Vexx

Vexx is a 3D platformer that takes place across a series of nine nonlinear open levels. A set of wraithhearts are hidden in each level, and the player must find where they are located and, in some cases, complete challenges to obtain them. Collecting a sufficient number of wraithhearts unlocks the next level, and players are free to travel between the levels to collect 60 wraithhearts to fight the final boss. Combat takes place primarily through the use of the Astani War Talons, which allow for melee attacks that can be used in several combinations and can be charged to shoot flames for a brief time.

The gameplay has been compared to 3D games in the Mario franchise, such as Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine.

In the past, the Astani people of Astara created a rift system that allowed them to move between worlds. However, the Shadowraiths came through the rift, drained it of its energy, and destroyed Astara. Hundreds of years later, Dark Yabu (voiced by Brian Cox), the leader of the Shadowraiths, discovers the village of Overwood and enslaves the Valdani people that live there so they can find the wraithhearts to power the rift. Vexx attempts to resist, but he is spared from Yabu's wrath by his grandfather Vargas, who is killed in the ensuing fight. Vexx sneaks away and discovers the Astani War Talons, which bond to him.

Vexx awakens in the Hall of Heroes, where previous wearers of the Talons are entombed. An old man named Darby (also voiced by Brian Cox) appears and informs him he carried Vexx to the Hall after thinking he was dead. He also tells Vexx that Yabu completely destroyed the village, and that Vexx and Darby are the only survivors. Darby is too old to fight, so he instructs Vexx to collect the wraithhearts and use them to power the rift and find and stop Yabu before he opens the gate to his own world. Before Vexx departs, Darby warns him the Shadowraiths are shapeshifters and to "trust no one along your journey".

Development of Vexx began in late 1999 by Acclaim Studios Austin, with the studio wanting to create a mascot platformer for the then-next generation consoles. The development team was led by creative director David Dienstbier and designer Thomas Coles and varied in size, ranging from around 22-40 people who had worked on some of Iguana's previous titles, such as Turok: Dinosaur Hunter. Coles cited several platform games as inspiration for the game, specifically Super Mario 64 and Banjo-Kazooie.

The game was initially titled Clip and Mischief, and starred a rodent-like creature named Clip, who had a small, reptilian sidekick named Mischief. This idea was shelved when the development team thought the concept was too similar to Jak and Daxter. To differentiate the game, several gameplay mechanics were changed about halfway through development, primarily the focus on one main playable character. The development team renamed the main character Jinx based on his bad luck and his knack for getting into terrible situations, but faced legal issues with the name. The character was renamed Vexx out of the notion that he would try to turn his bad luck onto his enemies.

Vexx received "mixed reviews" on all platforms according to video game review aggregator Metacritic. It is regarded by critics as a typical platform game that excels in previously established rules of the genre while doing little to expand the premise. Ryan Davis of GameSpot praised the game for its variety of tasks and its combat system but criticized it for its weak story, lack of innovation, and poor design. Hilary Goldstein of IGN praised the variety of tasks and the platforming aspects of the game while criticizing the lack of interesting enemies and the static nature of the character's abilities.

Kristan Reed of Eurogamer gave the PlayStation 2 version a poor review, harshly criticizing the game for retreading previous platform games without meeting the standards set by previous entries. Fennec Fox of GamePro said of the Xbox version, "With some polish (and a better soundtrack), Vexx could take on the top of the heap; as it is, it already beats all of last year's second-tier platformers."