The Simpsons Game

"America's "average" first family, in a better than average game!"

You knew it was coming. The Simpsons have had some GREAT (but difficult) NES and SNES titles. And a couple of fun (but average) 3D titles, and now, they're jumping onto next gen! The lines seem pretty firmly drawn in the sand. Half the people hate this game, and the other half love it. So is it right for you? Ask yourself a few simple questions before you go buy or rent. Do you like platformers? Are you an old school gamer, or a newer one? Do you actually LIKE The Simpsons? Let's hop right into the review, shall we?

Graphics - 9 These are solid, no question about it. Pretty game, good effect visuals, environments are mostly pretty different and look good. The colors are bright and beautiful. The animation of the main characters, as well as villians and supporting foes are all top notch stuff. It fits the 3D animation quality you'd expect from such a well animated series. The style is all here. You really feel like you're a part of their world, and it feels good!

Sound - 9 Everything here is also quite fine. The voices, sound effects, and levels are all quite good here. The quotes are aplenty, and funny to boot. The quality of the sound is also very good. Some of the levels get repetative in terms of sound effects and/or music, but you won't notice it that much, I promise. There is litterally HOURS of dialouge here to be enjoyed. The music is also good, and fits the series well, as it should.

Story - 8 The plot here fits perfectly into The Simpsons' universe. Bart wants a violent video game, and Marge takes it from him. As he walks behind the video game store, dejected, he discovers a video game manual - TO HIS OWN GAME! That's right, he finds a The Simpsons Game manual and learns about his and his families' super powers! First each member of the family have fun with their skills and use them for personal gains. Then they realize their very world is in danger of video termination, and only they can save the people of Springfield from deletion! Much of the story is told through animated story scenes akin to the show's bulk. So fan's won't want to miss it! The story covers alot of new ground, but keeps true to the old Simpsons spirit. There are a ton of new jokes to be found here, and the writing is top notch. The comedy here is GOLD. If you're a fan of the show, this alone should pull you into at least a rental. There are TONS of characters here that fit in great with the show's humor, and also many, many, many characters from the show's past show up. There is also alot of gamer humor to be found here, much of it new. Old and new school alike, you will find references to all sorts of gaming. There are also occasionally movie satires as well, which fit the series nicely. Overall, for a liscensed game especially, this game really delivers with it's humor and storyline.

Gameplay - 7 So what of the actual play? Well, many (especially new gen gamers) will be turned away here. It's mostly platform, with very light puzzle solving and some fighting thrown in to keep things from getting too old too fast. As an old school gamer and fan, I have no problem here, but I want to be fair to the majority of those of you that own a 360. You may want to rent this first, as you may not be satisfied by the gameplay. You'll run, jump, and super power your way from one objective to the next, using (usually) a duo of characters from the famous family, in a large 3D environment. All of the characters have unique powers that fit their personalities well. Sometimes it can get difficult to control said powers in some of the more difficult sections, but I found this is most often only true to the extra modes, and not the main storyline. Speaking of the extras. There are MANY. Time trial modes, beating regular levels under a par time, hidden bonuses to be discovered in every level and the sprawling, Springfield hub level, etc etc. This will take much of your time, which is good, because without all the extras, this game can simply be beaten within 5 hours, easily. With the extras and collectables however (if that's your thing), the game can take up to 24 hours or more. I know it sure lasted me a while, trying to find all the hidden stuff. And doing these extras, for the most part, is actually very fun, and doesn't usually turn mundane or annoying. You can also pick up and play any modes, at any time, two players. This really is just for fun though, as the AI partners are mostly pretty smart and help you get through levels with ease in single player mode.

Overall, oldschoolers, and fans of the show, will love this title and enjoy every minute of it's platform gameplay. Others may want to rent first, or steer clear altogether. If you like extras, comedy, and achievements, give this one a rent as well, as you'll find much to do here and laugh at to boot. The game's main strength is definately in it's writing, it's humor. But I found the gameplay itself to be very solid also. You won't find anything new in terms of gameplay, but you will likely enjoy the level design and super powers of each character. And in the end, of a liscensed game, of a Simpsons Game, this is all we can ask. Except, of course, for a sequal as funny and entertaining as this one!

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/12/07

Game Release: The Simpsons Game (US, 10/30/07)