The Simpsons
The Simpsons are a family icon in almost every western world household these days, appealing to several generations and offering everything from oral care dental packs to a big screen movie, to old video games you used to play. Whether you love them, like them or just plain hate them - the Simpsons are certainly here to stay for the time being. So it's no surprise then, that they're also on the Wii (and every other format under the sun too).
Licence titles (games coming off the back of a non-gaming success, like a movie) tend to be frowned upon by the traditional gaming community. It's rare to get a diamond in the rough and you'll actually be lucky to find a half decent movie licence title most of the time. But that's not entirely fair, for the few which are good are often excellent and quite original. So, are the Simpsons?
It's important to look to the format of the game on the Wii first. Essentially it's a linear, 3D platform game. The levels are 3D and 'sandbox', so within the walls of the level you can roam a fair bit. However, the quests are linear - there's one pathway to follow to go forward and that's it. This format is probably the most basic and likely to turn out a stinker in the current generation of video games. I can't begin to tell you how many bad games are developed in this format...and how many more never get past the developing houses. This and puzzle games are ten a penny right now.
Secondly, it's worth mentioning that the game constantly nods towards the Simpsons TV show; the first level in fact takes you back to Homer Simpson's chocolate dreamworld where he bites into chocolate animals. This will make the game feel familiar and amusing, at least once you figure out where you are, why you're here and what you're supposed to be doing. The tutorial is handled in game, which I have to say I found rather frustrating at first. There was definitely a sense of just being dumped into Wonderland or some sort of bad trip with no real understanding of why you're here. Constant audio references to the show are quite good fun at first, but they may prove annoying after a while (depending on your mood).
Controlling the game is very much a so-so experience; once you pick up what to do, it can be quite good fun, especially in the mini games or performing special attacks (such as Homer's belch to the face). Certainly it's a lot more interactive on the Wii than the other formats (though the DS version isn't bad in this area either).
You first feel 'railed' (forced down a single pathway) in the very first level, though this is easy not to notice whilst you're learning and being put off by all that chocolate. During the very next level though, you find yourself railed more directly. This got on my nerves a bit, and it does continue throughout the game. There I one way t get where you need t be, and you can't g anywhere else. The bad guys that attack you are 9 per cent consisted o level-based, generic baddies (chocolate bunnies is the first level for example). These become very bland and frustrating a they respawn constantly, attacking whatever character you're currently not playing a and often killing them.
The game acknowledges a lack of originality in an unusually direct way; it offers you video game clichés to collect through the levels. The first time you see a lever, you'll collect the level cliché which comes with the comic shop owner's own, cynical comments. We agree with him; there's very little originality here. Switches and using your down characters to trigger pressure pads etc ... we've seen it in every platformer since the 80s.
We were mildly amused by the fact that Bart cannot collect beer caps. The Simpsons doesn't encourage underage drinking (except by showing the main character constantly drinking, of course...).
All in all, it's tricky to get perspective in levels to jump, the graphics are ok for the Wii but nothing to write home about, the mini games will keep you amused for a while but the levels themselves are one, giant rail that wavers between being mildly amusing to downright frustrating. You have no choice in the game and it is intended that you follow it through and just do everything you're supposed to. Compared to another game we were reviewing at the same time (Crash of the Titans) we'd say Crash wins hands down. This game falters too often over the little things that should make a game great fun. Die hard Simpsons fans or kids may like this, but the more discerning gamer would be better looking elsewhere.
2.5/5 -- Kim Kaze
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