Ice Age 2: The Meltdown

"A passable platformer and it's based on a film."

There's no doubt that very few games that are based on films do well. Though yes, there are some classics, Goldeneye 007 for example, the majority do not hold up. Ice Age 2 however, while never going to be a game that would be incredible is alright.

It is a pretty good basic platformer and those who have seen the film will have a surprise when they first load the game up. The main character is Scrat the squirrel. His goal is to collect as many nuts as possible and will use his platforming skills to jump, climb, run and fight his way to get them.

One of the main things that differs it from most film tie-ins is the fact that the controls are very accurate, Scrat will do what you want him to and operating him is easy. The camera is also very good, so you'll be able to see what you want at all times, a very useful trait in any game.

The game is based at a young audience, so the puzzles are easy and it does not have any long sections without a clear goal. Their are several areas that need exploring, but you won't get lost in them. They all have sidequests to complete, mini-games to play with and occasional bosses, all of which are fun.

The game is also good graphically. Coming out towards the end of the GameCube's life, the developers know how the machine works and used it the way it should be used. The levels look very different and the animation is very detailed with Scrat bringing a laugh with his actions frequently. All the characters as well as looking exactly like they do on the big screen are also mostly voiced by the real actors.

So in summary, for the under 13s at which this game was aimed at, this game is brilliant. The difficulty is not a problem, the game while not following the film exactly still visits the locations and characters is perfect. For an older person, if you liked the film, pick up the game and have a look at it as it is fairly cheap now and it is a laugh at times.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 04/25/07