Tales from Space: About a Blob is a side-scrolling puzzle-platformer about a race of alien Blobs developed and published by Drinkbox Studios

Drinkbox Studios

DrinkBox Studios is an independent video game development studio located in downtown Toronto, Canada.The company was founded in 2008 by several members of Pseudo Interactive, after that company closed. Their first game was announced in 2010 and released in 2011 for PS3 via PSN. Their second game...

 for PSN downloadable. The game features a retro-inspired monster-movie art style and local co-op gameplay.

The title was originally released on PSN for PS+  users on February 2, 2011, and subsequently released for general download for PSN North American on February 8, 2011, and Europe on February 9, 2011. A free DLC

Downloadable content

Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...

 costume editor was released in an update on March 8, 2011 where players can dress their Blobs in various outfits.

Gameplay

The player controls a gelatinous Blob character who has a range of abilities that are released over the course of the game. The controls include those of a typical platformer

Platform game

A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...

 with the addition of digestion

Digestion

Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into smaller components that are more easily absorbed into a blood stream, for instance. Digestion is a form of catabolism: a breakdown of large food molecules to smaller ones....

 (absorb/shoot objects), magnetism

Magnetism

Magnetism is a property of materials that respond at an atomic or subatomic level to an applied magnetic field. Ferromagnetism is the strongest and most familiar type of magnetism. It is responsible for the behavior of permanent magnets, which produce their own persistent magnetic fields, as well...

 (repulse/attract) and electricity

Electricity

Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...

(gain/deplete). The game itself is split into 4 Tiers comprising 17 levels. Over the course of a level a player will receive target sizes that must be reached by locating and absorbing surrounding objects. Larger objects can be absorbed when the Blob increases in size. Target sizes are treated as sections within a level where a player must traverse platforms, solve puzzles, and fight enemies in order to proceed.

Story

The game involves a species of interstellar gelatinous blobs that travel the universe looking for their next meal. These blobs end up on a distant Earth-like planet that has fallen prey to mass industrialization. Upon landing on this planet the main Blob, which is controlled by the player, is captured by an evil scientist and must then begin the task of escaping, saving fellow Blob friends, and cleaning the planet.

Reception

Tales from Space: About a Blob was generally well received from critics, earning a Metacritic score of 76/100. Major review such as sites IGN and Eurogamer both gave the game a 8/10 due to it's "eye-catching art style" and "fresh ideas and powers that evolve the gameplay at the right time". Most noted was the game's unique art style and magnetic power. There were critics who felt the gameplay was too short - a total of 17 levels, along with bouts of frustration when precise platforming was required.

External links

• Official site