| Introduction
Since entering the motion picture industry, computer
animation company PIXAR have delighted audiences with
movies such as 'Toy Story', 'A Bugs Life' and 'Monsters
Inc.' Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the
various games that have accompanied them as (with the
exception of 'Monsters Inc.' for the GBC) most of them
have been less than inspiring.
'Finding Nemo' is the latest full-length feature
film from PIXAR and this time around both Disney Interactive
and THQ have called upon the services of Vicarious Visions
to develop the tie-in game. If you don't know, Vicarious
Visions have an impressive track record of developing
for the GBA, with the wonderful 'Spiderman - The Movie'
being one of their achievements. Let's see then if they
can break the mould and develop a PIXAR game that's
really worth buying.
GamePlay
Well, the good news is that 'Finding Nemo' is not
a platform game. Instead you control a tiny fish (Nemo)
in a series of puzzle-based tasks. Initially, these
are pretty simple things such as finding your friends
on the way to school and moving objects, but by the
middle of the game, you'll find a labyrinth of doors
which need to be opened in the correct order for you
to progress to the next stage.
There's also a fair amount of exploration involved
in each of the stages, so be prepared to spend some
time looking for that elusive pearl or correct switch.
This all happens with the odd octopus and some very
mean looking sharks in pursuit, so keeping on the move
is just as important as looking where you're going.
The game's structure is very forgiving though, as there's
almost always another friendly seabed dweller to help
you on your way, or a plant to recharge your energy,
making the whole experience a lot less frustrating.
The 3D chase levels do a fine job of changing the
pace a little, especially when you're trying to utilize
the light on a rather hungry looking fish in order to
read an address and at the same time avoid being eaten.
There are mini games too, with every section ending
with a simple mix and match game. Uncover all the images
and you'll be rewarded with one of the many paintings
that you can find in the gallery section. Training to
escape the fish tank also throws up numerous underwater
challenges including catching bubbles, flipping pearls
into a diver's helmet with your tail and knocking a
blowfish through rings.
Unfortunately, there's no multi-player option, which
does seem like a missed opportunity as most of the activities
would be suitable and probably be a lot more fun as
a two-player game.
Finally, and keeping in mind that this is actually
a game aimed at the younger audience, the developers
have kept the password system user friendly. A mere
four digits can be recorded by almost anyone.
Controls
The control system has been kept as simple as possible
too and as a result, the shoulder buttons aren't used
at all. There's also a rather helpful first level, where
you're on your way to school, which is basically a tutorial
section where your father (the big orange fish) teaches
you the basics like how to swim fast and solve some
of the many puzzles you'll encounter. This makes the
whole experience a lot more enjoyable from the start
as no one, least of all younger gamers, really wants
to read through a sometimes elaborate manual before
starting to actually play the game.
Graphics
After a rather impressive FMV rendition of the famous
PIXAR logo, it's onto the game and the first thing you'll
notice is just how effectively the GBA's color pallet
has been utilized to fully realize the richness of the
movie's visuals. 'Finding Nemo' actually juggles with
several different visual styles so although the actual
in-game graphics are as expected, the images you unlock
as a result of success in the mix and match games are
a little like the backgrounds in the old UPI cartoons
from the 1960s.
The animation is fair, though sea dwellers don't
tend to need much manipulation to suggest any type of
movement. The highlights are undoubtedly the cut screens,
taken directly from film. They do contain plot spoilers
but if you've already seen the movie, you'll delight
in the retelling of PIXAR's wonderful underwater epic.
Sound & Music
The developers have wisely used the soundtrack from
the movie but the samples are on such a short loop that
some of the music can get a little irritating after
a while. As for the sound effects, there are lots of
ocean related sounds but unfortunately no voice samples.
This is a real shame and due to doubt to licensing restrictions
than any design oversight. Really, the inclusion of
the voices of the original actors (including a very
funny Ellen DeGeneres) would have been a huge bonus.
Final Comments
Even if this game was terrible, the movie is likely
to be a huge hit and will result in THQ shifting a significant
number of units. I'm pleased to say, however, that the
game isn't terrible but is in fact, a reasonably entertaining
game.
The first play through was very enjoyable but there's
little in the way of replay value. The central theme
of the game is to exercise simple problem solving skills,
which will no doubt please parents but may baffle some
of the really young gamers, especially in the latter
stages. Overall, this title is a better than average
movie tie-in game but really nothing most gamers won't
have encountered before. If you enjoyed the movie, you'll
undoubtedly enjoy the game but if you happen to come
across 'Finding Nemo' in your local video game shop,
it's best to 'try before you buy'.
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