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« on: February 16, 2004, 05:46:03 PM »
"It's about time!" - Homer Simpson
Yes, it's about time that someone got it right. Well, quite right actually.
Is it a great game: yes. Would it be so great if it wasn't for Simpsons: simply put, no. Good but not great.
This is a game a lot like GTA. This one will have you drive and walk around Springfield, doing errants for known citizens, following a plot that make very little sense. You'll get to personified Homer, Bart, Lisa, Marge and Apu. All character sport their trademark clothes, cars and funnies. Apart from the missions, you will have to collect cards, bust wasp, race, buy clothes and find all gags hidden in the levels in order to acheive a 100% score.
Graphics: 9/10
Graphic wise the game is solid. The characters look how they should and everything is pretty much well done. Nothing stellar but everythings fit together in a nice way. Nice design. I really like the main menu and the cutscenes. The cars look great and the town is vibrant, truly alive. I'm very gratefull they didn't go the cel-shaded way. The most amazing thing is to discover the town with everyone walking around famous landmarks (they are EVERYWHERE!). I often find myself driving slowly just to take a look, something I haven't done in a game since a long time. It really give me a sense of being part of Springfield. The only downside is some ugly clipping but it's very forgivable.
Sound: 9.5/10
At first, I couln't beleive it and chances are you won't too. Everything sound like it should. It is so rare to find a game with so much genuine voice acting and sound effects. All the characters have their things to say and most of the time, it fit the action perfectly. The only downside is that you may become sick of hearing them repeat the same thing over and over... Not that it bothered me. Apu is the worst in that domain. The background music is apropriate.
Control: 8/10
Well, the control is pretty good. Going on foot is not complicated at all. You might have some trouble kicking your first wasp but that's about it. When you're driving, it's a little bit different. It all depend of the car you have. Some feel clumsy and hard to steer. Some will go on a spin anytime you hit something. Some will handle very well but will explode more often. All in all, everything is well balanced. The camera can sometime be a real pain...
Story: Hu??? 8/10
The story is important at first as it drive the game. Then in level 2, you begin to wonder if there's a story in all this. In level 3, you forgot that this game had a story. In level 4 & 5 you're wishing that the story will kick in soon. Then in level 6 & 7, things get's better and missions sometimes do actually make sense. The story is great, funny but not very important. But most of all, it's pure Simpsons. It's really like watching an episode. If you like it on TV, you'll like it on your Gamecube.
Gameplay: 8/10
Ok, it's fine but sometimes you will get bored as you'll do the same thing over and over again. At leat you get to drive freely in Springfield. What upped the score in that part is that the game is harder than it look. At first it his easy but in the later level, I had road rage and was about to throw my pad out of the window in frustration. It will take you from 10 to 20 hours to complete the game without cheats and a 100% score.
Multiplayer: 2/10
The bonus game is not much fun. They could have done something better. I would have loved to race in split screen.
Overall: (not an average) 9/10
If you like the Simpsons, go ahead and at least rent it. This game has a lot to offer. It's like a living museum. For me this game is a must-have but I know that it's not for everyone. This is one of my favorite game, the others: the Resident Evil series. I own a Xbox with GTA double pack and I must admit that I like The Simpsons: Hit & Run way better.
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