Reviewed: July 27, 2005
Reviewed by: Brendon Hivner
Publisher
2K Games
Global Star
Developer
High Voltage Software
Released: July 15, 2005
Genre: Platform
Players: 1
ESRB: Everyone
5
6
8
7
6.2
Supported Features:
Screenshots (Click Image for Gallery)
If Charlie and the Chocolate Factory would ever be made into a videogame, the game would likely be aimed at a slightly younger age group of candy-coated platforming. Tim Burton’s version of the classic film (which was based on the even classier book) is followed up by a game that does just that (and follows Burton’s film pretty closely).
Features Include:
- Acquire incredible abilities by using fantastic new candies in order to save the factory
- Creative and interactive environments, based on the visual style of the film, fully immerse players in the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory™ story
- Stop the “rotten” children from causing chaos and destruction throughout the candy factory
- Repair huge, bizarre candy-making machines by solving puzzles and enlisting the help of the Oompa-Loompas
- Explore numerous rooms and environments inside Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is, at its core, a platformer made up of basic fetch quests in and around the factory. Many of these tasks include helping the kids in the group that get into trouble (such as helping Augustus get un-stuck from the tube).
Charlie isn’t alone either. He is able to recruit the help of Oompa-Loompas, which can be given simple follow/wait tasks via the D-pad. On many occasions, Charlie will need the help of Oompa-Loompas. The game very closely follows the film and rarely strays too far from it.
The controls are pretty tight and work well within the confines of the game. The mechanics are fairly straightforward, and controlling the various weapons (candy) at your disposal is easy. In your arsenal, you’ve got anything from Everlasting Gobstoppers (throwing weapons) to candy balloons (bounce on ‘em) and many more to help you along.
The only drawback to the gameplay is that the fetching can become tired fairly early in the game. Many situations have you running from one side of a level to another and then doing it all again. Instructions are given to you from Wonka himself, but sometimes your duties aren’t so clear. A simple press of the Z button will get you back on track though through the help of Grandpa Joe.
Graphically, the game captures the look of the film wonderfully, and though it’s no knockout beauty, it’s more than adequate. The character models look close to the actors/actresses in the film with a slightly cartoonish touch to them. The environments are closer yet, which is a nice touch for those who’ve seen the film.
The game moves at a brisk framerate most of the time, but gains frames whenever you move into confined spaces. While not a big deal, it is worth noting. The cinematics are drawn with a storyboard style, which fit much better than CG cutscenes.
The audio side of the game is where it shines its brightest. The music is done very well with an appropriate score that balances cheeriness and moody atmosphere to fit with the imaginative designs inside the factory.
The actors/actresses from the film make an appearance in the game (except for Johnny Depp as Wonka). So of course, the game sounds as good as the film, and the kids don’t sound like they’re reading from a script (which a surprising amount of older actors/actresses can’t do). The Wonka sound-alike does a good job of Depp’s impression of Wonka, being almost indistinguishable from the film. The sound performs well in the story sequences too, and all through the game.
Younger kids can expect 12-15 hours of gameplay while older kids and adults could easily finish the game in 8-10. You can add a few more hours if you want to go on a scavenger hunt for all of the collectibles.
For those who take the time to find every collectible (and there are a lot of them), there are a bunch of unlockables and extras to be found in the game (film-related and not). While some of the game’s extras are merely just for the sake of being there, those interested in the film will find a lot to like.
Sure, playing as Charlie is the obvious choice given the game’s namesake, but the story really isn’t about Charlie; it’s about Wonka. It’d be cooler to play as Willy Wonka, or even switch back and forth between Wonka, Charlie, and the other kids.
The fetch-questing gets old fast, but the game ties in closely with the film in graphics, sound, and atmosphere. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is tailor-made for a younger group, and keeping that in mind, the game does what it’s set out to do. More experienced gamers will want to look elsewhere for their platforming needs though.