#6: Up (PS2)
The release of Disney/Pixar’s award-winning animated
masterpiece Up in 2009 garnered a lot
of unsurprisingly positive feedback. The film, which centres on old man Carl
Fredricksen’s journey to Paradise Falls in a house carried by balloons,
accompanied his accidental passenger – young Wilderness Explorer Russell, was
met with critical acclaim, with many viewers praising its conveyance of
surprisingly adult themes amid a child-friendly, universally oriented backdrop,
and others commending Pixar’s diverted focus from captivating visuals (which
were, incidentally, nonetheless spectacular) to one of profound, raw emotion.
The montage towards the beginning of the movie was enough to see even the most
stoic of cinemagoers reduced to tears. Coinciding with its release, Disney
Interactive and Asobo Studios unveiled Up
for the PlayStation 2. Though a relatively quiet release, it could easily
be argued to be Disney’s swansong for the console. After a series of
disappointing movie tie-ins, Up had
promise – but did it achieve the dizzying heights of the movie on which it was
based?
In short, the answer is no, and here’s why. For one thing,
almost every aspect of the movie that made it ‘great’ is lost in this game. The
plot has been amended somewhat, with certain scenes reordered, removed or
changed entirely. Of course, this makes the gameplay no less compelling, but it
doesn’t do the film justice. Many of the cut scenes fail to capture the essence
and spirit of the film, and much of the emotion and sensitivity is severely
underplayed. It might be a video-game, but the fact of the matter is that these
scenes ultimately represent a cheaper, watered down version of the film – a fact
that immediately diminishes its quality.
Furthermore, the two-player aspect of the game can get quite
frustrating if there is only one player, being as the second character will do
pretty much anything and everything before doing what you want him to do. Combat
is so weak, it’s essentially non-existent, although there’s more focus on
puzzle-solving rather than action, which is a good thing, especially
considering its source material, which doesn’t lend itself well to an
action-based video-game anyway. Some of the tasks get a little repetitive too,
not to mention frustrating. One particular task that presents itself numerous
times throughout the game is one which involves Russell throwing a vine over a
wall, which Carl needs to hang onto in order to navigate himself through a maze
of thorns. If Carl as much as brushes past one of these thorn patches even
slightly, he has to start over, which becomes quite tiresome. Overall, it’s a
little too formulaic and repetitive.
Having said that, the atmosphere of the game and its
locations does a fairly decent job capturing the aesthetic of the movie, at
least for the most part. Some levels require you to guide your house to another
location, and work together to glide over canyons to the other side. These particular
instances are nothing less than breath-taking, and represent some of the game’s
highlights. Moreover, the voiceover work is wonderful, and the music is reminiscent
of the film’s score. However, if I was to praise something in this game more
than anything, it would have to be the fact that it is, at times, challenging. This might sound
contradictory, as I’ve already complained that it is quite frustrating at
times, but I have to admit it is refreshing to play a movie tie-in that
requires a bit of thought. Credit must be given to Level 15 in particular, ‘The
Way Through the Wind’, which I have to admit briefly left me feeling perplexed
on more than one occasion. It’s not overly difficult, no, but the puzzles do at
least make you think.
In all, it’s not a bad game. It has its dull moments, and
the two-player feature leaves a lot to be desired. But ultimately, this is the
best movie tie-in Disney have had in years. The graphics are decent, the
gameplay is mostly compelling, and above all it’s a highly enjoyable
experience. It might not reach the zenith of its source material, but it nonetheless
represents a respectable and faithful adaptation. Up thankfully sees Disney’s PS2 output go out on a high note.
7/10
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