#9: Peter Pan: Adventures in Neverland (PS1)
I’ve got to admit, I had a bit of an internal debate with
myself over whether or not this game qualifies as a movie tie-in. It doesn’t
follow the plot of any film, although it is inspired by the Peter Pan movies, its release coinciding
with Disney’s 2002 Return to Neverland.
Because of this, the game can easily stand on its own, despite containing a
handful of cut scenes from the aforementioned film. Regardless, the timing of
its release was evidently intentional, unlike the release of Aladdin in Nasira’s Revenge a couple of
years earlier (which would probably have made the list if there had been an
Aladdin movie released alongside it), and I therefore felt that it was at least
worthy of an honourable mention.
The plot is simple. Peter Pan hears news from Tinkerbell
that there is treasure hidden somewhere in Neverland, and sets out to find it.
Meanwhile, Hook and his motley crew find out precisely where the treasure is
located before tearing the map into four parts. Peter Pan’s objective is to fly
to all corners of Neverland in search of the four pieces and locate the
treasure before Hook does. Throughout the game, Peter learns how to use his
knife, and earns new abilities, including the use of pixie dust in order to
levitate objects blocking previously inaccessible areas, and panpipes to reveal
invisible objects. In addition, Hook and the pirates kidnap and imprison the
lost boys in various locations. Finding them all grants the player additional
flying power, which is needed prior to the finale.
The structure of the game is unusual but inventive. Rather
than plainly seeking the exit to a level and progressing to the next, in order
to get further, the player must unlock a certain ability and return to one of
the five previous levels to unlock a secret passage utilising that ability. The
locations are simple and well-designed, but are rather plain and don’t really capture
the spirit of the films. Furthermore, some aspects of the game are rather
disappointing. The Indian Village, for example, though challenging and laden
with invisible hazards, is barely recognisable. Obviously, due to political
correctness, to portray the Indians are they were depicted in the original 1953
film would be undeniably racist. But they barely feature at all. Apart from
Tiger Lily and the Chief (who has been severely watered down), the only Indian
we see is the owner of the shop where you can buy tips and useful health and
pixie dust boosts. It just feels lifeless and inauthentic. Maybe this is just a
personal preference, but I felt as though the Indian Village was a huge
disappointment in this respect.
Moreover, the ending is perhaps one of the worst endings
I’ve ever experienced in a video-game. Not only does Hook wind up finding the
treasure before you (rendering the entire adventure completely pointless), but
the treasure, in the end, turns out to be a golden feather, which bears an
inscription which reveals that if you collect all the feathers in each area, you
are awarded a golden feather, and this needs to be accomplished in order to
obtain 100%. If you’re thinking of playing this at all, I’ll save you the
trouble by saying nothing actually happens once you’ve collected all of the
golden feathers, which merely adds to the overwhelming disappointment. And
trust me, no amount of pixie dust is going to lift your spirits after that.
Having said that, the game is actually very enjoyable. In
fact, it’s surprised me how often I’ve returned to it. As of yet, this review
sounds extremely negative. This wasn’t intended. Perhaps over several years of
having played this surprisingly frequently I’ve become more aware of the game’s
flaws, when in fact there are very few. The graphics are decent and the plot,
though thin, is nonetheless engaging and never gets dull; the boss levels are
fun and the additional task of finding the lost boys is actually not as boring
as it sounds. Moreover, the game is at times challenging. Level eighteen ‘To
the Lake’ is particularly excruciating, with invisible hazards at every turn. What
I also like is the inclusion of references to the 1953 film. Strangely, despite
serving as a tie-in with the 2002 sequel, Adventures
in Neverland seems to pertain more so to fans of the original, with cameos
by the likes of the crocodile and Peter’s shadow.
Overall, this game is good, but it could have been great,
and that’s what bothers me. The locations are fun to explore, but they seldom
bear much resemblance to their depictions in the movies. It’s highly addictive
to play, but there isn’t much variety, not to mention that despite the fact
that there are more than twenty levels, the game, in retrospect, feels a bit
short. Put simply, Peter Pan flies but he doesn’t soar.
6.5/10
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