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As reviewers, we have to avoid the calls of the common gamer who cry outrage when their favourite franchise or TV series (in this case) is published by a certain studio. There are many reasons to feel sceptical about a publisher’s intentions or their handling of a game series but here at Avid Gamer we’re objective and ignore the community outcry. EA have taken the helm for the latest Simpsons game and with several of the show’s writers on board, will it be an emmy award winning performance or simply a dud?
The Simpsons game is a simple concept. Anyone can pick up it up, and instantly know how to play. It’s platforming in its most lucid form and most gamers will find it an extremely graspable concept. The Simpsons are fully represented and each character has their individual powers. Bart can transform into Bartman, allowing him to glide using his cape, as well as being able to shoot from afar using a catapult. Homer can turn into a massive ball which you can used to smash through any obstacles. Further into the game, Homer is given the ability to transform into Gummy Homer, a long range attack form. Marge’s special power is a bit lax, only allowing you to control a mob of NPCs, to either build or destroy objects. Finally is Lisa’s power; her saxophone which she can use to stun enemies. Each character has a generic punch attack, but it lacks effectiveness as you’ll be utilizing the individual character’s abilities to a great effect rather than the punch button.  Alongside the traditional platforming comes ‘sub missions’ where you’ll basically collect tokens which are hiding from the obvious positions to the downright ludicrous. It’s a challenge to find them all, but it’s barely worth the hassle. It’s pretty lazy game design which is looking vastly outdated. Finding the tokens grants you rewards like an increase in health or the ‘special power pool’ that your characters hold. Despite the inclusion of these upgrades, the game drops enough special items to keep the player progressing and the increased stats aren’t substantial for you to spend so much time searching. Again, it’s aged game design, which should be left in the Mega Drive era. Where The Simpsons falls in the gameplay department, it makes up with its twisted humour. From ripping into past games, like Sonic and Mario to using black humour to highlight gaming clichés, The Simpsons leaves no stone unturned. The game even satirises its publishers, putting the idea of easy achievements on show. It’s genuinely funny, and arguably contains more humour than the series has over the past ten years.  The level of detail is satisfactory and looks like an interactive Simpsons episode. Presentation is typically sharp and menus are easy to navigate. Now the crux. It’s obvious that the game is aimed at a younger audience, and not the hardcore ‘elite.’ It’s a game for fans, an elongated Simpsons experience. Level design is simple and the pace of the game is sedate, helped by the lack of any lives. There’s a drop-in-drop-out co-op system that works well but there are other games you can play with your friends. The camera can be a bit dodgy when playing splitscreen, but such a problem is typical with the mode. Score: 6/10 (The Simpsons is out on every conceivable format, bar the PC. Xbox360 version reviewed.)
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