The collaboration between Rare and Microsoft hasn't been the most fruitful one since the latter bought out the once-legendary developer in 2002. We've had a few rehashes of Rares N64 classics, as well as some Kinect crapware, but only one game has really stood out as truly being worthy of Rare's reputation. Oddly, that game was Viva Pinata, where you use an assortment of gardening tools to bring a waning garden back to life, in turn attracting an array of brightly-coloured, candy-eating fauna to come live there. Attracting two creatures of the same species will cause them to mate, and you'll need to play a mini-game to ensure the act goes through 'as planned', causes a baby pinata to be born, and continuing the life cycle in your strange little Eden. Sometimes, you'll have to take difficult decisions, such as battering a pinata to death with a shovel (causing it to explode in a shower of confectionery, of course) to make room for a new one, and you'll also need to prevent nefarious ruffians and sour pinata from entering your garden and destroying it from the inside out. Viva Pinata is utterly bizarre, like someone took a farm management sim and splashed all the animals with the garish colours and patchwork patterns of the 60s, yet it's also irresistibly charming, compelling you to make the best damn paradise possible for your motley crew of creatures.
Gamer, Researcher of strange things.
I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.
