"Up, up and away in my beautiful, my beautiful balloon".
Written By Predat0r & Wrecker
Producing instant "classics" with the likes of 'Finding Nemo' and 'Cars', Pixar can scarcely put a foot wrong in the movie business and the same can be said about their most recent animated film 'Up'. As with most of the high profile Disney/Pixar films the licensing juggernaut will always guarantee a corresponding console game tie-in and in this case it is (of course) Up for the Wii.
First things first, if you have not seen the movie yet this game will almost certainly be a ‘spoiler’ and for that reason - so can this review. Best not to read on if you are Pixar fan who has not got your ticket yet.
Up is the story of Carl Fredricksen, an elderly man who escapes a court order to move him into a retirement home by elevating his house into the air with thousands of balloons. He inadvertently takes young ‘Wilderness Explorer’ (read Cub Scout) Russell and Dug, the talking dog, along for the ride which sees them landing in the jungles of South America.
What is a little strange about
Up on the Wii is that if you have not seen the film, much of the plot is already assumed and not really explained. So if you are wondering why the intro has a house floating through the clouds with coloured balloons, then things are only going to get more confusing. But it is safe to say if you have purchased the game, then you have almost certainly been influenced by this great film, so there's not too much to worry about here.
Up throws you straight into the action of the game and after a very brief cut-scene intro, you find yourself behind the controls of a biplane piloted by Dug. At this stage the game is actually a little confusing (even for people who have seen the film) as this is nothing like how the movie starts and comes across as a rather disjointed way to commence the game.
The cartoon-like flight simulator is, however, not bad at all, and it kicks off the game with a bit of fun. Players use the nunchuck control stick to fly the plane around over a colourful South American landscape and shoot down enemies using the trigger button in a good old fashioned ‘dogfight' (yes pardon the pun). The downside here is that this level is very easy to finish, but by completing the mission players unlock the flight game as a multiplayer game and can re-visit the dogfights with up to four friends in split-screen mode.
The gameplay takes a turn after Dug’s plane flying, and players are introduced to the main action of the game, which sees Carl and Russell making their way through the jungle environments. This part of the game is reminiscent of some older Disney platform games such as
Aladdin or
Tarzan, with the camera automatically following the action as you navigate obstacles and encounter enemies. For a more recent reference, the gameplay here probably gives a nod to the 'Lego' game series. Carl and Russell have different abilities which are combined to solve the various puzzles within each level. For example Carl can climb to ledges and then pull Russell up with his cane, while Russell has the ability to shimmy across the narrower ledges. The abilities usually involve the "A" button, "D-pad" or a quick shake of the Wii Remote, and are often displayed on-screen. With the puzzles being fairly obvious anyway, these visual prompts were not at all necessary. Players can switch between characters during solo play, or have a second player join in to play co-op. As play requires constant cooperation between the two characters it is recommended to have a friend or family member help you out, as the AI controlled second player tends to spoil the puzzles a bit.
While navigating and puzzling their way through each level, Carl and Russell can also collect bugs and swat insects to gain badge points which in turn yield ‘Quest Cards’ that show all of the goals and collectibles hidden in each level. In addition to this there are memento’s, artefacts, merit badges, concept art and new special abilities to gain as you progress. The special abilities are assigned to visual "D-pads", shown on-screen, which map to the Wii Remote D-Pad to provide Carl and Russell means to repel insects and other nasties via such items as hearing aids and a horn.
The action and puzzles in
Up do however get a little repetitive after all of the abilities are discovered. The end of the game does vary play a little and although it is a good co-op game it can be finished quite easily and is not terribly lenghty, with players most likely compelled to return to unlock all of the multiplayer options. Multiplayer has three modes of aerial combat including ‘K9 Aces’ (a free for all dogfight), ‘Pop’ (the first to pop 100 balloons) and ‘Team’ where players can team up to destroy the other’s dirigible/blimp.
It is of course very difficult to compare the graphics of a Pixar movie to a console game, but a good job has been done here all round. The game menus are a breeze to navigate and are well presented. The graphics retain a similar style to the film, colourful and simple with 3d cel-shading which works well but is a little pixelated during close-ups and cut-scenes. There is also a fair amount of detail in the game with leaves falling from trees and Carl and Russell’s footprints on the ground. The multiplayer graphics (which are also good) are a little like Battlefield Heroes and still produce a reasonable frame-rate even with four players.
An orchestral type movie soundtrack plays throughout the game and is quite atmospheric – much like a 'Looney Tunes' cartoon. The music works very well with the game and is a good accompaniment to the action at hand. The sound effects are solid, particularly the ambient effects of monkeys and birds in the distant jungle.
The game is also punctuated by a lot of voice acting from the main characters which is well executed and often amusing. The dialog also works as a hint system, with the characters yelling out to suggest ways to solve problems as well as congratulating players with a ‘Hooray! We did it’ when a puzzle is completed.
The Final Verdict
Up on the Wii features some nice graphics and good sound effects with voices lifted from the movie, but overall the game is just too easy. Players have a health bar which is replenished enough to keep them from any real danger and the game is punctuated by verbal hints and player icons to assist with solving puzzles and does take away any real challenge for more seasoned gamers.
The multiplayer element to
Up is probably one of the more appealing aspects to the game and perhaps this is why the developers have ensured that it is available to players early on as it is a cinch to ‘unlock’. The flight sim is best served up to four friends and can provide some lasting value to the game, balancing up the story mode which can be completed in a relatively short time.
Up is a good complement to the movie but due to the repetitive nature of the primary gameplay and simple puzzles, it is really only recommended to Pixar fans and particularly the younger audience.
Gameplay
7.0/10
Captures most of the charm of the film and is better than your average movie tie-in game, but suffers from somewhat repetitive gameplay. Contains some reasonable team-oriented puzzles in the core gameplay, but rather on the easy side.
Graphics
7.5/10
No Pixar movie rendering quality here but a decent representation. Nicely presented, well thought out animation and attention to detail.
Sound
7.5/10
A fair amount of quality (and humourous) voice acting. Good sound effects, a dynamic and suspenseful movie style score.
Value
7.0/10
Good co-op options and a fun four player multiplayer mode. Not terribly lenghty. Suitable for kids.
Overall
7.3/10