Blinx isn't the perfect game, but it's certainly the best platformer on Xbox. Calling it a platformer is misleading though, because this is hardly one set in traditional platform values. Blinx gets incredibly difficult, so much so that it probably won't please some folks. This isn't a Crash Bandicoot game where you die a few times on a boss, figure it out, and move on. This one will take time and a real investment to master.
There's no way to make it all the way through Blinx without having to go back to previous levels. You need more money and time powers too often to make it through in one shot. And it's designed this way. And for as difficult as it is, I can't really say that it's so much fun as it is very enjoyable. Blinx doesn't hit you the same way Mario does. Instead, it becomes more of a game of "You are not going to beat me, game" than it does "Oh, my God I love this little cat!"
Granted Blinx is a cute and a well-designed (if almost completely silent) character. And he is more than a potential mascot for Xbox (though somehow I think Master Chief will remain synonymous with the 'box more than Blinx ever will), he is the future of Xbox games. This is the first significant use of the hard drive. The first real sampling of what makes the Xbox unique from the other consoles. Developers will begin to get creative with the hard drive. Maybe not so much next year, but certainly by 2004 we will see a lot more uses of the hard drive than just having the power of TiVo. And for that, Blinx deserves a spot in anyone's video game library. Not only is it a solid, challenging, and beautiful game, but it's also a significant step in the direction of the Xbox. And while not the best game on Xbox, it may very well be the most important one yet.
