shallow and disappointing.

CHEATfactor

As of this writing there are no cheats or trainers available for The Last Tinker: City of Color. I would love to see a cheat to unlock some of the color powers earlier and a float mode, which will allow some of the platformer issues to be fixed. Stick with Cheat Happens for more cheats as they become available.

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