the other night, i finally got a hold of The Simpsons Game demo, on both the xbox360 and ps3, after much hype from EA, and how they had a game that actually used a licensed property, properly. from level design and theme to a complex visual 3D style developed to mimic the show’s 2D animation style to the content: 8,000 lines of dialogue recorded by the actual cast, written by the show writers, which also means the content reflects the show’s quirky and often satirical nature. needless to say, being a huge “Simpsons” fan, i was excited to try it. below are my impressions of that demo.
first up was the PS3 edition, mainly because i like and use it more regularly. plus, the PS3’s 1080p resolution means it’s likely to look better than the 720p/1080i the 360 can output (note that the 360 offers me the option to output at 1080p as well, but using the official hd cables from microsoft causes a signal blackout when attempting to use that resolution, so my max is effectively capped until they release a software/firmware fix). so expecting the best visual presentation was the primary reason for choosing one version over the other; being able to set a benchmark for visuals was a consideration.
as far as presentation, both versions are nearly identical. the opening cinematic while not mind-boggling, definitely fits the feel of the show, and sets up the forthcoming action quite well, with only a brief fade to black transition between the FMV and live game. graphics are pretty on par between the two, despite differing resolutions, making me wonder how well the wii edition would stack up considering the flat, cel-shaded nature of the visuals. the 360 did seem to have a slightly lower polygon count, but because of it’s style, such a shortcoming is rather hidden unless you’re meticulously scouring the screen for it.
pleased, i was even more anxious to play. unfortunately, the controls are where the game completely falls apart. perhaps seasoned vets of certain gaming genres would have no problem with the dual-stick setup governing the camera by one and the character by the other. but for me, it took some time to adjust, mainly because the automated behaviour of the camera seemed so hell-bent on disrupting my view and disorienting me, that i spent more time battling the POV than the enemies. for a level where the boss was much larger than the screen, the camera is incredibly important in ensuring enough of the objectives are visible; it’s hard to hit targets one can’t see.
it’s fair to say that the strategy for toppling this boss isn’t exactly rocket science; it’s a simple 1-2 method common to many bosses from so many games: hit a weak point to stun, then move in for the thrashing, ad nauseam. so for me to explain the problem in some detail shouldn’t be spoiling much of anything, though to actually achieve all this with the given controls was excruciatingly tedious at best, and controller-throwing, hole-punched-in-the-wall frustrating at the worst. the problem is that simple mechanics like jumping make the second and third stages of the boss fight nigh impossible, accomplishable only by what seems a fluke; some sort of lucky accident.
here’s how it works: a target on the backside of the boss indicates where you should toss a projectile. if you can hit it, a trap door opens downward to make a small platform you can stand upon. get onto it, and you have access to the wiry innards. apply some muscle to them and the weak point is demolished. a total of three such points exist, each progressively higher on the statue’s figure, making access to the panel progressively more difficult. the only way to reach them is by scaling the environment to higher ground. with the wonky jumping, that’s easier said than done, but should you manage it, you have one shot at jumping off and onto the boss’ tiny opened panel. homer simply doesn’t have the range when jumping from a building or structure, leaving bart’s caped wonder transformation the most likely candidate, which can glide a short distance. unfortunately the accuracy of the gliding controls are about equal to throwing a paper airplane off the empire state building; good luck with that.
the only upswing is that while repeating the tedium of climbing all sorts of buildings over and over, you get to stumble on the other things in the game, such as the collectable tidbits, temporary powerups, and revealing hidden features, such as the ‘comic store guy’ and his video game cliches (for example, in all your gliding about, you’re likely to hit the invisible boundaries of the level. that’s a gaming cliche: you can see beyond the level, but you can’t get there.) of course the downside to the serendipity of finding these things sets in when you realise why; not because you have all sorts of time and freedom, but because you’re just trying to beat the damn level to no effect.
for what it’s worth, whether it was the physical controller, or residual effects of slightly different code bases between consoles, the xbox360 felt more accommodating. not that i came even close to the target completion time in either case. yes, each level in the game has a preset time to beat it, in this case it was 3-4 minutes, which i found out after FINALLY beating the thing. at least it wasn’t a countdown timer–they let you go until you finish–and give you a score based on all the collectables and time. if they had made me play for 4 minutes at a time to try and beat this level, not only would i have never, ever finished, but i would have likely found two of my gaming consoles the casualties of my own frustrations. if you’re curious, my run-through on the ps3 took an hour and nineteen minutes to beat, and the xbox360 took 29 minutes; a far cry from 3 or 4. i’m not a bad gamer if that’s what you’re thinking 😛
overall, graphics get a 4.0 or 4.5 out of 5. controls get about 1.5 to 2.0 out of 5. i have to wonder if the progression of gameplay from the beginning helps to ease in a player and build their aptitude, making battles such as this level easier somehow. but as a demo without this benefit (if it even does exist), it hinders more than helps me, and really ruins the experience, making my enthusiasm for wanting to try the rest of the game absent at best. i give the demo a 2.5 out of 5; a general blend of positives and negatives. don’t say i didn’t warn you.