PlayStation 2
Disney-Pixar WALL-E
| Graphics: Sound: Gameplay: Overall: |
8.95 8.48 8.33 8.76 |
| Votes: | 21 |
| Reviews: | 1 |
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| Reviewer: Sandeia | Date: May 7, 2022 |
| It's been 700 years since the last few BnL Starliners have left the Earth, with the final few humans being jettisoned off to space due to the rising levels of both trash and environment-killing chemicals. The Earth would be a lost cause, if not for one thing - a whole race of Waste Allocation Load Lifters (Earth Class) - WALL-Es. Together, these are projected to clean the planet of garbage, allowing the planet to become inhabitable again in 5 years. 700 years later, and there is one remaining that functions, and a run in with an Extra-Terrestrial Vegetation Evaluator may just change his, and the rest of humanity's, lives forever. You are WALL-E, and you must help humanity not just survive, but live.
Graphics: 8 For a PS2 game, this holds up pretty well. Being a movie tie-in game, it's never going to be on par with games such as Shadow Of The Colossus or Final Fantasy X, but for what it is, it doesn't look too bad. The worlds, whilst lifeless, are thought-provoking and aren't harsh on the eyes, and the latter half of the game's use of technology, blues and whites, really sets the scene for an unknown environment, but the Earth levels are where it shines. Not only are components made of different materials, but you can see the weathering and the tireless sandstorms of 700 years' effect on everything. Shipping containers are rusty, dust lays on the floor and even small things such as wooden barriers are cracked and splintered. It won't hurt your eyes at all, and it's even a little aesthetic at some points. Sound: 9 If you've played the Xbox 360 / PlayStation 3 / Wii versions of this, yes, they do share the exact same soundtrack, but bear with me here, as whatever version you play, the background music is one of the shining points of this game. BnL Tune-Up has a melodic little ditty to ease you in, Sandstorm Sprint has strings accompanying you down a frantic escape, Work Day and Hidden Treasure feel like two parts of an evolving track that complement each other, and that's just early levels. Later on, the hopeful tune that gently flows through your speakers in Fixing Eve really makes the level shine, though there are one or two tracks (ahem, Robot Rescue) that are slightly harsh and make you get ready for the level to be over. However, the glorious crown? Holo-Detector Dash. A final push at the climax of the game, and what accompanies you to get ready for your final objective of saving humanity? An epic guitar, letting you know that while it isn't over yet, you have what it takes. The soundtrack is truly great, and even worth a listen to outside of the game. Gameplay: 8 But, being a video game, the gameplay is what most of us are really here for, and WALL-E doesn't disappoint (in most fields, at least). Movement is categorized into four types of speed - starting out and speeding up are the first two, but it doesn't take long to get to your maximum cruising speed. The fourth type is fast, and you can get this by going down a hill, hitting a boost panel or even by flipping off a quarter or half pipe (yes, there are these in the game! They're so fun to use). You have multiple ways of attacking enemies - hitting them at full force by driving into them, throwing a cube - these also have applications such as moving objects, hitting switches, and even blowing up doors depending on the type - or zapping at them with your laser. Jumping into them isn't an option, unfortunately - WALL-E has a small, and I mean SMALL, jump. It barely lifts him off the ground, but with enough speed, it can help him travel long distances horizontally, allowing the player to even perform skips. This is probably WALL-E's best ability (even though it's unintentional) - some surfaces that are less than a 90 degree angle adjacent to the floor are able to be driven up, making for some hilarious events. This would normally take away from the experience, but it's so fun albeit unintentional that I have to say it as a positive point. You also are able to play as EVE in a few levels, and they're quite easy. The genre switches to an on-rails shooter, where you must get to the end in time to progress to the next level, and it controls fairly well, and is a blast to play - though it's a shame that there are only a few of these levels (three in the entire game). However, there is a glaring flaw that I do not enjoy in this game - most levels in the game have minigames that you must play to progress. We're talking about Simon Says, Memory Match (match the colour pairs) and, uh, hit the button fast enough to progress. These slow the overall experience and make it a little more frustrating than it needs to me, as you have to stop and complete these (they're mandatory), up to or even over FIVE TIMES in a single level. Though the rest of the game is fun, that's a single point that I can't ignore, but it isn't too bad for the most part. Overall: 9 I know that this is a PS2 game, made in 2008, with a plot that stays straightforward to the movie (aside from a few points - the team, Asobo Studios (also known for Ratatouille, A Plague Tale and Microsoft Flight Simulator) got to use the draft of the movie's script instead of the final version, letting us know what could have been), and I know that everyone expected it to fail. And yet, somehow... it works. The graphics are actually pretty good compared to most other movie games, the gameplay is flawed yet fun, and the soundtrack knocks it out of the park. I picked this game up, when it came out, all the way back in 2008, and I've taken off the rose-tinted goggles for this review, and played through it fully with a new player's perspective. It was an absolute blast, and I might even go back for another playthrough in the future, or maybe another two, three, or ten playthroughs. This game was a great time, despite its flaws, and I won't be forgetting it anytime soon. I have to add something, outside of the review - after completing the game, and while writing this review, a friend of mine told me to check the Extras menu and check out the Bonus Content, and I wasn't disappointed. Concept art from the movie and game, some videos from external media with WALL-E in, and my personal favourite: Cheat Codes! I never thought I would see the day that WALL-E could glow in the dark, shoot a rainbow laser whilst wearing a ski mask and giving off bubbles, donning a Toy Story alien backpack and doing a trick off a ramp inspired by Tony Hawk. I couldn't make this up if I tried, but if it was just down to the extra content, I would've given this game a perfect 10. Anyways, I'd love to give a big shoutout to my friends (who might be reading this now), most notably a few that owned the game back in the day, to thank them for reminding me of this game, and convincing me to play it all over again (and to fall in love all over again), and to my Mum, Dad and Brother (who got me the game, and the latter helped me through it back in 2008). And last of all, thank you for reading the review, and I hope you have a brilliant life (and an even better playthrough). Have a Buy-n-Large day! |
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