ABC is a
television network that lives and dies by its dramadies. Since 2004, a
drama/comedy by the name of Desperate Housewives has remained one of TV’s
most-watched and sought-after shows. Its pilot rolled in a stunning 21.3 million
viewers, the network’s highest premiere since Spin City’s ravishing debut. Due
to this unparalleled success, both critically and commercially, it’s only
natural for Desperate Housewives merchandise to begin popping up – from posters
to a small clothing line, to now, here in 2006, a video game based on the
series.
Desperate
Housewives: The Game plays out like your typical PC life-simulator. Think of it
as The Sims 2 with substantially fewer housing customization options and an
adventurous, RPG-esque single-player campaign. You begin by creating yourself,
your husband and your son. A few options are in place when crafting your
character, such as hair style, hair color, and wardrobe, but nothing too
extravagant. Additionally, your husband and son are not customizable at all,
rather haphazardly generated to your liking.
The story at hand
is your standard DH fare. You are the newest (“desperate”) housewife on Wisteria
Lane, a small suburban area that appears innocent enough on the outside, but is
filled to the brim with gossiping, back-stabbing and pretentious residents. You
will join the likes Susan Mayer, Bree Van de Kamp, Lynette Scavo, Gabrielle
Solises, and Edie Britt as you cheat, lie and scandal your way to becoming the
most popular (and hated) mistress on the block.
Levels, or
episodes, unfold by completing multi-layered goals that pertain to a thicker,
deeper back-story. Objectives consist of making dinner for your family, calling
your son’s student teacher to unravel why his grades are dropping, and upgrading
your estate. Upgrades essentially include improving your appliances and other
living devices, such as your shower and television, and don’t stretch too far
beyond that. The only real modifications you can carry out on your home are
choosing its floor and wall colors.
When you’re not
tending to your to-do list, you are able to participate in a few mini-games. You
can put your gambling skills to the test in a game of Texas Hold’em, please your
husband and son by means of cooking them a quality meal, or attempt to outdo
fellow neighbor Mrs. Davenport by busting your chops to have the best garden on
Wisteria Lane.
There are only a
few locales in Desperate Housewives, one being the shopping mall and the other
being the street on which you reside. The shopping mall is home to a couple of
clothing outlets, a hair salon, a pharmacy, and a medical center where your
husband and therapist are employed. In addition, there is a store by the name of
AAA Temps that specializes in services such as catering, gardening and cleaning.
To get to the mall, all you have to do is hop in your Chrysler Pacifica and
you’ll instantaneously arrive.
Taking into
consideration that my computer meets the recommended requirements, I find it
quite shocking how poorly everything runs. The frame-rate is choppy, there’s
tons of clipping, and the overall presentation is exceedingly lackluster. The
visuals aren’t all bad, though. They’re very comparable to The Sims 2, but with
a little less pizzazz and elegance. The character modeling and lighting effects
are rather solid, and the game does an excellent job recreating the atmosphere
of the show.
If this title has
one strongpoint, it’s definitely its music. It possesses a subtle and delightful
score that goes tremendously well with the show’s “hush-hush” sentiment. The
voiceovers are surprisingly first-rate as well, especially considering that the
cast of the show didn’t lend their talents – aside from narrator Mary Alice
Young played by Brenda Strong.
Desperate
Housewives: The Game may not sport as many features or options as other titles
of its genre, but the developers have done something I never thought possible
for a TV-based video game – created a fun experience that does its respective
series justice. If it weren’t for a plethora of technical bugs, this could have
been a true staple in life simulators.
|
Review Scoring Details for Desperate Housewives |
Gameplay: 7.0
It’s lacking in
customization options, but there’s still a good deal of content to partake in.
The episode-style campaign is an absolute pleasure and will no doubt please fans
of the show.
Graphics: 6.8
A profusion of
visual glitches mars an otherwise very attractive game.
Sound: 7.7
I applaud the fine
folks that voiced this game for their valiant efforts to sound somewhat similar
to the real actors. They really did a superb job. Music-wise, the soundtrack is
a pleasant and charming treat for the ears.
Difficulty:
Easy
Desperate
Housewives: The Game is obviously geared toward the show’s audience, meaning
women who seldom play video games, if at all. Virtually every gameplay element
comes with a tutorial.
Concept: 7.1
The fact that this
one is playable and enjoyable is an achievement in itself.
Overall: 7.2
Desperate
Housewives: The Game is an easy and pleasurable affair, albeit bogged down by
some technical issues. Nonetheless, if you can get past its shortcomings and
find yourself tuning into ABC every Sunday night, you should definitely give
this game a try.
