Before I even begin this review, I would like to take the time to ‘shoe’ away anyone who didn’t grow up watching the Dukes of Hazzard and who doesn’t hold it in high regard in their hearts. There’s a simple reason for why I’m doing this: If you don’t fall into the category above, you’re going to hate The Dukes of Hazzard: Return of the General Lee, and you’re going to think I’m the worlds most biased reviewer given the score it’ll get from me. If you don’t like the show, do not read on and expose yourself to the pain of watching me relive my childhood. In fact don’t even rent the game – it’ll be that bad of an experience for you. The rest of you, read on.
The Dukes of Hazzard: Return of the General Lee is one of those games that pretty much is going to let the license either make it or break it. Given how big an audience the show has it’ll probably sell well enough to get more sequels, which is a good thing in my mind. If you take the story, sound, overall feel of this game, and added some hardcore gameplay it’d be one of the best titles around. As is, it’s more of an acquired taste.
The story of the game might as well be lifted from the show, it’s as authentic as it gets. You’ll get to play as Bo and Luke Duke, Uncle Jesse, Daisy Duke, and Cooter Davenport, all while driving around various cars from the TV series. As you take control of the good guys, you’ll square off against Boss Hogg and his group of hapless helpers in Deputy Enis, and Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane (to name a few).
The plot involves you trying to save an orphanage (which happens a lot in Hazzard county), and eventually the county itself. The script for the game was written by TV writers who know the Dukes of Hazzard inside and out, and you’ll know that from the moment you start playing the title. The way the story plays out is literally a lift from the TV show, right down to the narratives you’ll hear in the middle of missions.
The story breaks up each plot element into a mission. You’ll sometimes have to follow the bad guys, outrace the bad guys, or just get from one place to another in time. This is where the game could have been so much more. If the gameplay was tight, innovative, or even copied from other racers you’d have a tremendous experience. Unfortunately the driving physics, AI, and virtually everything associated with the gameplay, is sub par, and leaves you relying on the story itself to keep you interested.
The car physics in the game are modeled after the show, and it won’t take you long to realize that. The most damage the General Lee can seem to display is a few scratches – even after flipping six times from a failed jump. The cars are all power slide hungry, to the point of being downright difficult to control. In truth however almost all these cars were rear wheel drive, and weren’t exactly known for their awesome handling characteristics. It’s not an excuse for emphasizing it (power sliding) so much in the game, but it at least makes some sense. The one thing that is a huge issue, is the fact that you CAN total your car, and end the game as a result – however there is little to no way for you to be able to tell when you’re approaching that point.
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Besides the mission to mission driving you can also do some stunt driving throughout Hazzard County. That entails nothing more then finding some jumps, taking off, and landing just the right way (all while pressing the horn, and “ye ha” button in the process of course), which will you some new outfits for Daisy Duke.
I’m not sure weather this was intentional or sloppy work from the developers, but the AI in the game is generally very weak. The Hazzard police department has got some of the worst AI ever seen, and it does give you the feeling it was rather lazy work on the their part. I do have some doubt however, given that some bad guys tend to be very good, and quite capable of beating you, and the General Lee.
The graphics in Dukes of Hazzard are fairly nice to look at, with the car models obviously getting the most detail. You can clearly see the characters inside the cars as well, and they animate depending on the action on screen as well -- It’s a nice touch. Although I will say this: The General Lee’s colour isn’t quite right; it’s just off the colour I’m used to seeing on the show, which is almost unforgivable in my books. Other then that, you’ve got a well laid out, and pretty Hazzard County. So I must say the visuals are certainly a plus in the game.
Besides the story (and you could argue it’s an extension of the story), what most stands out is the voice work and sound. Almost everyone returns to provide the voices of their original characters, and that includes the main actors themselves in John Schneider, Tom
Wopat and Catherine Bach. The voice acting is a huge plus in The Dukes of Hazzard: Return of the General Lee. It adds extreme value to the price of the game, and ultimate props up the entire game itself. The music also perfectly fits the title, and if anything the overall sound package will distract you from some of the issues that do indeed plague the game.
Like I said up top, this game isn’t for everyone. It’s targeted directly at those who grew up watching the Dukes of Hazzard, and does indeed rely far too much on the license to sell the game in my honest opinion. With that said, it’s got quite a bit going for it when it comes to actually recreating the shows feel – so it’ll appeal exactly to the demographic it’s targeted at. If you’re like me, and grew up on the show, pick up The Dukes of Hazzard: Return of the General Lee as a rental, and decide if it warrants a purchase. If you however couldn’t care less about the show, stay away from this title, or you’ll waste precious time you’ll never be able to get back.
Word of advice to the developers: When creating the next installment of this franchise, do what you did with the presentation end of things, and almost completely rip-off Grand Theft Auto, and their gameplay. It’ll make this sort of title appeal to almost everyone.
