Console Video Games

By Amy Phillips and Becky Spilver -- School Library Journal, 8/1/2006

Gaming and the Movies

Video games based on movies are a standard in the industry. Sometimes these games are a fun way for players to recreate their favorite movie experience with themselves as the hero, but some of them are no more than a marketing ploy designed to cash in on a movie before its popularity wanes.

The ten titles reviewed here have been rated E (everyone, ages 6 and older), E10+ (ages 10 and older), or T (teen, ages 13 and above) by the Entertainment Rating Software Board. To find out more about their rating system, visit their web site at esrb.org/ratings/index.jsp.

Librarians can purchase video games from distributors such as Baker and Taylor, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and Thomas Klise/Crimson Multimedia. Also, consider taking a non-traditional route and work with local retailers because of the wide distribution of games and the huge number of high quality used games. Manufacturers list prices have not been included because prices fluctuate widely depending on the market and the popularity of a game.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Playstation 2, GameCube, Xbox. THQ. 2005. Genre: Action. Rating: T (cartoon violence). 1 player.

Gr 8 Up–Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a weak entry in the movie tie-in genre. The movie, directed by Tim Burton, is based on the book by Roald Dahl. The player assumes the character of Charlie Bucket and, with the assistance of the Oompa-Loopmas, helps Willy Wonka keep the factory running. Unfortunately, most of the action occurs in non-playing sequences (after Charlie has accomplished his tasks), and even then the plot is advanced with still photo-type slides with voice-over narration. The portions that are in movie-clip mode are choppy looking. The graphics in the playing sequences are clunky and the controls don’t feel precise. A sloppy effort.

The Da Vinci Code. Playstation 2, Xbox. 2K Games. 2006. Genre: Action. Rating: T (blood violence, language). 1 player. Memory card needed to save progress.

Gr 8 Up–The game allows fans of the book and the movie to enter the Da Vinci Code world and solve puzzles themselves. The game opens with a cinemagraphic sequence that fans will recognize from the book and the movie. Players then find themselves in the Louvre Museum with Sophie looking for clues to the Grail mystery. This is where the game departs from the movie and the book. Players visit similar locations to those in the book such as Saint Sulpice and Chateau Villette, but each setting has different objectives that can be met by solving a set of puzzles. The game provides lots of background information that is important to solving the puzzles. Gamers can keep track of the clues provided by accessing the visual database. Hints help players learn how to interact with the different items. Fighting is based more on button sequence than traditional player dexterity. Since there is a heavy focus on puzzles, attention to detail is a must. This game will disappoint those looking for lots of action, but gamers who like to solve puzzles will have fun. A good choice for library collections.

Disney Cars: The Video Game. Playstation 2, GameCube, Xbox. THQ. 2006. Genre: Racing. Rating: E (comic mischief). 1-2 players.

Gr 6 Up–This adventure racing game is written as a continuation of the movie. There are many playable characters from the movie including Lightning McQueen, Mater, and Sally Carrera. The game marries movie characters with its own storyline and action, making it a more unique movie tie-in offering. Graphics on the GameCube version are not of the quality expected from a Pixar/Disney offering. Game play is fairly straightforward in the racing format. The setup of controls may confound younger players (even in “compact” play mode designed for younger “drivers”), who may be interested in the game because of lovable characters from the movie. Cheat codes are provided from the main menu. Bonus content such as characters, art, unlockable arcade races, and mini-games are included. Purchase only where there is a very high demand for racing games.

The Incredibles. Playstation 2, GameCube, Xbox. THQ. 2004. Genre: Action. Rating: T (cartoon violence). 1 player.

Gr 8 Up–The Incredibles is one of two movie tie-ins (The Incredibles: Rise of the Underminer was released in 2005 and takes place after the events in the movie). The first version follows the movie storyline and players switch playing between all four of the Incredibles family characters to advance through the game. Each character has unique abilities, and to complete each level the player must master that character’s abilities. This is a fairly straightforward action game—the player must accomplish specific goals that typically require some cartoon violence in order to progress through the storyline. In-game hints help move the player along the right path. Game control is not always smooth and may frustrate new gamers. This game was developed at the same time as the movie and uses the same 1960s retro-style music, making the player’s experience of living the movie more fun. Recommended for the teen crowd.

James Bond 007: From Russia with Love. Playstation 2, Xbox, Gamecube. Electronic Arts. 2005. Genre: Action. Rating: T (fantasy violence). 1 to 4 players.

Gr 8 Up–Any gamer who has ever wanted to say the words, “Bond, James Bond,” will enjoy this game, based on the Bond film From Russia with Love. Sean Connery provides the voice of Bond and the player provides the action. The game starts with Bond working to rescue the kidnapped daughter of an ambassador. It then gives the famous Bond opening. Players move along to the remaining 17 missions which are in locations such as Istanbul and the Octopus Base. Players must complete one mission to move on to the next one. As Bond progresses through the missions, he acquires some of his famous gadgets such as a laser watch and sonic cufflinks. Game play is relatively simple with the first sequence providing tips on how to play. The Bond portion of the game is for a single player. There’s a multiplayer section for those who want to try their hand at being a Bond villain. Players can either play against each other or in teams to complete different missions located in settings similar to the Bond section. For larger libraries looking to add to their movie tie-in/action game collections.

Over the Hedge. Playstation 2, GameCube, Xbox. Activision. 2006. Genre: Action/Adventure. Rating: E 10+ (cartoon violence, crude humor). 1 player.

Gr 3 Up–Over the Hedge is a fun venture into the world of the favorite characters from the DreamWorks animated movie and the comic strip of the same name, such as RJ the raccoon, Verne the turtle, Hammy the squirrel, and Stella the skunk. In this fairly predictable level game, the player assumes the roles of the main characters and must complete specific objectives in order to advance to the next level. There are 135 objectives to complete, and several of them must be accomplished in each scenario to move on to the to next one. Players can choose from easy, normal, and hard levels, and can unlock original comics, movie concept art, and music by accessing certain areas of the game. Subtitles are included for the movie (non-playable) sequences that advance the storyline. The easy level provides an on-screen tutorial to help the player get acquainted with the controls. Younger gamers will especially enjoy this adventure.

Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie. Playstation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube. Ubisoft. 2005. Genre: Action. Rating: T (blood, violence). 1 player.

Gr 6 Up–This game begins with a trailer of Peter Jackson’s remake of the 1933 classic movie. It then moves into the game with Jack Driscoll and the other characters landing on the mysterious island. The game focuses on Jack Driscoll fighting off the island monsters. Players also assume the role of King Kong. Hints are given along the way on how to proceed. The actions available to gamers, at least in the first couple of levels, are limited. The programmers focused more on getting the game to correspond with the movie than on the depth of game play and quality of graphics. For example, you can’t climb and explore unless it is part of a specific scenario, and when you look closely at a cliff it looks like a gray polygon. There’s a language feature that allows players to choose among English, French. and Spanish, making this a possible choice for libraries with diverse populations. Fans of the movie might enjoy the game. Those looking for more depth of play would enjoy Tomb Raider Legend instead. A marginal purchase at best.

Shark Tale. Playstation 2, GameCube, Xbox. Activision. 2004. Genre: Action/Adventure. Rating: E (cartoon violence). 1 player.

Gr 6 Up–DreamWorks’s Shark Tale offers some fun variety from the usual movie tie-in games. The movie quality makes the game experience even more fun. Fairly simple game play and controls make the game appropriate for younger players. Gamers take on the character of Oscar, a fish who swims, dances, and puzzles his way through a variety of missions which are laid out in the game in chapters. Each chapter gives the player one main objective and two bonus objectives, which if completed can add to the fame of Oscar. Players can buy extras—characters, special environments, storyboards, and more—depending on their level and by using “clams” won in the game. While the movie is several years old, the game is still readily available. For younger video gamers.

Tomb Raider Legend. Playstation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360. Eidos. 2006. Genre: Action. Rating: T (blood, language, suggestive themes, violence). 1 player. Memory card needed to save progress.

Gr 8 Up–Laura Croft and the Tomb Raider series first appeared on the gaming map in 1996 and came alive in the movies in 2001. The main character of Tomb Raider Legend is Laura Croft, a female Indiana Jones. Her overall goal is to retrieve a lost artifact. Each level is an individual mission and provides Laura with clues about the artifact. The first mission finds Laura in Bolivia swinging from vines, climbing cliffs, swimming in rivers, and killing villains. This level is a tutorial on how to perform the different maneuvers in the game. During each level, Laura will accumulate items. Players access information about items and the mission from Laura’s PDA. Gamers can choose three levels of difficulty: Explorer (easy), Adventurer (medium), and Tomb Raider (hard). Rewards gathered and missions completed allow players to unlock extras at Croft Manor. The game doesn’t require gamers to have played previous Tomb Raider games. This game combines fast action with lots of puzzles. A terrific choice for all libraries.

X-Men the Official Game. Playstation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube. Activision. 2006. Genre: Action. Rating: T (violence, language). 1 player. Memory card needed to save progress.

Gr 8 Up–Gamers are challenged to retrieve the missing Cerebro components that have been stolen. Players begin the game learning how to control Wolverine, Iceman, and Nightcrawler in a tutorial setting called the Danger Room, then progress into the actual missions in the game. Each mission follows a path, and since there are multiple paths, gamers can play several times for a variety of results. Instead of gamers choosing which character to play, the game switches between Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Iceman depending on the skills needed for that level. Players gather Sentinel Tech pieces and Weapon X files to unlock the game’s extras. There are three levels of difficulty—Novice, Hero, and SuperHero. The game requires complicated maneuvers for the fight sequences which may frustrate some players. The Xbox 360 includes captioning which may assist the hearing impaired. This game is heavy on action and light on puzzles. Recommended for most young adult collections.

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