Bolt was almost made for gaming. At a different
time and place, and with some slight modifications, he may have been the next
Crash or Sonic. Forceful and furry (and also four-legged), Bolt is a man’s best
friend. His actions are heroic, endearing and memorable. And when it comes to
stopping crime, where else can you find a movie star dog that thinks he’s really
a superhero?
But as you’re well aware, Bolt wasn’t born on the
Genesis or PlayStation; he started on the big screen. Thus, when Avalanche
Software was tasked with bringing this superstar canine to PlayStation 3, the
studio had to consider the movie’s audience (8 to 12-year-olds, it seems), the
movie’s maker (Disney), and how the general public views movie-based games (not
good). Without going through it yourself as a developer, it must be impossible
to imagine the challenge that presented, especially when, no matter what else
happens, Avalanche was still expected to make the game fun to play.
For a kids’ game, Bolt ventures into uncharted
territory with environments and scenarios that feel like they were inspired by
Sony’s Uncharted or Tomb Raider. The jungle environments are packed with
eye-popping visuals: impressive trees and pyramids, surprisingly realistic water
ripples, and lighting effects that give the game a solid next-gen shine. It’s
nothing a big-name sequel (like Devil May Cry 4) hasn’t surpassed but is several
times better than the average movie-based or kid-targeted game. The target
audience will be pleased, no question.
As a small white, friendly-looking dog, the
developers had to be careful when designing Bolt’s combat system. What they came
up with was not at all unexpected: button-mashing. More specifically, you’ll
mash the square button until … until the end of the game, but there are times when
it feels like it will never end.
The animations look good – Bolt leaps into the
air, dives toward his opponents and slams his body into them. Keep pressing the
square button for additional slams. Using other buttons, Bolt can grapple and
throw his opponents or slam himself down to the ground for a multi-enemy
assault. His bark makes a great stun move (and may also be used to bust through
damaged walls and other weak barriers), and his laser eyes let him take out
enemies and solve various world dilemmas without more than a tap of the circle
button.
For the first few hours, this gameplay – as
simple as it may be – is quite compelling. Not to the extent of Uncharted, Tomb
Raider or any other game it looks like, but as a very easy kids’ game, Bolt does
a pretty good job of entertaining the player. The fun factor is moved along by
the inclusion of Penny, Bolt’s female (and human) sidekick. In fact, before Bolt
enters the scene, the game begins with a scenario in which she must use her
climbing skills – aided by her Wheel Bar (a long stick with wheels on both ends)
– to slide along the side of a building. Penny has a Techno-Camo suit that makes
her invisible (we all know where they got that idea), gas grenades, and a pair
of goggles that highlight any climbable surface.
Bolt’s downfall occurs when the cool elements
(such as the stage environments) stop being cool, and when the gameplay starts
to get repetitive. When playing as Bolt, you almost always clear a room of all
enemies before moving onto the next area. This is not a request – it is a
requirement. In most cases, the exit or door switch is in plain view but you
will not be able to use either if an enemy is still standing. That might sound
like a typical action game, but only until you include the number of times
enemies reappear once a room has been cleared. You’ll go through several groups
of them, enter the next area, battle another group, and repeat the process all
over again. Boss battles add some variety to the mix, but the average foe is
fairly dull.
Penny can fight but not in the way you’ll expect.
With action games, players have the expectation of being able to walk up to
their enemies and attack instantaneously with the tap of a button. It’s not
rocket science – it’s just the way games are designed. Weirdly (and unlike
Bolt), Penny has no such luxury. To attack, you can either sneak up from behind
or walk right up to the enemy. In either case, one button icon will appear on
screen; tap it before it disappears and the enemy will be eliminated. This means
that you can’t actually assault your enemy, but merely follow whatever the game
tells you to do, and then watch one of the three or four attack animations given
to Penny.
Review Scoring Details for Bolt |
Gameplay: 7.0
Straightforward, easy-to-follow exploration and button-mash gameplay. Fun
for kids but severely repetitive.
Graphics: 8.0
Excellent character animations, upper-tier backdrops and high-quality
lighting effects make this one of the better-looking licensed games.
Sound: 6.0
Nothing memorable on the music, sound effect or voice over end.
Difficulty: Easy
I’ll borrow a line from a car insurance company and say, "So easy a caveman
could beat it."
Concept: 7.0
The Penny exploration phases are pretty interesting. Her potential for
growth is very high, should Disney decide to continue the franchise. However,
the rest of the game, no matter how fun at times, is rather generic in premise
and execution.
Overall: 7.0
While nowhere near the game it could have been, Bolt is considerably better
than the average licensed title, especially those based on kids’ movies. It’s
not so diverse that its young players won’t get bored. They almost certainly
will. But if you or your child enjoyed the film, Bolt is worth a rental – if not
a full purchase once the price drops.
