Ratatouille

6.0
Average

Gameplay	6.0	"A goodie for Pixar fans, but otherwise there's not much new here."
Graphics	7.0
Sound	7.0
Value	6.0

By Jess Nickelsen

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It’s so easy to get caught up in the hype of cool new Pixar movies these days. Every one that comes out lately seems to have that certain je ne sais quoi, that combination of cute characters and sly humour that appeal to kids and adults alike. The problem is that the tie-in games don’t always deliver the same degree of quality that one comes to expect from such great films.

I’m not sure if I need to give you the low-down on the story. In any case, you take the reins of this gentle steed as Remy, the rat who would be a chef, if any restauranteurs would let him through their doors! Naturellement, most of the action takes place in the kitchens and sewers of Paris, places of such scum and villainy that would make Mos Eisley blush. The premise is a good one: you, playing as Remy, have to navigate through the maze that is Paris, finding treasure, fighting baddies, while the storyline does its best to stick to that of the movie.

And here’s the first of my peeves: the game falls a bit short in this department. If you haven’t seen the movie, don’t expect to completely understand what’s going on. Cut scenes are abbreviated, and I’m really not sure why. For the most part you’ll travel through the game collecting stars, cheese, and wielding spoons and bottles of hot sauce to blast past enemies and obstacles, without real rhyme or reason as to why.

Presentation-wise, Ratatouille’s a reasonably good looking game. PCs and next gen consoles are the best of the bunch, while the PS2 really does flounder a bit, with blocky looking characters and fairly bland environments. Still, there is some nice detail here, such as bunches of grapes hanging from vines that drop fruit if you bump into them.

Movement is fluid and easy; the press of a button puts you into dash mode, as the rest of the world fisheyes around you. Jumping is a simple double mash of a button, and with a clatter of claws Remy can hoist himself up on to ledges, cans, furniture – you name it. The main challenges of the game are pretty straightforward, and usually depend on you making the right decision as to what combination of moves you’ll need to employ to get Remy to his destination. There is even a smell command, where Remy can sniff out his goal (and the resulting path points you in the right direction).

What’s more, there’s a real range of different types of level, including sliding (where you float down a river, or slide down a tube like those kids in Goonies, collecting things and avoiding pitfalls as you go), chasing (trying to avoid humans wielding meat cleavers and the like), and mini games that involve pressing the right console button at the right time to get through the level.

Kids who love the movie will probably give Ratatouille a fair shot. Adult gamers who have gone through the gauntlet of platformers in their day are unlikely to find much new or original in this game. Still, it’s cute, the voice acting and music are polished, and there are unlockables galore for you perfectionists out there. This is definitely worth renting, or buying if you want to round out your Pixar collection.

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Reply

On 3 July 2009, 01:34PM Posted by barleycraft

My girls (5 and 8) have enjoyed playing this. Can be a bit tricky for the 5 year old. Good graphics and sound. Good challenge.