The Simpsons Game (Wii) Review
The Simpsons have been popular television icons for well over a decade now. The dysfunctional family from Springfield are now well etched into modern popular culture and their fame has only continued to grow over time. Like many popular television programs, The Simpsons have been slapped on a variety of merchandise, including video games. In fact, The Simpsons have been digitalised into the video game world a number of times over the years. Unfortunately, like most licensed based games, the quality of the games have ranged from the very poor to the ok. It seems that developers rely on the popularity of the license itself to sell the game, meaning minimal effort is often put into the games development. Coupled with the fact that licensed games are often rushed into release to coincide with the release of something else (e.g., a movie), it becomes apparent why such games lack the quality one would expect. Does The Simpsons Game buck the trend of poor quality licensed titles or does it only continue to reinforce the view that licensed games are, and will always be, poor? Read on to find out.
The premise behind The Simpsons Game is quite clever. The plot, which is written by the writers of the television series, sees the Simpsons trapped in a video game. You take control of all five members of the Simpsons family as you navigate through a series of episodes trying to make sense of being stuck in a video game. You come into a vast range of characters from the series, including favourites such as Chief Wiggum, Lenny, Karl, Mr Burns, Flanders, Bumblebee Man, and even Kodos and Kang. Being trapped in a video game also means that each of the Simpsons has unique powers that will aid them in their quest. Homer, for example, can eat copious amounts of food to become Homer Ball, whilst Bart can turn into his alter-ego, Bartman, fit with the ability to glide. Each episode involves two of the Simpsons characters, and you will need to switch between them to solve puzzles and get through to the end of the level. Thankfully, there is a co-op mode where a second player can join in meaning both players will need to work together to complete the level. The additional of a co-cop mode is quite welcomed, as playing alongside a friend is far more entertaining then going solo.
The gameplay itself mainly involves three components, platforming, beat-em-up, and puzzle solving. As you progress through the levels, youll need to run, jump, climb, punch, kick, and think to get through the game. The powers each of the Simpsons have adds a little more depth, such as Lisas ability to summon Buddah power allowing her to pick up objects to move into new positions. Marge can also call on her angry mobs to help build things or defeat enemies. The 16 episodes contained in the game vary quite a bit, and youll visit areas ranging from a museum to heaven. Each episode ranges in length from about 10 to 30 minutes, with about 8-10 hours of gameplay in all. This is lengthened if you attempt to find all the collectables hidden throughout each level. You can also try and finish the level under a certain time limit or without losing a life for further bonuses.
Though the platform/beat-up-em approach of the game is solid enough, it fails to inspire with its almost developer-by-numbers approach. Its nothing we havent seen before: run, jump, punch, collect, and so on until you have finished. Further spoiling the games appeal is the atrocious camera angles that make the game more frustrating then fun. I lost count of the number of times that I fell to my death as a result of the shoddy camera angles. It often refuses to stay behind you, and in tight spaces, it is near impossible to manoeuvre it to an appropriate position. The camera is even more unforgiving in the co-op mode, due to the fact that the screen is split vertically meaning there is less room for the camera to move. However, if you can look past its simplicity and forgive the camera angels, it can be fun, especially in co-op mode.
Probably the most entertaining aspect is the story itself. The plot is as zany as the show itself, and the various references to video game culture are often hilarious. Youll recognize a few popular characters such as Mario and Sonic in the game, and the way the writers often mock games and gamers is hilarious. Youll even find a number of video game clichs throughout the game, such as double-jumps or breakable crates. Whenever you find one of these, you will be alerted by Comic Book Guy and it will tell you how many you have found meaning they also act as a sort of collectible in the game. The game also has over 40 minutes of new animation (which will be seen as cut scenes) meaning it is a good episode of brand new footage in the game. Obviously, the cut scenes help tie the plot together, but having them animated in the same way as the series makes the story even more enjoyable. There are plenty of laughs to be had, and you may feel compelled to finish the game just to see the story come to a conclusion.
The developers opted for cel-shaded visuals for the game, which is suitable considering the nature of The Simpsons. The visuals are pleasing enough, with a bright palette of colours and solid animation. However, for a next-gen game, the visuals still fail to surpass the quality found in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, a game that is a few years old now. Still, despite failing to surpass or even live up to standards set years ago, The Simpsons Game is pretty to look at and the choice to use cel-shading was an appropriate one. The game has an uplifting, poppy sort of a soundtrack, though again, it fails to inspire or raise the bar. Its unfortunate that a higher quality soundtrack wasnt included in the game considering the quality of music that is often found in the series. Despite a merely solid soundtrack, The Simpsons Game does include original voice actors, giving the game a more authentic feel.
In all, The Simpsons game is a mixed bag that entertains on some levels, but disappoints on others. The games plot, the use of authentic animation, and the co-op mode are all pluses. However, the gameplay itself is a bit dull at times, and it is certainly nothing we havent seen before. That said, though it doesnt deliver anything new, what it does deliver is a solid, entertaining, and laugh-out-loud funny title. The camera is a pain, but the hybrid platforming/beat-em-up/puzzle solving gameplay is pretty good, and the addition of a co-op mode only raises the overall quality. Its not a long game, but it provides enough entertainment to warrant at least a rent, even for the laughs – something that The Simpsons have been failing to provide as of late. The game addresses a number of video game clichs within the story, though it doesnt go to great lengths in addressing the clich that licensed games are nothing but rushed software lacking in quality.
I certainly would not call The Simpsons Game a bad game, but how far it goes in refuting the stereotype related to licensed games is debateable. To reiterate my advice – give it a rent, its worth it just for the laughs, and it can be a bit of fun too.
Rating: 3/5
