  A new way to play whack a mole.
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Outrageous forest animals bludgeoning enemies with golf clubs and other blunt objects? Oh, yeah. I am all for getting medieval Wild Kingdom style.
Activision's 'Over the Hedge' has plenty of the above and much more. Unlike other paint-by-numbers kids titles hurriedly cobbled together as quickie movie tie-ins, 'Hedge' is a distinctive adventure that stands on its own.
Mainly developed as a co-operative play vehicle, 'Hedge' for the Xbox has a bot character shadowing whichever creature you pick to play unless a friend or family member can be conned into lending a hand. Verne, RJ, Hammy and Stella, the colourful critters from the film, all have their own special weapons and attacks. Kids will certainly get a few cheap laughs out of Stella the skunk's stink bomb.
Think Pepé Le Pew after a bean burrito dinner.
The game doesn't brainlessly recycle scenes and situations from the movie either. The human's Rancho Camelot Estates sub-division is expanded allowing kids to explore the area more fully. Once out of Rancho Camelot, players will find themselves at locations not featured in the film. There is a western themed amusement park and the VermTech headquarters where the reprehensible Dwayne the Exterminator develops his new vermin hunting gadgets.
The enemies are exclusive to the game too. The robot bunnies, kamikaze moles, thuggish rats and juggernaut-like badgers are original creations although you may tire of wading through waves and waves of them throughout the course of 'Hedge'. Due to the changing perspectives depending upon the level you are at, you may lose sight of your character in the heat of battle when hordes of baddies descend upon you since you decrease in size. Just keep swinging and hope for the best seems to be the best plan of attack.
The other flaw relates to the switching of perspectives. During the challenge jump sequences, it is often hard to tell how far away you are from the next platform or some such other landing point. In short, unless you have some uncanny patience your blood may be apt to sporadically reach the boiling point.
On the positive side of things, kids don't have to beat a multitude of levels before the mini games open up, although they will to open up more arenas. The mini games themselves are cool little time-wasters including remote control car racing, a bumper car challenge using golf carts and a driving range game in which you and your opponent have to target objects to destroy. They are all worthy additions that enhance Hedge's replayability, especially for the ankle-biters.
Kiddish subject matter notwithstanding, 'Over The Hedge' represents how all movie-based games should be made: with original thought and original content. Using the feature film as a springboard to create a new adventure takes a whole lotta effort and a whole lotta creativity. It may be a tougher route but as 'Over The Hedge' proves, the end result is surely more gratifying. It is sad that lesson is lost on apathetic developers who choose to take the easy way out and in doing so have cast a dark shadow on the genre of movie inspired games.
WHAM! Rating: |
8 out of 10 |
ESRB Rating: |
E (Everyone) |
Official Web Site: |
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