It
would be easy to dismiss The Simpons Game as another cynical game tie-in,
but the joke would be on the cynics themselves, since this release
captures the light-hearted and humorous tone of the series effortlessly
while making sure there’s a decent and enjoyable game underneath the
jokes. Its gameplay structure is fairly simple and this makes the game
easy to get into. Players begin their quest inside of a virtual
Springfield
, where they can wander around and talk
to the many inhabitants of the city and walk inside some of the more
famous locations. These include Comic Book Guy’s shop and Moe’s Tavern
to name a few of the many places you can explore in the game. While there
are plenty of areas for exploration, this dries up pretty quickly, and the
fastest and easiest way to see new things is to play through the missions.
Along the way, you’ll be able to see numerous pickups and collectible
items that you can pick up. These take the form of humorous emblems for
each character such as Duff Beer caps for Homer and Krusty the Klown toys
for Bart to name a few. Of course, Lisa collects little Buddhas, which is
kind of funny in itself. This attention to detail and focus on these
relatively minor aspects shows a consistent approach that makes the game
stay true to its comic roots and makes things a lot more fun than it could
have been had its developers done a typically indifferent job.
One
of the more impressive aspects of the Simpsons Game is that
Springfield
’s size is fairly large, bright and
colorful, just as you’d imagine the comics to be. While this gives you a
lot of room to explore, it can be somewhat difficult to get your bearings.
To help you along, you’ll usually see a bright beacon telling you where
the next mission is located. Each mission in the Simpsons plays like a
mini-game in itself, and they each have their own strategies and goals.
Once inside the mission, you can usually see the next objective marked
clearly. Things are fairly straightforward in the gameplay department and
it takes a fairly basic behind the character platforming approach
throughout most of the game. However, the twist here is that you can
alternate between two of the main characters in order to complete each
task in the game. Since each of the main characters has unique abilities,
such as Homer’s transformation into a giant rolling ball or Marge’s
ability to use a bullhorn to nag and control crowds. These different
abilities tie in with the characters’ well-known personalities and add a
welcome touch of comic relief.
The
controls are sharp and intuitive and make switching between characters and
using their special powers a snap. Obviously, the key to beating each
level comes is deciding when to use each character is a key element in
succeeding at each mission. It’s a good strategy when you get stuck in a
certain area to look at things from the other character’s perspective,
which is fairly easy to understand, though the game itself will usually
prompt you when you need the other character’s help. The game’s basic
level designs and structure is fairly simple and usually involves some
puzzle solving and action elements such as pulling switches or standing on
a certain object while the other character goes through the blockage. The
game also throws a few enemies at you from time to time, and these
hand-to-hand combat sequences are fairly easy to get through.
Occasionally, you’ll also have to face off against some of the Simpsons’
neighbors in timed rounds such as a world wide eating contest in the Duff
Brewery, which makes things slightly less challenging. It offers a decent
variation between its individual levels which helps to keep you motivated,
since you never know what crazy adventure awaits you next time.
From
a gaming standpoint, the Simpsons offers a fairly average experience, but
what sets the title apart from the pack is its winning sense of humor.
There are loads of in-jokes and satirical levels based on popular games,
with loads of comical references. For example, during the game, whenever a
‘video game’ cliché occurs, such as moving blocks, you’ll get a
message from Comic Book Guy deriding your gameplay. Veteran players will
get a kick out of some of the parodies, with names like Medal of Homer and
Grand Theft Scratchy, not to mention digs at retailers and the whole
gaming violence controversy, and poorly designed tie-in titles starring
the Simpsons themselves, this release definitely hits more targets than it
misses. This is done probably due in large part to the actual writers from
the show supplying many of game’s jokes – it helps keep things
consistent. The Simpsons also includes actual animated sequences produced
specifically for this release, which fans of the series should definitely
enjoy. This is all presented in a really cool 3D cel-shaded animated
engine that makes the world of
Springfield
come to life in previously unimaginable
ways. Being able to walk around and see all of your favorite characters
come to life is really cool. The camera system is fairly good, though
there are some issues like clipping and pop-in that come up from time to
time, but none of these issues are enough to detract from the overall
experience.
While
The Simpsons Game is an enjoyable and entertaining title, it’s by no
means perfect. The system of switching between two main characters gets a
little tedious after awhile and makes its gameplay feel choppy. Some of
the levels aren’t as inspired as you’d expect, which makes them
somewhat tedious. There can be some extensive backtracking in certain
locations and there are areas in this game that can be genuinely tedious
if you make a small mistake. That being said, the flaws in this release
aren’t nearly as bad as they could have been. Anyone who’s ever played
a bad licensed game can probably breathe a sigh of relief at how decent
this one actually turned out. The Simpsons Game is a good game that
effectively captures the spirit, look and, feel of its cartoon inspiration
with a cool game engine that makes an effective translation into 3D
without ruining the experience.
- Michael Palisano
Grade:
B-
