Poor old THQ. A series of poor business decisions lead to the downfall of a publisher which once benefitted from rapid growth. Chief amongst the reasons for the success was their licensed products, which varied from downright awful to suprisingly innovative. Disney/Pixar’s Wall*E was most certainly in the latter category.
It would be easy to think of Disney/Pixar’s Wall*E as another title destined for the bargain bin within six months. It’s common knowledge amongst videogame players that film licences generally offer little in the way of innovation, or even rewarding gameplay. However, THQ’s performance with these titles over the years had steadily increased expectations. 2006’s Disney/Pixar: Cars raised the bar, and Disney/Pixar: Ratatouille performed better still.
Disney/Pixar’s Wall*E is a High Quality Platformer
Immediately from the hand-holding training level, Disney/Pixar’s Wall*E demonstrates greater production values than any of THQ’s previous Disney/Pixar work. With fantastic cutscenes establishing the emotion – if not much of the story – and the player is asked to take the part of a small cog in a big machine. Gears of War is still to this day praised for it’s “destroyed beauty” aesthetic. Yet Disney/Pixar’s Wall*E offer a sun drenched vista of a used-up world with equivalent impact even in the PlayStation 2 version.
The bulk of the single-player campaign comprises of platform levels which rely on logistical puzzle solving. The game features little-to-no-combat. An unusual design decision for a family movie tie-in, but one that pays in dividends. In a surprising twist, Disney/Pixar’s Wall*E is not a million miles away from the charismatic Portal. Atari’s Alone in the Dark has recently been commended by Chit Hot for its real-world style puzzles. Disney/Pixar’s Wall*E actually makes its own attempts in its fictional universe. Although basic at best – probably limitations imposed due to hardware and target audience, as opposed to developer skill – Disney/Pixar’s Wall*E features it’s own selection of weight- and speed-based puzzles.
Each of the levels typically involves the player working through an arena designed around the puzzles at-hand. Reach and destroy blue crates, collect tokens and pass through a gate. Each is immaculately designed and feature no bugs or sticking spots. All while maintaining a high-standard of graphical flourish – a quality reminiscent of Nintendo’s own platform gems on GameCube.
Platforming, Shooting, Multiplayer – Wall*E Does it All
Other levels range from on-rails shooting to adrenaline-pumping rushes through obstacle courses. Disney/Pixar’s Wall*E does feature some poorly judged set-pieces – a particular instance being a dash across ramps and under barriers on thin ledges in the first third of the title. Here, Wall*E’s tight handling and the camera’s slow movement can cause unnecessary annoyance. Completing levels unlocks multiplayer mini-games, as well as points to spend on cheats and other bonuses. Hidden Artifacts (each of which triggers a unique and amusing cutscene) and BnL Crates populate levels, encouraging replay.
The control is tight and has been well implemented. Each action Wall*E can perform is fleshed-out and positively enhances the gameplay. The character’s jump ability is limited, amounting to little more than forward rolls when travelling at slow speeds. And many of the title’s puzzles are cleverly based around this design element.
The mini-games are just that; mini. While some added enjoyment may be evident with the games younger players, there’s little here to warrant any real time investment.
Wall*E Looks Gorgeous, Even on PS2
Disney/Pixar’s Wall*E is without a doubt one of the finest looking titles on the PlayStation 2. While Shadow of the Colossus may have been elected as the format’s best performer in terms of milieu, and God of War has been attributed the same accolade for it’s charismatic Kratos, both judgements had been made before Disney/Pixar’s Wall*E had even been announced. They may have been somewhat premature. Although the story constraints sees a handful of the game’s levels saturated with a sterilised sci-fi coating, the majority have draw distances greater and offering more detail than PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 titles. Wall*E himself looks dazzling on-screen. High-resolution textures and a high polygon-count fill the simple right-angled character model with the same personality as that of the motion-picture.
Disney/Pixar’s Wall*E is a surprisingly inventive game. Playable from start to finish and with plenty to write home about, THQ presented yet another success story for the licensed properties. The only real issue is for the hardcore audience, who may be put-off by the game’s overall relative ease. As shocking as it may seem Disney/Pixar’s Wall*E is a contender for the PlayStation 2’s best game of 2008.
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