Open Season – NDS – Review

There’s a
war brewing. It involves two sides – them and us. One hunts, one runs. One is
the leader, one will rebel. One of them is a carnivore who relies on humans to
catch his dinner. He sleeps in a garage, uses electricity, and has no idea how
to fend for himself.

And so the
story of Open Season begins, a tale of two animals trying to survive in a
world run by humans. It wouldn’t have been much of a game without the option
to play as both of the film’s stars. Guide Boog, the big, lazy, house-pet bear
– and Elliot, the wisecracking mule deer with some unfortunate antler issues –
on a journey filled with adventure game staples and an enjoyable mixture of
two-character objectives.

Traditionally Executed

Two
characters, several objectives – one (?) solution. Boog is tall, weighs 900
pounds, and is the most powerful force in the woods (in a gentle giant sort of
way). Elliot’s smaller figure enables him to run faster to dodge
squirrel-thrown acorns. His single horn lets him ram through wooden fences and
natural barricades. Elliot can jump – Boog can’t. Boog is strong enough to
pick up and throw Elliot; the opposite is a power Elliot will never have. The
player has to use these two, both as a team and individually, to solve
environmental puzzles.

Puzzles are
not limited to the push of a button that triggers a moving platform. The game
has that, but it’s not all you’ll be doing. Boog doesn’t throw Elliot just for
the fun of it, you know. I mean sure, it’s fun – but he has to do it. What if
you approach an object that needs destroyed and it’s too high for Elliot to
reach? He won’t be able to reach it until he’s been thrown up to it.

Rabbits make
for a great Elliot substitute, acting as live, throw-able weaponry. But
they’re not always available. Therefore you’ll have to rely on Elliot’s
services as a weapon, switch-pusher, trap-releaser, and object-destroyer. All
of these things and more can be accomplished by lifting and throwing Elliot
into the designated object. You’ll know where to throw by the green arrow that
appears. If it doesn’t appear, Elliot can’t be thrown. And if the arrow is
red, that means you have to change your position.

Upon the
discovery of a green arrow, pressing the A button will trigger an automatic
throw. Elliot will strike the necessary target, triggering whatever action is
supposed to happen next.

Rabbits –
the aforementioned live weaponry – is one of the throw-able animals you’ll
find. The porcupines are hilarious. Just looking at them makes me laugh. Their
needles stick straight up like a bad hair day, bringing to mind a few personal
experiences – and Jimmy Neutron.

The skunks
will also make you laugh, especially if you’ve seen the movie or its trailer.
They can be used as – wait for it – stink bombs.

Beavers help
out by cutting down trees to build bridges. The French Canadian ducks are also
on your side, but don’t expect McSquizzy, the evil squirrel leader, to start
playing nice anytime soon.

Visually
Seasoned

There aren’t
any screenshots currently available, leaving the box shots as your only
visual. Ignore the semi-blurry and pixelated images plastered on the back of
the box – Open Season looks MUCH better than that. All of the characters are
well-animated and are instantly recognizable. Their motions are fluid and
nicely match their big-screen counterparts.

The
backgrounds are on par with the PSone cult classic Pandemonium. Open Season
gives you more freedom, has sharper imagery, and displays cooler camera
changes. Though the game is technically two-dimensional, players can move in
and out of the environment as if it were 3D. As you explore, the camera
changes automatically to create a semi-3D graphical experience.

Like most
movie-licensed games, Open Season does not utilize the Nintendo DS’s full
potential. Good graphics are a plus, but the touch screen features are pretty
basic. To maximize the power of Elliot’s ram, tap the two yellow icons on the
touch screen. Character selection is also done via the touch screen. There are
a few times when you’ll have to blow into the microphone – not much fun but at
least it’s something different, and has a corresponding action that relates to
what’s going on in the game. So while these elements are anything but
innovative, they’re not a gimmick either. They’re just kind of…there.

Kids and
parents alike will find Open Season to be a great stocking-stuffer this
Christmas. It’s a simple adventure that makes you think. (Simple except for
the squirrels – they can be quite the beasts!) It’s slow, but not too slow,
and has a lot of clever and creative character-driven objectives that disperse
equal importance to the playable cast.

Review Scoring Details for Open Season

Gameplay: 7.0
A side-scrolling
adventure of a different nature. Whereas most games go for the “point A to
point B” style of play, Open Season has several world-based objectives that
must be solved along the way. You’ll need to conquer these objectives and come
up with new ways to pass a squirrel-laden area, cross a spiked pathway, fill
in a large gap, or one of many other things.

Graphics: 7.0
There is a
considerable amount of detail crammed into this game. Most have been delegated
to the stages, which will change camera angles automatically to give it that
semi-3D feel. Boog and Elliot can move in and out of the background – that’s
rare (and pretty cool) for a side-scroller.

Sound: 6.0
Not a bad
soundtrack, but not a great one either. The sound effects, however, are way
below average, especially by DS standards.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
The squirrels are
deadlier than they look!

Concept: 7.7
Open Season
belongs to a genre that’s as old as the NES. The pseudo-3D aspect is as old as
the PSone. Nothing here is groundbreaking, or fresh to the gaming world. The
two-character objectives, however, are very cleverly done. There’s a lot more
thought involved in solving these world-based puzzles than you’ll find in the
typical kiddie game.

Multiplayer: 6.0
Wi-Fi and
wireless communication multiplayer available – one game card per DS required
for both. The cumbersome 12-digit friend code will prevent most gamers from
logging in. And if you do, it’s very unlikely that you’ll find someone to play
with.

Overall: 7.0
Easygoing
kid-targeted fun. Fans of 3D side-scrollers like Klonoa and Pandemonium will
enjoy this animal adventure. There are moments of amusement, intrigue, and
even surprise. Boog and Elliot make a great pair, having required objectives
that are relevant to both characters. The story isn’t entirely based on the
movie, but the stages and woodland creatures come directly from the original
plot.