When “The Simpsons Game” was first announced, gamers were given an incentive to play a licensed game for the first time since 2005’s sleeper hit “The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction.” People weren’t taking the news and hype of “Simpsons” with a grain of salt, despite being consistently burned by titles like “Spider-Man 3: The Videogame,” “24: The Game” and, lest we forget, “Enter the Matrix.”Developers for EA were on a mission to restore the franchise’s glory. They pulled no stops, hiring the television show’s writers to do the game’s story, bringing in all the voice talent of the series and even featuring creator Matt Groening as one of the bosses.
In a lot of ways, they succeeded. The fan service in “The Simpsons Game” is phenomenal. The writers captured the genius of classic Simpson humor, and perhaps the best aspect of the game is its self-awareness and relentless ripping into videogame clichés.
There are more than 30 of these clichés scattered about the game, and upon their discovery, Comic Book Guy makes sure to point out just how overused elements like the exploding barrel, invisible barrier and wooden crates are, as if gamers didn’t know. Such references are funny, but they lose their punch once players realize it’s the developers’ way of implementing the very features they supposedly loathe. In fact, when stripping away all the “Simpsons” fat, what’s left is an unoriginal, uninspired platformer, chock full of repetitive action, mind-numbingly unbalanced A.I. and point A to point B objectives.
But “The Simpsons Game” is not without its saving graces. Those who remember the classic “Simpsons” arcade game know that each family member, with the exception of Maggie, was playable, each with their own special abilities. That has carried over to the new title, but instead of vacuums, skateboards and lassos, the Simpson family wields powers like Bart’s alter-ego Bartman, Lisa’s saxophone, Homer’s miraculous ability to transform into an even bigger tub of lard and Marge’s uncanny ability to rile up a crowd. Maggie even gets a cameo in a few spots, mimicking “Metal Gear Solid’s” Snake and his air-vent sneaking technique.
Another redeeming factor in “The Simpsons Game” is its references to some of the greatest games in the industry’s history. At one point, the Simpson family must travel to the “Game Engine,” a level ruled by Groening and run by “Sims” creator Will Wright, who even voices himself. In the level, the “real” Simpsons must rescue a pseudo-8-bit version of themselves. The story goes that all games must die and be forgotten, so they go to the Game Engine to be destroyed. Powering the engine are obvious look-alikes of Mario, Sonic and Koopa Troopas. At one point, Bart and Lisa must save Professor Frink from Donkey Kong’s grip, fighting hoards of identical “Madden” football players and “Street Fighter’s” Ryu. The reference meter is off the charts, but doesn’t leave a bad taste in players’ mouths.
“Simpson” fans get the biggest payoff, however. Almost every recurring character in the series is present. Even Üter and Wendell Borton make an appearance. The city of Springfield is the gamer’s playground, and many familiar locales are present. The obvious ones include the Kwik-E-Mart, Springfield Elementary and First Church of Springfield, but even places like the Springfield Retirement Castle and the Mayor’s Office, with hot tub of course, are all there.
Despite such fan service, the city itself is very small and loses its charm fast. The game’s limitations on the newest-generation systems are illogical. So much potential is wasted in a game with seemingly endless possibilities.
Hardcore gamers should steer away from the title unless they’re looking for a cheap-thrill weekend rental, but fans of the series will undoubtedly appreciate the game.