POSTED 10/9/11


LEEDMEES

Konami
Xbox 360/XBLA/Kinect

WHEEEEEE! We’re an aeroplane – FROOOOWR! ACK – whassat?! A weird-looking teensy white critter just hopped on board... ooh! That tickles – heehee, you cheeky little hijacker you!

OK, now that we’re slightly over the novelty of our gigantic frame looking positively waiflike onscreen, we’ll explain WTF this thingy’s about. Leedmees are rather Lemmingsy creatures that pootle about aimlessly until somebody takes control. That somebody is you – well, not necessarily you the reader, rather you the player - but we’re not talking your everyday, run of the mill, established way of controlling.

Kinect is used to marvellously creative effect by sucking your image in and converting it into an onscreen character akin to a hybrid of anorexic Easter Island head and those wacky flailing arm tube guy thingies with vacuums shooting phwoomf up their bums that spruik tyre centres. As you move your arms, legs, torso, head and such about, it’s represented in-game by El Pipecleanerino. It’s rather cool, although for us reaching down low rarely went as planned.

So, you let the little white guys (who’re pretty fly, considering) clamber about you so that you can guide them to nabbing stars and reaching level-leaving portals. You must exercise some care though, for you can easily smush them with a klutzy foot, or fling them too hard and leave them smarting. Help enough escape and it’s next level time.

Things start mostly harmless and escalate. Spiky stuff, balls and more cause issues the further you progress. This is assuming that you’ve a modicum of upper body strength, for playing aeroplanes for as long as is required can get super-ouchy. Introduce a second player and new skills are required, not least of all teamwork or you’ll quickly be a victim of collision.

Leedmees is ephemeral funtasticalness that’s not recommended for the moai ticklish...

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