Hook

"It's kind of like the movie, only not as boring, and it doesn't have Julia Roberts"

When the movie Hook came out during the Christmas season of 1991, everyone expected it to be one of the biggest films of the year. After all, it was a big budget fantasy film with an all-star cast, and it was directed by Steven Spielberg. Unfortunately, not only was the movie way too long (Who had the brilliant idea to make a 2 and a half hour long Peter Pan movie?), but it was a boring mess of a film with too much talking, and not enough excitement and wonder. We didn't even get to see Peter fly till almost the 2 hour mark of the movie. Isn't that what we came to see in the first place?...

Fortunately, when it came time for Sony Imagesoft (this was before they released the Playstation, and became Sony Computer Entertainment) to make a game off the film for the SNES, they made a very smart decision. They took the basic plot of the film, and then went off in their own direction. Hook the video game has very little in common with Hook the movie, and that's perhaps the best thing that could happen to it.

Like the movie, Hook the video game asks the simple question, ''What if Peter Pan grew up''? Somehow, the eternal child of countless stories and fairy tales has strayed from Neverland, and is now in the real world. He's grown up to become a middle-aged overweight businessman named Peter Banning, and has forgotten about his past adventures. Unfortunately, his old nemesis, Captain Hook, is not willing to let things end this way. He kidnaps Peter's two children, Maggie and Jack, and holds them hostage. Now, Peter must return to Neverland, and try to remember his lost boyhood days in order to save his children.

In the film version, we had to sit through 2 hours of droning dialogue about ''finding your happy thought'' before Peter finally took to the skies. Fortunately, Sony knew this would make a pretty boring video game, so they have Tinkerbell return you to your former boyhood glory right at the start of Level 1. However, Peter's former companions, the Lost Boys, are not convinced. So, Peter does the most logical thing...He spends the entire first level kicking their asses with his sword!! After you defeat their leader, Rufio, Peter wins their trust, and sets off to rescue his kids.

Peter's adventures in Neverland takes him across 10 main levels. After the Lost Boys' Tree Fortress, you explore areas such as forests, snow-covered mountains, dangerous seas with helpful mermaids to keep you afloat, and a giant cave shaped like a skull. The game is your standard 2D platform action game that was dominant in the NES and SNES days. You guide Peter as he battles the more unfriendly residents of Neverland such as pirates, skeletons, tigers that can momentarily freeze him with their breath, and evil birds. Peter fends off these enemies with a standard sword, but he can also find his special golden sword at certain times. Not only is it stronger in battle, but it can also shoot a small beam to strike enemies from afar. You lose it if you get hit by an enemy, though, and it's hard to hold onto. He can also find fruits to replenish his health, leaves to increase his life meter, and the traditional 1-UPs.

Of course, it wouldn't be a Peter Pan game if you couldn't fly. On various levels, you'll find Tinkerbell waiting for you. Stand under her, let her do her Pixy Dust thing, and before you know it, you're making like Superman. Since this is a video game, your flight ability is limited by a meter at the top of the screen. If you want to stay airborne, you'll have to find strategically placed Tinkerbells that are scattered throughout the level to recharge your meter. If you don't reach her in time, you'll fall to your doom.

Even though the game is basically your standard 2D platform game, it is a lot of fun. The levels are challenging, lengthy, and well designed. Some of the levels have quite a few optional routes and hidden passages, giving the game some exploration qualities. Very good game design overall.

In the area of graphics, the game is nothing great, but passable. This was a fairly early generation SNES game, so you can't really expect much. When Sony got the rights for video game adaptions of the film, the deal they made did not include having the actors' likenesses appearing in the game. (Then again, maybe this is a good thing. I don't want to picture a little Robin Williams hopping around the screen being helped by an even smaller Julia Roberts...) So, since the programmers couldn't use the actors, they used a cartoon-style design for all the characters. The character sprites are small, but animated very well. (I love the way Peter's hair and clothes blow in the wind when he's flying.) Every character has his or her own unique facial expression when they're attacking, standing, etc. It gives a lot of diversity to the characters. I also liked the look of the levels. When you reach Hook's pirate village near the end of the game, there's a lot of detail. It almost looks like the same set from the movie.

However, the area where this game really shines is the music. Sony realized that one of the best parts of the film was John Williams' orchestral soundtrack. So, much of the music from the movie has been re-created for the game. The music truly takes advantage of the SNES' stereo sound capabilities, giving a very dramatic and symphonic feel that perfectly captures the mood of every level. At the time, I thought this was the best music I had heard the SNES produce. The sound effects are strong as well. From the forceful clanging of Peter's sword, to the realistic roars of the tiger enemies, it gets you involved.

The only area where Hook falters is in difficulty balance. Most of the game is not that hard, but every once in a while, the programmers suddenly throw in a very tricky area without warning. As I've mentioned in past reviews, I prefer games that gradually ease you into the difficulty, instead of giving you harder areas right in the middle of a fairly easy level. It's nothing impossible, though, and the game can easily be beaten with lots of patience.

I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this game, especially when the movie was such a letdown. The programmers obviously understood the material better than the Hollywood hack writers. This is one of the better movie-based games I've played. You can tell that Sony was actually interested in making a quality game. If you ever find this game cheap at a used game store, give it a try.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 05/10/02, Updated 06/09/03