<s>
Vexx	B-Application
is	O
a	O
platform	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Acclaim	O
Studios	O
Austin	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Acclaim	O
Entertainment	O
for	O
the	O
GameCube	B-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
follows	O
the	O
character	O
Vexx	B-Application
as	O
he	O
searches	O
different	O
worlds	O
for	O
the	O
wraithhearts	O
to	O
power	O
the	O
rift	O
between	O
worlds	O
and	O
defeat	O
Dark	O
Yabu	O
to	O
avenge	O
his	O
grandfather	O
's	O
death	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vexx	B-Application
received	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vexx	B-Application
is	O
a	O
3D	O
platformer	O
that	O
takes	O
place	O
in	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
nine	O
nonlinear	O
open	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Combat	O
takes	O
place	O
primarily	O
through	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
Astani	O
War	O
Talons	O
that	O
are	O
fused	O
to	O
Vexx	B-Application
's	O
hands	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
claws	O
allow	O
for	O
melee	B-Application
attacks	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
used	O
in	O
several	O
combinations	O
,	O
and	O
they	O
can	O
be	O
charged	O
to	O
shoot	O
flame	O
for	O
a	O
brief	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gameplay	O
has	O
been	O
compared	O
to	O
3D	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
Mario	B-Application
franchise	I-Application
,	O
such	O
as	O
Super	B-Application
Mario	I-Application
64	I-Application
and	O
Super	B-Application
Mario	I-Application
Sunshine	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vexx	B-Application
attempts	O
to	O
resist	O
,	O
but	O
he	O
is	O
spared	O
from	O
Yabu	O
's	O
wrath	O
by	O
his	O
grandfather	O
Vargas	O
,	O
who	O
is	O
killed	O
in	O
the	O
ensuing	O
fight	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vexx	B-Application
sneaks	O
away	O
and	O
discovers	O
the	O
Astani	O
War	O
Talons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
bind	O
themselves	O
to	O
Vexx	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
he	O
wakes	O
up	O
,	O
Vexx	B-Application
is	O
in	O
the	O
Hall	O
of	O
Heroes	O
,	O
where	O
previous	O
wearers	O
of	O
the	O
war	O
talons	O
have	O
been	O
entombed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
old	O
man	O
named	O
Darby	O
appears	O
and	O
informs	O
him	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
he	O
who	O
carried	O
Vexx	B-Application
to	O
the	O
Hall	O
,	O
thinking	O
that	O
the	O
young	O
boy	O
was	O
dead	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
also	O
tells	O
Vexx	B-Application
that	O
Yabu	O
completely	O
destroyed	O
the	O
village	O
and	O
that	O
Vexx	B-Application
and	O
Darby	O
are	O
the	O
only	O
ones	O
left	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Darby	O
,	O
however	O
,	O
is	O
too	O
old	O
to	O
fight	O
,	O
so	O
he	O
instructs	O
Vexx	B-Application
to	O
collect	O
the	O
wraithhearts	O
and	O
use	O
them	O
to	O
power	O
the	O
rift	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
find	O
and	O
stop	O
Yabu	O
before	O
he	O
opens	O
the	O
gate	O
to	O
his	O
own	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Before	O
Vexx	B-Application
departs	O
,	O
Darby	O
warns	O
him	O
that	O
the	O
Shadowraiths	O
are	O
shapeshifters	O
and	O
to	O
"	O
trust	O
no	O
one	O
along	O
your	O
journey	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
collecting	O
several	O
wraithhearts	O
,	O
Vexx	B-Application
meets	O
up	O
with	O
Darby	O
again	O
inside	O
the	O
Landspire	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
two	O
of	O
them	O
encounter	O
Reia	O
,	O
the	O
last	O
remaining	O
Astani	O
warrior	O
,	O
who	O
is	O
also	O
the	O
narrator	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
Reia	O
and	O
Vexx	B-Application
try	O
to	O
attack	O
Yabu	O
but	O
he	O
escapes	O
,	O
taking	O
Reia	O
's	O
magical	O
staff	O
with	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
revealed	O
that	O
by	O
collecting	O
the	O
wraithhearts	O
,	O
Vexx	B-Application
was	O
actually	O
helping	O
Yabu	O
power	O
the	O
gate	O
to	O
his	O
own	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Since	O
the	O
only	O
way	O
to	O
close	O
the	O
rift	O
is	O
with	O
Reia	O
's	O
staff	O
,	O
Vexx	B-Application
has	O
to	O
activate	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
the	O
gates	O
and	O
catch	O
up	O
to	O
Yabu	O
to	O
get	O
it	O
back	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
collecting	O
60	O
wraithhearts	O
,	O
Vexx	B-Application
finds	O
Yabu	O
in	O
the	O
Shadow	O
Realm	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
two	O
of	O
them	O
fight	O
one	O
last	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
battle	O
,	O
Vexx	B-Application
manages	O
to	O
take	O
Yabu	O
's	O
amulet	O
,	O
which	O
gives	O
him	O
an	O
extra	O
dose	O
of	O
power	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vexx	B-Application
ultimately	O
wins	O
and	O
retrieves	O
the	O
staff	O
,	O
but	O
Yabu	O
's	O
death	O
causes	O
the	O
platform	O
on	O
which	O
he	O
and	O
the	O
portal	O
back	O
to	O
Astara	O
stand	O
to	O
begin	O
to	O
crumble	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
Vexx	B-Application
began	O
in	O
late	O
1999	O
by	O
Acclaim	O
Studios	O
Austin	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
studio	O
wanting	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
mascot	O
platformer	O
for	O
the	O
then-next	B-Application
generation	I-Application
consoles	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
development	O
team	O
was	O
led	O
by	O
creative	O
director	O
David	O
Dienstbier	O
and	O
designer	O
Thomas	O
Coles	O
and	O
varied	O
in	O
size	O
,	O
ranging	O
from	O
around	O
22-40	O
people	O
who	O
had	O
worked	O
on	O
some	O
of	O
Iguana	O
's	O
previous	O
titles	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Turok	B-Application
:	I-Application
Dinosaur	I-Application
Hunter	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Coles	O
cited	O
several	O
platform	O
games	O
as	O
inspiration	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
specifically	O
Super	B-Application
Mario	I-Application
64	I-Application
and	O
Banjo-Kazooie	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
idea	O
was	O
shelved	O
when	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
thought	O
the	O
concept	O
was	O
too	O
similar	O
to	O
Jak	B-Application
and	I-Application
Daxter	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
character	O
was	O
renamed	O
"	O
Vexx	B-Application
"	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
notion	O
that	O
he	O
would	O
try	O
to	O
turn	O
his	O
bad	O
luck	O
onto	O
his	O
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vexx	B-Application
's	O
design	O
changed	O
several	O
times	O
during	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
Coles	O
explained	O
,	O
"	O
Mario	B-Application
is	O
not	O
a	O
great	O
character	O
because	O
he	O
's	O
Mario	B-Application
and	O
he	O
's	O
designed	O
out	O
of	O
nowhere	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
's	O
Mario	B-Application
because	O
of	O
the	O
games	O
he	O
's	O
been	O
in	O
and	O
people	O
have	O
grown	O
to	O
love	O
him.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Vexx	B-Application
's	O
gauntlets	O
,	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
were	O
inspired	O
by	O
a	O
character	O
's	O
gloves	O
from	O
the	O
comic	O
book	O
series	O
Battle	O
Chasers	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
team	O
found	O
them	O
perfect	O
for	O
applying	O
effects	O
to	O
give	O
them	O
the	O
moveset	O
they	O
wanted	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
tried	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
focused	O
story	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
they	O
intentionally	O
left	O
Vexx	B-Application
's	O
backstory	O
open-ended	O
so	O
as	O
to	O
allow	O
players	O
to	O
more	O
freely	O
identify	O
with	O
the	O
character	O
as	O
an	O
everyman	O
hero	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Early	O
work	O
on	O
Vexx	B-Application
was	O
done	O
on	O
PC	O
,	O
since	O
the	O
then-next	B-Application
generation	I-Application
consoles	I-Application
had	O
not	O
been	O
released	O
yet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
always	O
planned	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
on	O
all	O
three	O
platforms	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
team	O
found	O
it	O
easiest	O
to	O
transition	O
to	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
,	O
due	O
to	O
its	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
development	O
tools	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Acclaim	O
tried	O
to	O
play	O
to	O
the	O
strengths	O
of	O
each	O
console	O
,	O
supporting	O
,	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
Dolby	O
Digital	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Application
and	O
Dolby	O
Pro-Logic	O
II	O
on	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
GameCube	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vexx	B-Application
was	O
developed	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
as	O
Turok	B-Application
:	I-Application
Evolution	I-Application
,	O
and	O
though	O
the	O
games	O
were	O
developed	O
by	O
different	O
development	O
teams	O
at	O
Acclaim	O
Studios	O
Austin	O
,	O
they	O
share	O
the	O
same	O
engine	O
and	O
many	O
of	O
the	O
same	O
resources	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
unveiled	O
at	O
E3	O
2001	O
as	O
Jinx	O
and	O
re-introduced	O
as	O
Vexx	B-Application
on	O
January	O
14	O
,	O
2002	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vexx	B-Application
was	O
originally	O
slated	O
for	O
an	O
October	O
2002	O
release	O
,	O
but	O
was	O
delayed	O
in	O
order	O
for	O
the	O
team	O
to	O
have	O
extra	O
time	O
to	O
polish	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
development	O
team	O
was	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
then-newly	O
released	O
Super	B-Application
Mario	I-Application
Sunshine	I-Application
and	O
its	O
use	O
of	O
previews	O
showing	O
players	O
where	O
to	O
find	O
the	O
shine	O
sprites	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
added	O
similar	O
previews	O
in	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
arrow	O
indicators	O
as	O
a	O
last-ditch	O
effort	O
to	O
make	O
the	O
game	O
easier	O
for	O
casual	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vexx	B-Application
was	O
finally	O
released	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
February	O
11	O
,	O
2003	O
and	O
in	O
Europe	O
on	O
April	O
4	O
,	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
published	O
by	O
Acclaim	O
Entertainment	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
GameCube	B-Application
and	O
Xbox	B-Application
video	B-Device
game	I-Device
consoles	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vexx	B-Application
originally	O
featured	O
six	O
worlds	O
,	O
with	O
each	O
world	O
containing	O
three	O
levels	O
,	O
forming	O
a	O
combined	O
total	O
of	O
18	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
day/night	O
cycle	O
was	O
supposed	O
to	O
play	O
a	O
significantly	O
larger	O
role	O
as	O
well	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
trying	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
light/dark	O
world	O
akin	O
to	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Zelda	I-Application
:	I-Application
A	I-Application
Link	I-Application
to	I-Application
the	I-Application
Past	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
suit	O
power-ups	O
were	O
also	O
cut	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
including	O
an	O
underwater	O
suit	O
that	O
allowed	O
Vexx	B-Application
to	O
swim	O
faster	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vexx	B-Application
received	O
"	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
"	O
on	O
all	O
platforms	O
according	O
to	O
video	O
game	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
