Downstream Panic! is more than just a variation on Loco Roco or other recent games like Patapon that feature simplified, graphic elements and gameplay. There are common themes such as the jaunty music and the visual style, but games like this are more about reacting against super-realism than lacking originality. We can certainly stream off a long list of sequels and derivative works that come from genres such as Action, FPS, and Racing... it's not hard to find a retread out there in almost every genre. Downstream Panic! and its kind are creating some new territory, a genre that combines interesting ideas for control and gameplay with equally novel graphics. At some point in time, we may find games like this feel ordinary, but they don't now.

The nearest relatives to Downstream Panic! from a visual standpoint are games like Worms or Lemmings where sprites and sprite-based animation is the default template. The backdrops in each level may feel fantastic, more Loco Roco than Lemmings, but there are aesthetics on loan from both. The cuteness of the characters is typical, and the levels are brightly colored and interesting to look at, but hardly the focus. Each area is strictly a tableau against which the action is painted. Downstream Panic! doesn't waste a lot of time with exposition or fancy CGI. Each level loads quickly and is splashed up on screen without many formalities. A downside to this streamlining is the lack of direction or in-depth tutorials on the raw materials and environments and enemies. The idea seems to have been for players to jump right in and participate with minimal distraction. The interface is completely stripped down and lacks any type of distracting cues that might get in the way of the action. A bit more time dedicated to helper tips and tricks and demos would have been a nice addition when there is a fair amount of new material every few new levels. With close to 100 total levels that you'll explore and new content promised by the developers for download, you'll have a lot to look at as you master Downstream Panic!.

Gravity sucks. As seen posted humorously somewhere, spoofing those bumper stickers about buckling up: "Gravity is more than just a good idea - it's the law!" When you find a bevy of fish held captive and trying to find their way back home, you feel obligated to help. At least I always do... Downstream Panic! gives you Fish Samaritans out there a chance to satisfy your Florence "Flounder" Nightingale impulse. It might seem difficult to do anything productive for a school of fish other than sprinkle some food on top of the water and clean the tank regularly, but the rules are different in this case. In this strange parallel universe, we find that fish are frequently released for fun and the culinary delight of large-toothed creatures waiting below. You enter with some basic direction on how to help these fish. A safe-zone has been established in each level to which you'll have to help a wide assortment of sea creatures find their way. How quickly and thoroughly you accomplish this task defines your progress through the game. The methods for diverting fish during their fall are many. Looking over the landscape is the first step toward understanding what is likely to happen when the fish start falling. You'll quickly see some interesting, and what seem to be accurate, fluid dynamics at work in Downstream Panic!. Trenches fill up and spill over, weather conditions, including wind, change what happens to your fish and their water moving downstream. The fish are ultimately just cargo, precious as they may be. Get the water routed correctly and you'll save your fish. Save a required number of fish and you'll complete the level.

The modes established for the game include Adventure, Free Play, and Survival. Only Survival truly brings into play some new content. We're looking forward to new content available for download, but it's not reassuring that the Downstream Panic! Web site isn't accessible by PSP at the time of this review. The two primary modes contain the meat of the game. They'll keep you busy for a while by throwing almost 100 levels at you. The challenge of completing them in Adventure Mode is compounded by the challenge of beating your best time and score in Free Play. As you improve results, you'll find yourself sitting on a nice chunk of cash that you can use at a shop to purchase materials that will help make play easier. The Adventure Mode gameplay is fairly well controlled, similar to a puzzle mode. You get the materials, the time, and the resources to solve the level. You can replay levels easily and you know that there is a way to complete the level because conditions for success are so tightly controlled. Once you make some headway in Adventure, you can transfer your attention to Free Play where it's possible to stack the decks more in your favor after a bit of shopping. Similar to the weapon system in a game like Worms, having the right combination of items in Downstream Panic! (and knowing how to use them) is a key to success.

Thinking about Downstream Panic! more as a puzzle game than anything else is the right approach. Like any puzzler you've played on any platform or even on paper, the challenge is mostly in your head and according to your perception. Everything at first takes place in a very compressed space, with levels getting larger and more complex over time. New elements in the level and in your inventory take some time to learn, but attention and experimentation will pay off. You'll sometimes find that solving a level is so completely obvious that it was missed in pursuit of some really complex solution. The later levels are devious little machines with lots of interdependency. The importance of timing your placement of objects and initiating actions at just the right time can't be overstated. The engagement in Downstream Panic! is extremely high, but you'll spend lots of time crossing your fingers and just waiting. The hardest levels are those that require a significant amount of interaction. You can be tweaking something in one part of the screen only to find that your fish are falling prey to some enemy on another part of the screen.

You'll spend a fair amount of time just watching and waiting in Downstream Panic! since the only controls involve placing objects within the environment to divert the flow of water. All fish stream from one or two locations at the top of the screen, so your job seems simple on the surface. The tricky part is in reading the landscape. There aren't many special tools for this other than your own peepers. You aren't able to place objects until after the fish start flowing which is a strange design decision... Perfectionists won't want to lose even one fish and it seems like there is always one stray when you have to rush around the level placing objects after pressing "Start." Points are awarded for the number of fish rescued and you can also collect special objects in the level if you can engineer the flow of water toward them. If you think this sounds interesting, wait until you see the enemies. Unlike games where you focus on overpowering enemies, Downstream Panic! puts a premium on avoidance. Enemies, such as bird-types, can be actively prowling for fish while others are asleep or waiting for the water to awaken them. You can press a button to fast-forward through the level if you have all your... fish in a row? The challenge comes from levels that are designed so that they require more interaction. Some have special gates or switches that you'll trigger or have collection points for fish that have to be used strategically to avoid enemies. The less frantic, calculating play style will appeal to some and not others. It is definitely not like the style of play we saw in Loco Roco where you were constantly interacting to move things along.

The lack of a multiplayer mode or any type of editor is a shame. Online content may be available at a future time, but there isn't anything built in at the menu level that allows for download of extra levels, music or items. The very simple approach is nice for those seeking something between a full-blown puzzle game and a casual game experience. Downstream Panic! falls a bit short in comparison to other, deeper games of its type that have hit the market or, like Patapon, are on the way. All the same, fans of cute, puzzle-focused games will find a lot to love in this unique blend of action and strategy.