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Gaming Forums => Nintendo Gaming => Reader Reviews => Topic started by: couchmonkey on February 16, 2006, 08:40:53 AM

Title: Uninformed Reviews: Carmen Sandiego and the Secret of the Stolen Drums
Post by: couchmonkey on February 16, 2006, 08:40:53 AM
Remember when I tried to spice up the reviews board by adding reviews of games I only barely played?  I didn't think so, only one person read them.  Oh well, I like to see myself type, so I'm going to try again.

My girlfriend picked up this game for $5.00, she's an old-school Carmen Sandiego fan.  She won't pay any attention at all to the story in The Wind Waker or Paper Mario, but she'll sit through an eight minute movie on Australia like it's Orson Welles.  Not that there's anything wrong with geography, it's just a disappointment that this game reduces the geographical sleuthing elements of the originals to static movie sequences.  In fact, rather than a Carmen Sandiego sequel, it feels like a generic liscenced 3D platformer based on a TV show or movie.

The Good:
  • Kind of cool world beat style sound track.
  • The character has a few neat moves.

    The Bad:
  • Terrible use of the Carmen Sandiego liscence - there's no detective work involved, clues are just generic collectibles and the educational part of the game is reduced to static lectures presented each time you arrive in a new country.
  • Some boring enemies that take forever to kill yet offer little challenge.
  • It has a few annoying bugs - I respawned inside a floor one time, but I was able to fenagle my way out.

    The Ugly:
  • The art direction is all over the place - the story is told through a mish-mash of real-time graphics, pre-rendered movies and comic book sequences, and the main character design tries to be both Xtreme and kid-friendly.  Awful.

    You know, in spite of all those I just wrote, this isn't a terrible game, it's just very average.  For $5.00 it was a good deal.  If you love geography...read a book.  If you love geography and you love 3D platformers and you see Carmen Sandiego for like $10 or less, then it's a decent buy.


    Final Score: 5/10 Stolen Drums
     
    • Title: RE: Uninformed Reviews: Carmen Sandiego and the Secret of the Stolen Drums
    Post by: Infernal Monkey on February 16, 2006, 02:29:29 PM
    So you don't get to talk to people on the streets for exciting history lessons? Ruined. ='(

    "Whoa, I've finally arrived! Hey excuse me, where's the closest restroom?"
    "Did you know the great ruins have existed for thousands of years also there was a time when the local people would trade items rather than use what we know as money also the train station over there has a fantastic story behind it, let me tell you in great detail"
    ".. What!"
    Title: RE:Uninformed Reviews: Carmen Sandiego and the Secret of the Stolen Drums
    Post by: wandering on February 17, 2006, 11:32:27 PM
    ahaha, yeah. The original "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" was awesome.
    Title: RE:Uninformed Reviews: Carmen Sandiego and the Secret of the Stolen Drums
    Post by: Pryopizm on February 19, 2006, 07:41:19 PM
    In honor of your review of a game you've barely played, I'm responding to a review I barely read!