The combination of boredom and a generous discount saw me purchase the PC version of the latest Simpsons game, The Simpson's Hit & Run.
Fans of the series will recall that previous videogame incarnations of the series have been at best ordinary, and at worst dreadul (remember the PSOne wrestling game?), so, knowing general response to the game was favourable, I took the plunge.
System Specs
Tested on an AMD Athlon 1.1ghz, with 768mb and Asus Ti4200 128mb GE4 video card, with a Logitech Wingman Formula Force USB (okay, a GT Force) steering wheel and a Nostromo N45 gamepad (ripoff of PS2 controller).
Packaging
The game comes in a largish box with bright artwork. In typical style these days, the box contained a double CD case and a minimalist instruction manual. The packaging could have been a third of the size.
Installation
The double CD contains no less than THREE CDs, and took quite some time to install. Make a cup of coffee, kids, it's a slow one. On the plus side, the on-line registration process, available during the download, is simple and quick.
Initial Running/Set Up
The game runs about three or four credit screens (which can be easily skipped through) and a quite nice opening sequence, where part of the plot is revealed. Essentially, Springfield is being invaded by wasps armed with video cameras, coinciding with the launch of a new version of Buzz Cola with a secret ingredient. The movie ties in nicely with the menu screen.
Running through the option screens its quite apparent that some care has been taken to make the game easy to set up, which given that a significant number of players would be children is prudent. Control set-up is quite similar to GTA3 and GTAVC, where two options are available for a control, and to change it you simply need to select it, and then use the appropriate control.
The real highlight in this regard is that steering wheels can be used to control the vehicles! The wide range of control options is quite impressive - I currently use the wheel to drive the car, the joystick to control the character, and the mouse to control the view. Very impressive, and something many PC and console games would do well to take lessons from.
Gameplay
As has been mentioned in the gaming press, gameplay is modelled on the GTA3/VC model. There are certainly a lot of simularities with the gameplay, although most of the violence has been taken out and 'Simpsonised' - there are no weapons, pedestrians don't get killed, they simply roll along the ground (making appropriate comments as they roll), players are ejected from cars before they explode from damage, and when car jacking the original occupant stays in the car and drives you around. There's no player health as such, so it's possible to fall from a great height without damage. The wasps do fire lasers if you're slow to destroy them, but short of losing coins there's no physical damage (that I've seen so far, anyway). You also have a police attentionn meter, which once it gets to 3/4 full means you draw the attention of the police, who will chase you. You either get caught (50 coin fine) or you run around not being naughty and wind the meter down.
The initial stages see Homer operating from 742 Evergreen Terrace, taking most of his missions from Marge. The initial missions revolve around a day in the life of the Simpsons - get food (ice cream with miniature pies), take Lisa's science project to school, that sort of thing. Players also get rewards in the form of playing cards, which are scattered around the level (these are reference to more obscure items from the show - e.g. Homer's homemade football), gags (Larry the Looter, Frostilicus, and so on), and get 'coins' for smashing crates of Buzz Cola, smashing Buzz Cola vending machines, and killing wasps. Often the coins are lying around, usually leading to some other reward. Bonus vehicles can also be found - a highlight was driving the lead car of the broken Monorail around downtown Springfield.
There are core 'story' missions to complete, as well as races and the other rewards mentioned above. Completion of the 'story' missions will advance you to other levels where you can play other characters. I've managed to unlock Bart, and I understand you can also play Marge, Lisa and Apu.
The missions are often derived from parts of Simpsons episodes, so much of the material will seem similar.
Anyone familiar with the last two GTA instalments will be more than comfortable with moving the characters around, although it's worth noting that the characters are much physically larger than the GTA characters and can at times get stuck. The game has also inherited another GTA issue - the problematic camera. If characters get into some tight spots with little room to move, often you'll be unable to see them, and have to guess how to get them out.
Driving the cars with the wheel is a real bonus - they're fine with the controller, but actually point pretty well with the wheel, with analogue throttle and braking. I've played a few recent racing games that would be put to shame. The driving experience is pretty similar to GTAIII/VC, with understeer broken by the handbrake.
Graphics
The game is very good to look at, with the feel of the Simpsons TV show caught accurately. It does at times look quite reminiscent of The Simpsons Road Rage, but given that both are driving games in a Springfield environment it was to be expected. Frame rate on my reasonably modestly specced PC was fine, although turning corners could sometimes see framerates drop noticeably. I'm running it at 1024x768 in 32 bit, with options to drop below that.
The thing that sells this game is the attention to detail - it's clear that the designers were Simpons fans. Touches like load screens with select pages from the Springfield Shopper (and then you realise that the Load Progress meter is actually the fuse of a stick of dynamite with Scratchy tied to it), Ralf Wiggum eating paste in the school hallway (as Groundskeeper Willy steps on a rake in the background) will delight hardcore Simpsons fans. Differing costumes are available for the characters - Homer running around in his mumu and his fat guy cap was pretty funny.
Sound
The voice actors from the Simpons all worked on the game, and much of the dialogue was drawn from actual episodes, so the speech is excellent.
Background music is Simpsons themed and appropriate to the character. It's okay.
Other ingame sounds are fine and appropriate.
Conclusion
Well, to conclude, if you're a gamer and a big Simpsons fan, this is pretty well a done deal - buy the game. Any issues you have with the game will be more than covered by the gags and appearance of the game. It is great to look out, and it is very funny for a keen-eyed Simpsons fan.
The ability to roam in TS-H&R certainly will assist in longevity - bonuses are accumulated according to the percentage completed.
For other gamers - it is kind of a 'dumbed down' GTAIII/VC. The missions are generally pretty short (although as mentioned earlier I'm not far into the game) and whilst fun, you simply don't have the range of options in approaching missions you do in GTAIII/VC. If you're not fussed about the Simpsons, but are interested in this style of game, I'd recommend the GTA series over this game, simply because you can take a much more flexible approach in those games.
Fans of the series will recall that previous videogame incarnations of the series have been at best ordinary, and at worst dreadul (remember the PSOne wrestling game?), so, knowing general response to the game was favourable, I took the plunge.
System Specs
Tested on an AMD Athlon 1.1ghz, with 768mb and Asus Ti4200 128mb GE4 video card, with a Logitech Wingman Formula Force USB (okay, a GT Force) steering wheel and a Nostromo N45 gamepad (ripoff of PS2 controller).
Packaging
The game comes in a largish box with bright artwork. In typical style these days, the box contained a double CD case and a minimalist instruction manual. The packaging could have been a third of the size.
Installation
The double CD contains no less than THREE CDs, and took quite some time to install. Make a cup of coffee, kids, it's a slow one. On the plus side, the on-line registration process, available during the download, is simple and quick.
Initial Running/Set Up
The game runs about three or four credit screens (which can be easily skipped through) and a quite nice opening sequence, where part of the plot is revealed. Essentially, Springfield is being invaded by wasps armed with video cameras, coinciding with the launch of a new version of Buzz Cola with a secret ingredient. The movie ties in nicely with the menu screen.
Running through the option screens its quite apparent that some care has been taken to make the game easy to set up, which given that a significant number of players would be children is prudent. Control set-up is quite similar to GTA3 and GTAVC, where two options are available for a control, and to change it you simply need to select it, and then use the appropriate control.
The real highlight in this regard is that steering wheels can be used to control the vehicles! The wide range of control options is quite impressive - I currently use the wheel to drive the car, the joystick to control the character, and the mouse to control the view. Very impressive, and something many PC and console games would do well to take lessons from.
Gameplay
As has been mentioned in the gaming press, gameplay is modelled on the GTA3/VC model. There are certainly a lot of simularities with the gameplay, although most of the violence has been taken out and 'Simpsonised' - there are no weapons, pedestrians don't get killed, they simply roll along the ground (making appropriate comments as they roll), players are ejected from cars before they explode from damage, and when car jacking the original occupant stays in the car and drives you around. There's no player health as such, so it's possible to fall from a great height without damage. The wasps do fire lasers if you're slow to destroy them, but short of losing coins there's no physical damage (that I've seen so far, anyway). You also have a police attentionn meter, which once it gets to 3/4 full means you draw the attention of the police, who will chase you. You either get caught (50 coin fine) or you run around not being naughty and wind the meter down.
The initial stages see Homer operating from 742 Evergreen Terrace, taking most of his missions from Marge. The initial missions revolve around a day in the life of the Simpsons - get food (ice cream with miniature pies), take Lisa's science project to school, that sort of thing. Players also get rewards in the form of playing cards, which are scattered around the level (these are reference to more obscure items from the show - e.g. Homer's homemade football), gags (Larry the Looter, Frostilicus, and so on), and get 'coins' for smashing crates of Buzz Cola, smashing Buzz Cola vending machines, and killing wasps. Often the coins are lying around, usually leading to some other reward. Bonus vehicles can also be found - a highlight was driving the lead car of the broken Monorail around downtown Springfield.
There are core 'story' missions to complete, as well as races and the other rewards mentioned above. Completion of the 'story' missions will advance you to other levels where you can play other characters. I've managed to unlock Bart, and I understand you can also play Marge, Lisa and Apu.
The missions are often derived from parts of Simpsons episodes, so much of the material will seem similar.
Anyone familiar with the last two GTA instalments will be more than comfortable with moving the characters around, although it's worth noting that the characters are much physically larger than the GTA characters and can at times get stuck. The game has also inherited another GTA issue - the problematic camera. If characters get into some tight spots with little room to move, often you'll be unable to see them, and have to guess how to get them out.
Driving the cars with the wheel is a real bonus - they're fine with the controller, but actually point pretty well with the wheel, with analogue throttle and braking. I've played a few recent racing games that would be put to shame. The driving experience is pretty similar to GTAIII/VC, with understeer broken by the handbrake.
Graphics
The game is very good to look at, with the feel of the Simpsons TV show caught accurately. It does at times look quite reminiscent of The Simpsons Road Rage, but given that both are driving games in a Springfield environment it was to be expected. Frame rate on my reasonably modestly specced PC was fine, although turning corners could sometimes see framerates drop noticeably. I'm running it at 1024x768 in 32 bit, with options to drop below that.
The thing that sells this game is the attention to detail - it's clear that the designers were Simpons fans. Touches like load screens with select pages from the Springfield Shopper (and then you realise that the Load Progress meter is actually the fuse of a stick of dynamite with Scratchy tied to it), Ralf Wiggum eating paste in the school hallway (as Groundskeeper Willy steps on a rake in the background) will delight hardcore Simpsons fans. Differing costumes are available for the characters - Homer running around in his mumu and his fat guy cap was pretty funny.
Sound
The voice actors from the Simpons all worked on the game, and much of the dialogue was drawn from actual episodes, so the speech is excellent.
Background music is Simpsons themed and appropriate to the character. It's okay.
Other ingame sounds are fine and appropriate.
Conclusion
Well, to conclude, if you're a gamer and a big Simpsons fan, this is pretty well a done deal - buy the game. Any issues you have with the game will be more than covered by the gags and appearance of the game. It is great to look out, and it is very funny for a keen-eyed Simpsons fan.
The ability to roam in TS-H&R certainly will assist in longevity - bonuses are accumulated according to the percentage completed.
For other gamers - it is kind of a 'dumbed down' GTAIII/VC. The missions are generally pretty short (although as mentioned earlier I'm not far into the game) and whilst fun, you simply don't have the range of options in approaching missions you do in GTAIII/VC. If you're not fussed about the Simpsons, but are interested in this style of game, I'd recommend the GTA series over this game, simply because you can take a much more flexible approach in those games.
I'm currently playing the last level. 👍
