Robyn Dobson

It’s hardly a surprise that the theatrical release of Disney/Pixar’s latest CG wonder Ratatouille is met day and date with video game adaptations for nearly every platform imaginable. Equally unsurprising is that the bulk of these titles seem designed for a market that does not exist, or at the very least is decidedly niche: players young enough to appreciate the source material but old enough not to become easily frustrated by the title’s unforgiving gameplay.

Developed at THQ’s wholly owned Heavy Iron Studios, Ratatouille follows the platforming exploits of Remy, a young rat who dreams about becoming a great French chef. Given the quality of other similarly tepid releases from Heavy Iron, it’s not so much shocking that Ratatouille fails to impress as it is disappointing. Given the variety of situations and locations made possible in a game seen through the eyes of a rat, the developers have instead turned out yet another run of the mill adventure that will do little to save players from the icon-collecting doldrums brought on by countless similar creations.

While the main game may come off as largely forgettable, Ratatouille does feature a healthy selection of mini-games, both available from the onset and unlocked through play, and some of these offer a measure of fun not found elsewhere in the title, though with only a handful from which to choose, the question of value still lingers heavy in the air like the musty odor of overripe cheese that not even Remy’s brother Emile would find appetizing for long.

Something to keep in mind when playing Ratatouille is that it is based on a movie property which is itself aimed at the younger set. That being the case, the game should feature mechanics that keep those players in mind, or at the very least include an easier game mode designed to help players with fewer years behind them, who might even be grappling with their emerging gamer instincts for the first time with this very game.

Ratatouille includes none of this, and I dare say that most children will look to the nearest adult for help even before the mandatory tutorial mission has been completed, while later levels, areas, and challenges will likely prove nigh unplayable for the game’s presumed target audience.

Interestingly, in this respect, the Wii version manages to stand out from its peers, at least initially, offering more intuitive and forgiving controls than those on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, or GameCube. But this relief is short lived, as even this version eventually slips into the same routine of aggravation exhibited by its counterparts.

It cannot even be viably argued that the title is instead aimed at tweens or young adults, as beyond the frustrating platforming, odd camera angles, and aggravating missions lies an experience that simply isn’t all that fun. It’s not that Ratatouille is broken, but rather that, like so many other movie-to-game translations, it rides too closely upon the coat tails of its source material, recreating various scenes and events from the movie in the context of an interactive experience. But when that experience itself isn’t entertaining without its theatrical crutch, what’s the point? Heavy Iron fell into a similar pitfall with The Incredibles, and it’s unfortunate that here again more is not done with the license.

And that, in a nutshell, is my problem with Ratatouille. Besides some questionable design, the biggest shortcoming is that it simply does not do enough with what for all intents and purposes should be a compelling vehicle for a fun game. The potential is there, but for whatever reason, be it budget, time, or a mixture of both, the end product simply does not deliver, regardless of how expertly the actors may deliver their lines, or how cute Remy looks scampering about in the kitchen. Ratatouille may be a great movie, but as a game it’s just not worth the effort.

Ratatouille

July 23, 2007

It’s hardly a surprise that the theatrical release of Disney/Pixar’s latest CG wonder Ratatouille is met day and date with video game adaptations for nearly every platform imaginable. Equally unsurprising is that the bulk of these titles seem designed for a market that does not exist, or at the very least is decidedly niche: players young enough to appreciate the source material but old enough not to become easily frustrated by the title’s unforgiving gameplay.

Developed at THQ’s wholly owned Heavy Iron Studios, Ratatouille follows the platforming exploits of Remy, a young rat who dreams about becoming a great French chef. Given the quality of other similarly tepid releases from Heavy Iron, it’s not so much shocking that Ratatouille fails to impress as it is disappointing. Given the variety of situations and locations made possible in a game seen through the eyes of a rat, the developers have instead turned out yet another run of the mill adventure that will do little to save players from the icon-collecting doldrums brought on by countless similar creations.

While the main game may come off as largely forgettable, Ratatouille does feature a healthy selection of mini-games, both available from the onset and unlocked through play, and some of these offer a measure of fun not found elsewhere in the title, though with only a handful from which to choose, the question of value still lingers heavy in the air like the musty odor of overripe cheese that not even Remy’s brother Emile would find appetizing for long.

Something to keep in mind when playing Ratatouille is that it is based on a movie property which is itself aimed at the younger set. That being the case, the game should feature mechanics that keep those players in mind, or at the very least include an easier game mode designed to help players with fewer years behind them, who might even be grappling with their emerging gamer instincts for the first time with this very game.

Ratatouille includes none of this, and I dare say that most children will look to the nearest adult for help even before the mandatory tutorial mission has been completed, while later levels, areas, and challenges will likely prove nigh unplayable for the game’s presumed target audience.

Interestingly, in this respect, the Wii version manages to stand out from its peers, at least initially, offering more intuitive and forgiving controls than those on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, or GameCube. But this relief is short lived, as even this version eventually slips into the same routine of aggravation exhibited by its counterparts.

It cannot even be viably argued that the title is instead aimed at tweens or young adults, as beyond the frustrating platforming, odd camera angles, and aggravating missions lies an experience that simply isn’t all that fun. It’s not that Ratatouille is broken, but rather that, like so many other movie-to-game translations, it rides too closely upon the coat tails of its source material, recreating various scenes and events from the movie in the context of an interactive experience. But when that experience itself isn’t entertaining without its theatrical crutch, what’s the point? Heavy Iron fell into a similar pitfall with The Incredibles, and it’s unfortunate that here again more is not done with the license.

And that, in a nutshell, is my problem with Ratatouille. Besides some questionable design, the biggest shortcoming is that it simply does not do enough with what for all intents and purposes should be a compelling vehicle for a fun game. The potential is there, but for whatever reason, be it budget, time, or a mixture of both, the end product simply does not deliver, regardless of how expertly the actors may deliver their lines, or how cute Remy looks scampering about in the kitchen. Ratatouille may be a great movie, but as a game it’s just not worth the effort.

Ratatouille

July 23, 2007

It’s hardly a surprise that the theatrical release of Disney/Pixar’s latest CG wonder Ratatouille is met day and date with video game adaptations for nearly every platform imaginable. Equally unsurprising is that the bulk of these titles seem designed for a market that does not exist, or at the very least is decidedly niche: players young enough to appreciate the source material but old enough not to become easily frustrated by the title’s unforgiving gameplay.

Developed at THQ’s wholly owned Heavy Iron Studios, Ratatouille follows the platforming exploits of Remy, a young rat who dreams about becoming a great French chef. Given the quality of other similarly tepid releases from Heavy Iron, it’s not so much shocking that Ratatouille fails to impress as it is disappointing. Given the variety of situations and locations made possible in a game seen through the eyes of a rat, the developers have instead turned out yet another run of the mill adventure that will do little to save players from the icon-collecting doldrums brought on by countless similar creations.

While the main game may come off as largely forgettable, Ratatouille does feature a healthy selection of mini-games, both available from the onset and unlocked through play, and some of these offer a measure of fun not found elsewhere in the title, though with only a handful from which to choose, the question of value still lingers heavy in the air like the musty odor of overripe cheese that not even Remy’s brother Emile would find appetizing for long.

Something to keep in mind when playing Ratatouille is that it is based on a movie property which is itself aimed at the younger set. That being the case, the game should feature mechanics that keep those players in mind, or at the very least include an easier game mode designed to help players with fewer years behind them, who might even be grappling with their emerging gamer instincts for the first time with this very game.

Ratatouille includes none of this, and I dare say that most children will look to the nearest adult for help even before the mandatory tutorial mission has been completed, while later levels, areas, and challenges will likely prove nigh unplayable for the game’s presumed target audience.

Interestingly, in this respect, the Wii version manages to stand out from its peers, at least initially, offering more intuitive and forgiving controls than those on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, or GameCube. But this relief is short lived, as even this version eventually slips into the same routine of aggravation exhibited by its counterparts.

It cannot even be viably argued that the title is instead aimed at tweens or young adults, as beyond the frustrating platforming, odd camera angles, and aggravating missions lies an experience that simply isn’t all that fun. It’s not that Ratatouille is broken, but rather that, like so many other movie-to-game translations, it rides too closely upon the coat tails of its source material, recreating various scenes and events from the movie in the context of an interactive experience. But when that experience itself isn’t entertaining without its theatrical crutch, what’s the point? Heavy Iron fell into a similar pitfall with The Incredibles, and it’s unfortunate that here again more is not done with the license.

And that, in a nutshell, is my problem with Ratatouille. Besides some questionable design, the biggest shortcoming is that it simply does not do enough with what for all intents and purposes should be a compelling vehicle for a fun game. The potential is there, but for whatever reason, be it budget, time, or a mixture of both, the end product simply does not deliver, regardless of how expertly the actors may deliver their lines, or how cute Remy looks scampering about in the kitchen. Ratatouille may be a great movie, but as a game it’s just not worth the effort.

Ratatouille

July 23, 2007

It’s hardly a surprise that the theatrical release of Disney/Pixar’s latest CG wonder Ratatouille is met day and date with video game adaptations for nearly every platform imaginable. Equally unsurprising is that the bulk of these titles seem designed for a market that does not exist, or at the very least is decidedly niche: players young enough to appreciate the source material but old enough not to become easily frustrated by the title’s unforgiving gameplay.

Developed at THQ’s wholly owned Heavy Iron Studios, Ratatouille follows the platforming exploits of Remy, a young rat who dreams about becoming a great French chef. Given the quality of other similarly tepid releases from Heavy Iron, it’s not so much shocking that Ratatouille fails to impress as it is disappointing. Given the variety of situations and locations made possible in a game seen through the eyes of a rat, the developers have instead turned out yet another run of the mill adventure that will do little to save players from the icon-collecting doldrums brought on by countless similar creations.

While the main game may come off as largely forgettable, Ratatouille does feature a healthy selection of mini-games, both available from the onset and unlocked through play, and some of these offer a measure of fun not found elsewhere in the title, though with only a handful from which to choose, the question of value still lingers heavy in the air like the musty odor of overripe cheese that not even Remy’s brother Emile would find appetizing for long.

Something to keep in mind when playing Ratatouille is that it is based on a movie property which is itself aimed at the younger set. That being the case, the game should feature mechanics that keep those players in mind, or at the very least include an easier game mode designed to help players with fewer years behind them, who might even be grappling with their emerging gamer instincts for the first time with this very game.

Ratatouille includes none of this, and I dare say that most children will look to the nearest adult for help even before the mandatory tutorial mission has been completed, while later levels, areas, and challenges will likely prove nigh unplayable for the game’s presumed target audience.

Interestingly, in this respect, the Wii version manages to stand out from its peers, at least initially, offering more intuitive and forgiving controls than those on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, or GameCube. But this relief is short lived, as even this version eventually slips into the same routine of aggravation exhibited by its counterparts.

It cannot even be viably argued that the title is instead aimed at tweens or young adults, as beyond the frustrating platforming, odd camera angles, and aggravating missions lies an experience that simply isn’t all that fun. It’s not that Ratatouille is broken, but rather that, like so many other movie-to-game translations, it rides too closely upon the coat tails of its source material, recreating various scenes and events from the movie in the context of an interactive experience. But when that experience itself isn’t entertaining without its theatrical crutch, what’s the point? Heavy Iron fell into a similar pitfall with The Incredibles, and it’s unfortunate that here again more is not done with the license.

And that, in a nutshell, is my problem with Ratatouille. Besides some questionable design, the biggest shortcoming is that it simply does not do enough with what for all intents and purposes should be a compelling vehicle for a fun game. The potential is there, but for whatever reason, be it budget, time, or a mixture of both, the end product simply does not deliver, regardless of how expertly the actors may deliver their lines, or how cute Remy looks scampering about in the kitchen. Ratatouille may be a great movie, but as a game it’s just not worth the effort.

Hot Shots Golf is to some the perfect marriage of simulation and arcade style golfing, delivering an experience that remains unrivaled now ten years after the series first graced the original PlayStation. By comparison, Hot Shots Tennis feels tepid and shallow, offering little outside of similar presentation from which to draw comparison. An unfortunate misstep, given the potential offered by the Hot Shots brand, but this latest game proves that genius is seldom universal, and that Sony’s big-headed athletes should perhaps stick to the links.

Here accessibility is, as with Hot Shots Golf, the most prominent feature, and it can be felt with every predicable volley with tennis matches distilled down to a series of easily timed button presses with little room for invention or creativity. While in golf the Hot Shots series entertained players with its balanced mechanics both easy to pick and difficult to master, ot Shots Tennis makes no such effort and instead of entertain will likely just drive players to boredom.

It may seem unfair to size up Hot Shots Tennis‘ faults against its predecessor’s triumphs, but that blunder falls squarely to Sony and developer Clap Hanz, whose decision to associate such a perfunctory effort with a brand as established at Hot Shots can be seen as nothing less than flawed.

Given the weight of its namesake, it seems almost criminal that the developers managed to include unlockable courts, outfits, and characters, yet somehow neglected to include any measure of personality in the game itself. Each match plays out much like any other, with similar, if not identical, tactics proving equally useful regardless of which characters are involved. Once you get the basics of each of the different types of shots down, as well as how to respond to each in turn, Hot Shots Tennis‘ pretense of challenge quickly breaks down into a calculating, uninteresting mess.

Outside of the bland single player affair, multiplayer modes offering both singles and double matches help make things a bit more interesting, though given the game’s lackadaisical approach to everything else it’s hardly a surprise that anything approaching online has been quietly ignored. Also missing is any sort of tournament, with Hot Shots Tennis instead offering four game stages with no quarter or semi final match ups at all, undermining any sense of progress the title might have otherwise evoked. This game is as vanilla as they come, failing to even measure up to earlier efforts such as 2002’s Virtua Tennis 2.

Hot Shots Tennis is a disappointment, not just because of its failure to live to its pedigree, but more importantly for its failure to live up the expectations of players who look for more in their tennis games than a watered down recreation of the sport. The game is painfully generic, and those players looking to add a tennis game to their libraries can do far better by looking in the local bargain bin than pick up this contrived effort. This game is A