February 4, 2009 - SPRay (aka Sprited Prince Ray) is something of a unique title for the Wii. In it, as the titular Prince Ray, you’re tasked with saving the land from a malevolent being by collecting parts of a crystal sun, a crystal cluster that brings life to the world. It’s been shattered and its pieces scattered across varying landscapes, so the Prince, along with two little helpers, must collect them to save the day.

What makes these two helpers special is there ability to ‘spray’ different liquids to where you’re pointing on the screen with the Wiimote. You can spray water, ice, slime, vomit (yeah, vomit), or antimatter. Each of these substances have special effects like having the slime stick you to substances or the vomit which can reveal invisible paths. They require energy that you have to recharge by picking it up around the level, but this really never becomes a problem.

All the puzzles and combat of the game revolve around the usage of these substances. Spraying enemies with substances defeats the most basic foes, but often you have to use your sword as well, which involves shaking the Wiimote. The lock-on system in the game is quite imprecise, which can make combat a hassle. The fact that enemies can constantly respawn also makes combating them a frustrating experience that really has no reward, so it’s generally better to just run by them.

The game also has a terrible camera that seems to be trying to get into the worst position possible at every turn. Simply put: you can’t control it in any shape, way, or form, so you really just have to hope that at some point it’s behind you. Some of the game’s less forgiving jumps are made even more of a pain by the camera’s shoddy system. This game may look like a cakewalk, but it can be quite the struggle to make it through some of its platforming.

The end result of all of this is that SPRay provides an interesting mechanic, but doesn’t manage to develop it into a fun experience. I like the idea of spraying various liquids around a level to solve puzzles, but it’s just not made well here. The Wiimote’s targeting is off at times, requiring some luck to get it to spray right where you want it. Camera controls are non-existent, and the camera doesn’t do a good job of making up for this fact. Generic music and some low-quality graphics don’t help its case either, especially when the framerate stutters despite the screen being fairly empty.

SPRay is one of those rare games where it’s not very good, but could benefit from a sequel. A game with the same mechanics but vastly improved controls, combat, and level design could be really enjoyable. SPRay, while attempting to do this, falls flat on its face in the process.

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