Current-gen Japanese games suck. You’ve heard it, I’ve heard it, everyone’s heard it. Whether or not that statement is true is a discussion that could span a week’s worth of articles as it is, but a more pressing question should be: why might that be the case? It’s true that many Japanese developers have struggled to keep up Western gaming trends while others have remained in a nostalgia bubble, trying to recreate the classics of the 90’s, but one thing’s for sure, there are far fewer game with that certain “spark” than there used to be. There was a time when Japan was known for all things weird and whacky, for bringing unsuspecting foreigners some of the craziest, most memorable experiences gaming had to offer. I’m happy to report that Tokyo Jungle is proof that Japan still has that spark.

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Eat or be eaten

Tokyo Jungle’s premise is simple: ten years ago, humans mysteriously vanished off the face of the earth, leaving the rest of the planet’s animals to take over in their place. Now, flora and fauna have overrun the city of Tokyo, and all manner of beast, from Pomeranian to the once-extinct Velociraptor, roam the streets of the post-apocalyptic city, fighting for survival. This is a world of eat or be eaten, and only the fittest survive.

The game consists of two modes: Survival and Story. After a brief tutorial, players are thrust straight into the Survival mode, where archives scattered throughout the areas must be collected to uncover the truth of the humans’ disappearance and unlock additional story chapters, which largely serve as short, silly vignettes that won’t take up much of your time. The bulk of Tokyo Jungle’s appeal lies in the dynamic of Survival mode, which will immediately enthrall some players and quickly alienate others.

Get it on like Donkey Kong

The first, most exciting decision you’ll make in Tokyo Jungle is which of the many animals you’ll play as. Whether you choose a predator or grazer is up to you, but while the fundamental goal of staying alive as long as possible is the same for both, the two also have significantly different play syles. For a grazer, slow, calculated movements are key, as one bite from a predator can be the difference between life or death. But as a predator, you’ll be killing prey and fighting other predators for dominance. Both types, however, have an ever-decreasing hunger meter, which means you constantly need to eat to survive. The other similarity is –– you guessed it –– the drive to procreate.

Each area of Tokyo has four flags that must be “marked” (it’s really more like sniffing) in order to claim that territory. Claiming a territory unlocks one or more nests, as well as female members of your species to mate with. Each female has a “rating” that will determine possible stat boosts and how many offspring will be in the next generation. But beware –– your own rank must be high enough to mate with a high-ranked female, and ranking up only occurs by consuming a set number of calories for each species, so it’s important to plan wisely. Having a posse of siblings to attack for you (in the case of predators) or be sacrificed as a distraction to keep predators at bay (in the case of grazers) can mean the difference between life and death, and the fact that each additional animal also acts as a 1-up is just one of the many incentives to keep your bloodline going.

Eat, mate, die… then do it again

Tokyo Jungle has also been injected with a large helping of rougelike, meaning there are a number of random elements at play that make each Survival run unique and will be sure to keep you on your toes. Food levels in different areas are constantly changing, and environmental hazards such as toxic clouds that slowly kill you should your toxicity level reach 100 are all part of Tokyo Jungle’s big game of chance. While this will undoubtedly infuriate some, the charm of Tokyo Jungle lies in the constant drive to complete new challenges, take down different boss animals, collect stat-boosting clothing and accessories, and unlock new creatures to take on the streets of Tokyo with. While taking down a pride of lions as a lowly golden retriever is an impossible task, the unlockable animals with higher stats on the selection screen serve as a reminder that, with enough strategy and a pinch of luck, those lions will someday bow down to you.

Of course, Tokyo Jungle’s less-than-stellar production values and minor flaws cannot be overlooked. The game’s PS2-like style and purposefully wonky animations (even though I can guarantee crocodiles don’t actually fly through the air as if they are weightless, it looks too funny for me to argue) will appeal to a certain crowd due to its overt quirkiness, but others will be immediately turned off by Tokyo Jungle‘s “subpar” graphics, mind-numbing background techno track, and awkward animations. There are also a number of infuriating and ill-conceived Story missions, and switching back between Story mode and Survival mode gets to be a chore to the point that the only reason I wanted to complete the Story levels was for prospect of new playable animals.

I hope you like animals

But if you’re the kind of person who appreciates the many one-of-a-kind gaming experiences Japan has produced in the past, Tokyo Jungle is the game for you. Not only does it offer hours of gameplay with dozens unlockable animals, but it contains the most fun local co-op mode I’ve seen in a game this year (as long as you can stomach a frustrating camera). Even with its flaws, it is silly, addictive, and pure fun… In short, it’s exactly the kind of game we need to see more of from the land of the rising sun.

Release date: September 25th, 2012 (NA), September 26th, 2012 (EU)
Genre: Action
Platform: PlayStation 3 (download only)
Developer: PlayStation C.A.M.P, Crispy’s, SCE Japan Studio
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Rating: T
MSRP: $14.99