Over The Hedge
Posted June 30, 2006
Nary a summer goes by without a movie released for the younger set, and naturally the biggest tie in a company can do (aside from some fast food toys) is a videogame to entice another $40 from parents. DreamWorks always seems to do this with Shrek and Madagascar games, and now most recently with the videogame version of their movie Over the Hedge.
Lately movie to game translations have been getting slightly better, especially for titles aimed at the younger set. Sometimes though a title loses its luster quite early into the title, and no amount of secret unlockable items and mini-games can make up for what a generic button is mashing platform title; Over the Hedge fits into this category.
Gameplay:
I'll spare the background details on what OTH is and how it came about, as more than likely if you are reading this review you fully know about the movie and its premise. The game puts you in control of several of the movies vermin in what turns out to be a boring series of levels which ultimately play out extremely similar, even when the locations are changed.
Each level presents you with some primary and secondary tasks, which when complete count towards your tally that unlocks new mini-games and mini-game levels. The task implementation is very underwhelming as completing the primary tasks happens automatically as you progress through the very linear levels, even a large portion of the secondary tasks get completed without hassle. You'll repeatedly find yourself opening a set number of coolers, making it through a backyard of a suburban dweller and infiltrating a kitchen of a cookie cutter designed home.
The levels are quite uninspired too, even as you progress out of the burbs you venture onto trains and into a shooting gallery of all things. While the levels do get excruciatingly boring, I must say that there were a couple times where I was pleasantly surprised by the use of different camera angles to change the gameplay, albeit briefly. The shooting gallery level in particular used some inventive angles to make it seem like you actually were at a $0.25 shooting gallery.
Making your way through all levels boiled down to leaping over some form of laser which hurt you, solving a rudimentary puzzle, and putting the smack down on some sort of fuzzy creature which was under some form of mind control. The fighting was very dreary amounting to repeatedly pounding on a button to take out the gopher/rabbit/rat. Even through team attacks and special moves are included, I think the only time I used one was when the move was introduced in the requisite training levels.
Three different mini-games are also included, though you need to unlock them as you progress. A RC racer, a golf target range and golf bumper carts are here for your enjoyment. While I applaud the inclusion of these modes, I found very little use for them as the fun factor was very low.
Other unlockable content includes the original 3 panel cartoon strips which show the roots of the comic, some in game renders, concept art and music from the game. Nothing too mind blowing, but at least it is some sort of reward for the massive amount of collecting you do in the title.
Graphics:
Graphically, OTH does look fairly decent thanks to being quite close to its source material. The movie featured slightly exaggerated characters which didn't lean too heavily on realism, making the translation to polygons on the console a fairly seamless one. In game and cut scene graphics looked quite sharp when using the movie as a frame of reference. Ninja Gaiden it definitely is not, but it's easily cuts the mustard for the genre and age group the game is aimed at.
Audio:
In a very disappointing move, none of the voice actors carried over from the movie; so what we end up hearing here in all of the cut scenes is an imitation of the actors who played the characters. Sorry Wanda Sykes fans, she's not here. The other audio in the title is also disappointing, background music and other sound effects are quite disenchanting and don't add much to the game.
Conclusion:
Unfortunately, what was a decent movie in this case didn't translate well to the console market. Uninspired level design and very repetitive tasks really detract from what may have had potential based on the source material. Considering the age group aimed at for this title though, I could see them getting enjoyment out of the title; and it's not going to be too difficult for them to get into either. But just to be safe, it's best to keep this game as a rental.
Lately movie to game translations have been getting slightly better, especially for titles aimed at the younger set. Sometimes though a title loses its luster quite early into the title, and no amount of secret unlockable items and mini-games can make up for what a generic button is mashing platform title; Over the Hedge fits into this category.
Gameplay:
I'll spare the background details on what OTH is and how it came about, as more than likely if you are reading this review you fully know about the movie and its premise. The game puts you in control of several of the movies vermin in what turns out to be a boring series of levels which ultimately play out extremely similar, even when the locations are changed.
Each level presents you with some primary and secondary tasks, which when complete count towards your tally that unlocks new mini-games and mini-game levels. The task implementation is very underwhelming as completing the primary tasks happens automatically as you progress through the very linear levels, even a large portion of the secondary tasks get completed without hassle. You'll repeatedly find yourself opening a set number of coolers, making it through a backyard of a suburban dweller and infiltrating a kitchen of a cookie cutter designed home.
The levels are quite uninspired too, even as you progress out of the burbs you venture onto trains and into a shooting gallery of all things. While the levels do get excruciatingly boring, I must say that there were a couple times where I was pleasantly surprised by the use of different camera angles to change the gameplay, albeit briefly. The shooting gallery level in particular used some inventive angles to make it seem like you actually were at a $0.25 shooting gallery.
Making your way through all levels boiled down to leaping over some form of laser which hurt you, solving a rudimentary puzzle, and putting the smack down on some sort of fuzzy creature which was under some form of mind control. The fighting was very dreary amounting to repeatedly pounding on a button to take out the gopher/rabbit/rat. Even through team attacks and special moves are included, I think the only time I used one was when the move was introduced in the requisite training levels.
Three different mini-games are also included, though you need to unlock them as you progress. A RC racer, a golf target range and golf bumper carts are here for your enjoyment. While I applaud the inclusion of these modes, I found very little use for them as the fun factor was very low.
Other unlockable content includes the original 3 panel cartoon strips which show the roots of the comic, some in game renders, concept art and music from the game. Nothing too mind blowing, but at least it is some sort of reward for the massive amount of collecting you do in the title.
Graphics:
Graphically, OTH does look fairly decent thanks to being quite close to its source material. The movie featured slightly exaggerated characters which didn't lean too heavily on realism, making the translation to polygons on the console a fairly seamless one. In game and cut scene graphics looked quite sharp when using the movie as a frame of reference. Ninja Gaiden it definitely is not, but it's easily cuts the mustard for the genre and age group the game is aimed at.
Audio:
In a very disappointing move, none of the voice actors carried over from the movie; so what we end up hearing here in all of the cut scenes is an imitation of the actors who played the characters. Sorry Wanda Sykes fans, she's not here. The other audio in the title is also disappointing, background music and other sound effects are quite disenchanting and don't add much to the game.
Conclusion:
Unfortunately, what was a decent movie in this case didn't translate well to the console market. Uninspired level design and very repetitive tasks really detract from what may have had potential based on the source material. Considering the age group aimed at for this title though, I could see them getting enjoyment out of the title; and it's not going to be too difficult for them to get into either. But just to be safe, it's best to keep this game as a rental.