Reviewed: December 29, 2003
Reviewed by: Miguel Cervantes
Publisher
Vivendi Universal Games
Fox Interactive
Developer
Radical Entertainment
Released: November 11, 2003
Genre: Action
Players: 4
ESRB: Teen
8
8
9
7
8.0
System Requirements:
Recommended System:
It’s been well over a decade since Matt Groening’s wise cracking bunny characters morphed into the international phenomenon known as The Simpsons. Since that time the first family of animated comedy has been quite busy, branding everything from T-shirts to CD-Album compilations with their distinctive likeness while continuing to amuse and delight audiences the world over with Homer and company’s crazy antics.
Although most gamers are familiar with The Simpsons through their television series, The Simpsons themselves are no strangers to the world of gaming, having dived into an arcade adventure of their own (The Simpsons, by Konami) as early as 1992 and continuing throughout the next decade with over 20 releases for PlayStation, Nintendo and PC platforms.
Each past Simpson’s release had its own distinct charm, but The Simpson’s latest and greatest, The Simpsons: Hit and Run, aims to top them all by sporting a list of features that will inspire more drool in fans than a Lard Lad donut would in Homer.
A driving game at heart, The Simpsons Hit and Run promises over 50 missions and 40 different authentic Simpson’s vehicles with unique voiceovers from the actual cast, bonus costumes, driving courses, unlockable secrets and multiplayer features all wrapped up in a new Simpsons storyline written for the game by the writers for the show.
While all aforementioned features are impressive, the latter should raise the most eyebrows, not only because of its noteworthiness, but because it underscores an important development in the game industry in which Hollywood’s talent (its actors, writers, producers and effects people) are increasingly and in ever larger numbers turning their talents to game making, raising the bar for video games in general and, perhaps more importantly, helping to establish an increasingly visible legitimacy to the world of interactive entertainment.
As was mentioned earlier, The Simpsons: Hit and Run is, at its heart, a driving game, one that almost without exception plays like Grand Theft Auto III. Driving is devilishly simple, with W-A-S-D taking the place of the accelerator pedals, brakes, and steering wheel while the mouse buttons work as action buttons and the parking break, something that really comes in handy for those hairpin turns.
Some may find it perhaps a bit too simple, and although it would have been nice to include in-car ‘weapons’ (flying donuts perhaps?) or bonus vehicle modifications for extra horsepower and the like, the majority of players will appreciate the ability to jump into the game right away. Perhaps as a concession to concerned parents, the game allows Homer to ‘hi-jack’ cars by entering their passenger seat and directing the driving rather than stealing them outright.
Players begin by taking on the role of Homer who, after being roused from his afternoon nap by Marge, takes on a series of tasks that involve burning rubber around Springfield in his famous pink sedan. Each task is varied; some call for speed, others call for finesse, but no matter which way you slice them each mission is pure Simpsons, allowing players to interact with all the favorite denizens of Springfield: Ned Flanders, Principal Skinner, Mr. Burns, Apu, Grandpa Simpson, Moleman, Ralph Wiggum, Milhouse, Selma and Patty…well maybe that’s not all good, but the variety and presence of each resident Simpsons character is felt with an immediacy that is not only impressive, it’s downright cool.
Homer can kick, drive, smash and bash his way through Springfield (and its memorable residents) in a way that Simpsons fans have never been able to do before. The game environment consists of an accurately rendered Springfield that truly makes one feel like they’ve arrived in the most coveted cartoon land of all. Take a drive through Evergreen Terrace, wind your way through Springfield Elementary, stop at the Kwik-E-Mart and then make a beeline for the Nuclear Power Plant, inside which you’ll find (among other things) workers garmented in white protective gear, gelatinous green ooze leaking from pipes and if you’re savvy maybe even the secret entrance to the Stonecutter’s Secret Meeting Hall.
All throughout Springfield are ramps, obstacles, glass signs and courses that are designed to thrill and amuse the driver as he/she makes their way through the game. In true Mario fashion, gold coins abound, adding bonuses and rewards for trick maneuvers and allowing players to buy cool Simpson’s cars or extra clothes (anyone remember the flower patterned MooMoo?) for Homer – you can even strip him down to his skivvies.
Instead of levels, the game tracks its players progression through groups of tasks that, once completed, reveal more game cinematics and portions of the story. And what a story indeed. It’s all there – the humor, the witty social commentary, the self deprecation and the even the potty jokes. While not all the regular tasks are directly related to the main storyline, the pace of the game seems to flow at a steady pace, allowing time to become acclimated to the environment. Players don’t even have to follow the storyline, and can opt instead to travel around Springfield at a leisurely pace, picking up story missions whenever the mood suits them.
In addition to driving around town, Homer can always opt to get out of his car and traverse the streets of Springfield on foot. This is a lot slower, but necessary in order to talk and interact with other people and to ferret out those secret hiding places inaccessible to vehicles. In fact, my only gripe here is that the interactive experience felt a bit too shallow. Every character, from Apu to Chief Wiggum has something to say to you, but it only transpires within the context of a new objective or task.
Simpsons fans will find themselves longing for deeper interaction with both the characters and indoor environments, such as The Kwik-E-Mart or Springfield Elementary. While this facet of the game is a bit lacking, what The Simpsons: Hit and Run gameplay doesn’t lack is humor, and Simpsons fans should be on the lookout for multiple cameos from their favorite characters getting in and out of all those wacky situations that we love the best. One can’t help but laugh out loud when poor Moleman gets yet another football to the groin.
Graphically, the game is a winner, creating a nice balance between the good looking, modern day graphics gamers have come to expect and the cartoonish feel of The Simpsons television show. From the first menu selection screen to the final rolling credits the game sports some outstanding presentation values, utilizing a blockish, cartoon like theme that oozes Simpsons charm from every pore.
What stands out the most here is the loving attention to detail paid to the virtual world of Springfield and surrounding environments. In addition to creating an accurate replica of The Simpsons hometown, each and every building and locale features authentic Simpsons touches that might even bring a tear to Mr. Burn’s jaded eye. Reverend Lovejoy’s haunt for example, The 1st Church of Springfield, proudly displays the day’s sermon, “The Miracle of Shame” while Apu’s frozen foods section features a familiar frozen “Senior Citizen” Viking (Jasper, of course) lodged amongst the tasty creams and moon pies. Speaking of food, Krusty Burger also tries to entice players to “Try their new Shrimpy things”.
In addition to featuring several nice variations on Danny Elfman’s famous Simpsons Theme, The Simpsons: Hit and Run features multiple scores (in fact, the game features the talents of over 15 studio musicians) to suit the various moods of the game. In the main driving tune there’s sprightly horns intermixed with staccato strings for a “Sims” feel, as well as other high-energy tunes to underscore the frantic racing action.
The voiceovers are provided by The Simpson’s cast, and as always the voice talents of Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria and Harry Shearer (as well as Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille and Karl Wiedergott) are right on cue, delivering the subtle nuances of every Simpson’s character with what can only be termed as hilarity honed to precision.
One nitpick – Homer’s voiceover’, while funny as usual, in some cases tend to use certain words that parents may find objectionable; a healthy injection of D-word’s is what the Doctor Hibbard ordered, but perhaps the patient could try an alternative therapy; there are plenty of other ways to be funny.
In addition to the single player storyline, The Simpsons: Hit and Run also allows players to cruise around Springfield to their heart’s content, avoiding story missions until it suits them. This kind of open-ended gameplay option is appreciated, but the real bonus comes when you unlock the hidden racecourse maps, seven mini-tracks that hold the promise of multiplayer competition. What would have been better however, and far more likely to increase the game’s longevity would be to include full race course maps that allowed up to four players to race through some famous Simpson’s locales like ShelbyVille, The Simpsons in London or Brazil or perhaps even a Simpson’s Haunted House run-off.
Kudos to the developers at Radical Entertainment for developing a Simpson’s racing game that offers lighthearted fun and entertainment for the whole family. While some gamers may be turned off by the game’s simplicity, Simpsons fans should be encouraged to enjoy this highly polished, eminently charming and enjoyable Simpsons driving adventure. Just be sure to buckle your seatbelt!