PlayStation All-Stars Island Shows Promise, but isn't US-Bound

Just when we thought we’d seen the cross-promotional tool to end all cross-promotional tools, Sony went and completely broke the mold. Instead of aiming their new game PlayStation All-Stars Island at the PlayStation Vita as expected, it's launching exclusively on iOS and Android. This is a curious choice to be sure, but the App Store masses are certainly not going to turn down appearances from the likes of Nathan Drake and Sackboy.

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale was a PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 3 release from last November that was just recently announced to be dead, at the hands of Sony. This tie-in to the console franchise comes literally the week after that news broke, making the decision to release this title outside of the Sony-verse even more befuddling. Luckily this collection of mini-games carries on the legacy of the original product, with a little help from Coke Zero. And by a little help, we actually mean it's being plastered over every square inch of the product.

At launch the game currently features one of what is planned to be four base games, along with several mini-games acting as creative non sequiturs. The only available mode features Nathan Drake making his way through a Temple Run-esque environment, featuring plenty sliding and jumping, while also tilting to collect coins and droplets of soda. Yes, droplets of soda. Once the player has collected enough to fill a bottle, two different mini-games can be abruptly kicked off; including cameos from Clank of Ratchet and Clank fame, as well as Kat from Gravity Rush.

Though the initial offering is light on variety, it is mechanically strong. Everything plays fluidly, the visuals are crisp, and most importantly, it is fun to play. Sony characters may not usually make appearances on iOS, but they fit the platform like a glove. There's little doubt that future additions to this free title will make it even more worth the download. It is rare for an unfinished product to reflect any kind of justifiable promise. Thankfully PlayStation All-Stars Island has been able to overcome this obstacle and deliver a game that has the potential to be quite good, once it has been completed.

However, like most good things in life, there is a catch... Someone over at Sony decided that this title would be best targeted exclusively to a European audience. For this reason, it has been confirmed that PlayStation All-Stars Island is not expected to ever see release stateside.

Why would a game featuring a couple of characters from US development teams not venture across the Atlantic? Also, each character appears in games that have sold best in North America. Heck, Coke can't even be the scapegoat because Coke Zero is available here! Someone in the marketing department should take a break from plugging the PlayStation 4 and deal with their games that are already on the market. iOS gamers are clamoring for the chance to swipe Drake into submission. Why rob them of that opportunity?