The Simpsons Game

"The Simpsons Game.... IN 3-D"

A highly anticipated game, which has been wanted for the past 19 years, The Simpsons Game was one of the most hyped games in 2007. But did it live up to the hype, or crumble under the weight of its own popularity? A cross between a platformer and an action/adventure, this game had some standards to meet. 1) It had to have the same principles as the show and 2) It had to be as funny as the show. This review will explain what the game was like, and answer a lot more questions.

GRAPHICS – 8

Any game on a new-generation console has to have good graphics, and this game has joined the likes of Gears of War and Oblivion on that list.

Well... almost.

The Simpsons game combines CGI graphics and cartoon graphics, something the movie didn't do. It took the Simpson family to somewhere that only Homer had before visited. The world of 3-D. It is better than pixelated worlds and flat 2-D worlds, but takes away the experience of travelling through the town of Springfield like only they can. So, if you want the game to be just like the show, don't expect the graphics to boost your hopes.

SOUND – 10

A perfect score for the sound, and with good reason. The characters have the same voices as they do in the show. No cheap imitations in this game, as in certain others. The area sounds are very good too. Certain examples, the theme tune. It wasn't like they just recorded it from the TV show and played it in the background. It was like they modified it to make it their own. And finally, the dialogue. Oh my gosh, about half of your game time will be spent in cutscenes, and they are PERFECT. Funny and clever at the same time.

STORY – 9

The story in this game is just as crazy as the story in the movie. And it all starts with a violent video game that Marge takes away from Bart. After that, Bart sees a book fall from the sky. Curious, Bart starts to read it (for once), and discovers that it is the manual for the game itself! Using it, Bart and the family learn about their various superpowers, and use them to their advantage. At least until Kang and Kodos join in on the fun. During the game, they enter parodies of other games to save Springfield. Plus, another gold star for the comedy in the story. Only the Simpsons can have a gang of blood-thirsty dolphins ravage the city. Loads of the Treehouse of Horror characters make a re-appearance in the game, and a familiar face from a Season 4 episode...

GAMEPLAY – 7

So, what's this game actually like? Well, in one word... old-school. A basic platformer that EA tried to enhance. New-gen consoles aren't used to platformers, so this game struggles. If you are used to newer games, full of action and special effects, you should rent this game before buying it. In this game, there are 3 basic elements of the controls. Run, jump and attack. The same style that was used 10 years ago. Not like the styles used today. Not like Oblivion. Not like the new generation. The Difficulty is at a moderate level, with easy and hard parts. At least for the normal story mode. The difficulty can vary depending on what you're doing. The time trials can be very hard if you hate the level. The collectibles can be easy, if you know where they are. The play time can also vary, the simple story mode taking just 5 hours. However, if you want 100%, your play time could reach over 24 hours. Good luck, you'll need it.

REPLAYABILITY – 9

Normally, platformers are relatively useless when you've unlocked everything. This one is the same except for one main reason. It's so funny; you'll never want to stop playing it! All the videos can be viewed again though, but it takes away the sheer joy of the game! The levels are so fun, you'll want to play them over and over and over again!

OVERALL – 9

This game is almost perfect, apart from one reason. It's not for everyone. The only people who will love it are old-school gamers and fans of the show. This game still has a lot to experience though. Hilarious cutscenes, very enjoyable levels and sheer realism of Springfield makes this game one not to miss for certain people. However, if you prefer newer, non-platform games, I would rent this game before buying it. Don't buy this game if you know you're not going to like it. However, if you enjoy humour in a game, forget about what I said a few lines ago. This will be the funniest game you will have played in a long time. And will be, until perhaps a sequel? Only time will tell.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/03/08

Game Release: The Simpsons Game (EU, 11/02/07)