The PSP has seen more than a few solid puzzles games scoot through over the past few years. Some, like Lumines, offered an addictive, relatively high-profile distraction on day one, while others like D3Publisher and Now Production's PQ games hit with far less fanfare or attention, yet still managed to offer something different. Downstream Panic!, at least in the few hours IGN have spent with the game, manages to pull from both worlds, sneaking into the office with the stealth of a ninja but coaxing a couple of "awww" responses based solely on its cuteness and charm. Blame the game's Chipmunks-like -- you know, sped-up, cutesy voices and baby-like coos all over the place -- for the aforementioned charm.
Downstream Panic! is an unpredictable, fast-paced, tactical puzzle-action that places players in the position of a sea-creature preservationist out to save the world from a fantastic cyclone that has blasted the world's fish into the Earth's atmosphere.
Yes there are other fish in the puzzle game sea, but Downstream Panic's Lemmings-esque gameplay is hard to resist. Sheparding your fish back to the sea and using the game's cotierie of bombs, nets, fans, harpoons, and other tools to navigate through and influence the title's 80 environments is both fun and challenging.
If there's one drawback, it's that it often feels like there is only one solution to each board, which isn't a huge crime except that it puts a damper on the Free mode, where you're allowed to buy extra (albeit sometimes superfluous) equipment to help you in your cause.
Downstream Panic is perhaps the first sleeper hit of the year for the PlayStation Portable. Fans of the puzzle genre should really check the game out, as for a mere $30 it offers a plethora of entertainment and fun. Its addictive gameplay will make sure that you play through all 80 missions, and come back for more. Furthermore, it features a solid amount of depth, and its presentation is quite easy on the eyes. Pick this one up.
Graphics - 7.5
Gameplay - 8.5
Sound - 8.0
Control - 8.0
Replay Value - 8.5
Overall -