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GBA

North America

That's So Raven

by Ben Kosmina - November 12, 2004, 2:31 am EST

4

"Somehow, I had to save the school from this fashion disaster!"

Female role models seem to often be a tough point for children's television programming. Throughout time, we've seen characters like She-Ra, Princess of Power, Jem and the Holograms, the Pink and Yellow Power Rangers, Linka (VIIIIIND!) and Gi from Captain Planet, and just about everyone from Sailor Moon. Stepping up for the challenge in the 21st century is Raven, a pop-tartlet who has her very own TV show, 'that's SO Raven' (yes, written like that). In it, she stars as Raven, a teenage girl going through the trials and tribulations of school...but she has psychic visions! However, these visions are often misinterpreted and lead to all sorts of wacky antics. Apparently.

The GBA game, as you might have guessed, is based on the TV series. Perhaps I should say "loosely" based. It's clear that there were quite a few restrictions on what Raven could and couldn't do, because gameplay involves you (as Raven!) running around on numerous errands for people, all the while collecting dropped bottles of fresh spring water and perfume. Raven's line of defence includes dumping spring water on the floor to make people slip and fall over, swinging her handbag around to deflect objects that are being thrown at her, and SPRAYING PEOPLE IN THE FACE WITH PERFUME. Am I the only one who finds that a bit odd? I can just hear the Disney exec saying "We don't want anything violent. Make her blind people with perfume." At least that gives a logical reason as to why clones of her principal (who spit on you), men wheeling TVs, manic floor waxers, lizard men, and crazy women with shopping bags (just to name a few of Raven's foes) are after her. I'd be pretty angry if this girl came up and sprayed me in the face with perfume.

Objectives for the game include:

  • Avoiding a smelly boy and warning people to stay away from him

  • Signing up the smelly boy for the dunking machine to 'give him a bath'

  • Collecting tokens to distract your little brother in an arcade while you're on a date

  • Avoiding a girl after you put gum in her hair

  • Skipping class and avoiding hall monitors

  • Searching for cheese

  • Dressing up as a pirate and dancing

    Call me crazy, but I wouldn't like to ever meet Raven in real life.

    The game has got a catchy hip-hop style introductionary song which is used for a ten-second FMV intro, and in-game cutscenes. It's actually pretty good. Unfortunately, the soundtrack is limited to around five songs for the entire game, and four of them are all hip-hoppy too, making them all blend into one large blur of hip-hop insanity. Don't rely on the music to figure out which level you're in, because you'll think you're stuck in an infinity loop. Sounds include hacking coughs from poor innocents as Raven sprays them in the face with perfume, record scratches when you pick up CDs, and chomping sounds when you get a burger. All in all, pretty standard video game stuff.

    The graphics for the game are clear and bright, and the characters are well animated. Raven runs quite comically, with her arms outstretched and her legs pumping like a pair of pistons. It's clear to tell what is a pickup and what is scenery. Unfortunately, the graphic style seems to repeat a LOT, as you always seem to be either at school or at the mall. Then again, that may be a restriction of the license.

    As it's based on the hit show!, that's SO Raven is ripe with stills from the TV series. They'll appear during the cutscenes, and you'll also get this creepy eyeball zoom-in-zoom-out thing that happens whenever Raven has a psychic premonition. It's possible to unlock things in a yearbook by completing secondary tasks, but they're just more stills from the show for you to look at, most of which are already seen in-game. In addition, if you do want to go back and unlock any yearbook photos that you missed, it will require a lot of guesswork, as there's no obvious clue as to which levels have got their photos unlocked and which haven't.

    Overall, that's SO Raven is a formulaic license title. It's a short experience, and for the time that you play it, it's not really much fun, either. It's probably just me, but I also found that Raven (the TV show character, at least) seems to be pretty nasty and shallow, if the game's missions reflect her show. I can't even recommend this to fans of the show. This game is damning proof that some licenses just shouldn't be made into games.

  • Score

    Graphics Sound Control Gameplay Lastability Final
    5 5 2 2 3 4
    Graphics
    5

    Probably the best part of the game, but that's not really saying much. At least the graphics are recognizable.

    Sound
    5

    The introduction/cutscene song is really cool, but all the rest of the songs sound like inferior versions of it, thus making it feel like you're playing the same level over and over. The sound works, but doesn't really stand out.

    Control
    2

    Raven will slip and slide all over the place, and it's difficult to attack with such inane methods. Not that's a problem anyway -- it's difficult to die, and if you talk to or "help" one of your friends, your health is fully replenished. Even the "surprise" dance level near the end comes off as clunky and awkward to control. And let's not get started on that Chicken Chase level.

    Gameplay
    2

    Contender for "Most Shallow Character Ever". Raven litters, perfume sprays, handbag swings and sneaks through various levels while searching for people or finding items for people or searching for people to give them items.

    Lastability
    3

    The game has a moderate amount of levels, but because the game is so forgiving, they'll probably be over fairly quickly. Players can unlock yearbook photos by completing secondary tasks if they can be bothered, and most won't.

    Final
    4

    A below-average Game Boy Advance game based on the school adventures of the current popular TV show character. Come on, girl gamers deserve better than this.

    Summary

    Pros
    • It has battery save.
    • Lizard men. I KID YOU NOT.
    • The cutscene music is pretty cool.
    Cons
    • A really dislikeable, shallow character. One mission is based on TELLING HER FRIENDS TO AVOID SOMEONE.
    • Awkward to use, unresponsive controls.
    • Spraying people in the face with perfume. What on earth were Disney thinking?
    • There is gameplay, but let's face it -- this game just isn't fun.
    Review Page 2: Conclusion

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    Genre Adventure
    Developer Vicarious Visions
    Players1

    Worldwide Releases

    na: That's So Raven
    Release Oct 13, 2004
    PublisherDisney Interactive
    RatingEveryone

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