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Monsters, Inc.
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Graphics & Sound:
If not for the Harry Potter movie, Monsters, Inc. could have been the biggest film since... well, Toy Story. Hopefully Monsters, Inc. can beat Harry Potter down with his own broom on the Game Boy Advance though. My money is on the the monsters - who wants a mini Bill Gates anyway? Monsters, Inc. is a very colorful and well animated movie, and the same holds true for their GBA counterpart. You guide Sullivan (the big bluish-green hairy guy) in his quest to reassemble a series of doors that get chopped up by the bad guys (Weak, I know, but this is Disney). The characters are very recognizable from the movie and are nicely animated. Monsters, Inc. features some of the best sprite animation on the GBA that I have seen. From all sides, both Sullivan and the enemies are clean and clear and feature those tasty little extras like blowing hair and clothes. The stages in Monsters, Inc. follow a theme for the board and while they look every bit as good as the characters, they tend to be repetitive. Fortunately each board is different enough to keep the game exciting. I could tell that a story was trying to be told in the beginning, but not having seen the movie, I couldn't follow. However, I was treated to some nice looking stills of the characters doing whatever it is that monsters do. As previously mentioned, I have not seen the movie, so I can't say if the same music was used, but I did find that it was fun and upbeat and did a good job of giving the game a feeling of charm. The sound effects are also well done and fit in the places that they should. I'm not sure if the GBA can do voice samples, but it would have made my day to hear the voices of John Goodman and Billy Crystal. If not the real things, a good impersonation or audio off the movie would have been fine in my book, but sadly neither are present. |
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Gameplay:
If I had to fit Monsters, Inc. into a genre other than being a children's game, I would most likely call it a 2.5D platformer. The camera is set to the side and the game progresses by moving left and right in relation to the camera, but you can also move left and right in relation to the character to avoid enemies and collect items. This system works and keeps the game from feeling like Super Mario Bros. rip off. I thought that collecting pieces of a door was somewhat boring, but my 8 year old sister found that it was good enough for her and the game was fun. The stages are quite big, but they are broken into floors and rooms. To help the player manage Sullivan's location and find the necessary items, an easy to use map system is available. After collecting all of the pieces, the level ends and you have to assemble them in a sort of jigsaw puzzle mini-game which is really fun. Other than being able to jump and use two attacks, Monsters, Inc. doesn't offer a lot in gameplay. That may sound bad, but it is important to consider the audience. Kids don't dislike Gran Turisimo 3 because it doesn't have any cartoons, but because they don't know how to handle a deep racing simulator. Monsters, Inc. is a very manageable game for the younger crowd and most importantly, it has a high fun factor. While the fan of Metal Gear Solid 2 might not like it, Monsters, Inc. will be a delight for kids to find in their stocking this Christmas.
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Difficulty:
Monsters, Inc. is an easy game. No intertwining storylines or precise sniper shots here. I think that its easy, but then again I beat Final Fantasy VIII in one week (however my GPA suffered a crippling blow). In Monsters, Inc., the puzzles don't get much more complex than pushing a stack of boxes to reach an item. This isn't to say that the game doesn't fit the audience, though. For kids, the difficulty level is just right, and with a shallow learning curve, it won't take long for players to get into the game.
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Game Mechanics:
The list has now increased by one game. Yes, my list of games that don't use technology from after the Reagan Administration. Specifically, I'm referring to using the 'let's use the password system instead of save file' policy that a lot of handheld developers are using now. The first Zelda game had a battery backup and its 18 years old now. I simply ask, nay, I beg developers to use battery backups instead of passwords. Its not like the game will cost less when it hits the store shelves, and it adds more replay value to the game. Other than that, the game plays very well with a tight control scheme and good walking/running/jumping physics. What Guys Thinks: While there are a few downfalls like a patchy story and no voice samples, they don't destroy the game. Advice to parents: I wouldn't recommend renting this one for the kids, because in all likelihood, you'll end up shelling out the 30 clams so they can keep it. But then again, it is a good wholesome game that your kids would clean their room for, so why not? |
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-Joe Guys, GameVortex Communications AKA Joe Labani |
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