For a game that takes full advantage of the Dual Shock 2’s capabilities the controls are nothing short of disappointing. Most of the time the controls feel sluggish and inoperable, to the point where hitting a stationary target becomes a chore. If hitting a stationary target is difficult think about how hard it is to hit a fast moving monkey. Most times I felt like I captured the monkeys out of blind luck as opposed to sheer precision. Adding to the problems is a camera system that is so archaic it hearkens back to the days of
Tomb Raider. Since the right thumbstick is relegated to the attacks the player has no way to control and position the camera to their liking. Instead they’re forced to succumb to the mercy of the inoperable system which has a knack of concealing the vantage point with surrounding foliage and structures.
Vehicles have been added into the fray to spruce things up a bit but they’re more of a chore than a joy. Their implementation is shaky at best as their inclusion seems to be rushed as opposed to some sort of natural progression of the game. Controlling them is difficult thanks to sluggish movements that cause the vehicles to control erratically. Poor control can be attributed to the weak control scheme that causes the vehicle to behave unrealistically. There are no actual physics to be found so the vehicles control like a faster version of the character. Some of them have weapons but they’re practically useless due to the lack of a targeting reticule.
While the levels are well-structured their look is nothing to brag about. Most of the architecture is pretty blocky and generic-looking while the texture work is boring and repetitive. The textures are repetitive and washed-out, lending them a really blurry look. All of the walls and objects have a decidedly flat feeling to them, a notion that has become associated with the games of yesteryear. Every now and then there are some pretty impressive objects, such as a stone whale with a water spout in the center of it, but most of the time you’ll be too busy noticing the visual deficiencies to pick up on them.
Things fare better on the audio side due to the excellent voice acting and upbeat music. Quality voice acting isn’t a must for a game of this genre (just look at
Mario Sunshine) but it’s nice to know that Ubi Soft took some time to acquire some decent actors to fill the various roles in the game. The music is just as good, featuring a wide variety of genres to fit in with the wide variety of locales that the game places you in. Every time you set foot in the game world you can expect to be accompanied by an excellent audio track that properly sets up the mood. They’re not generic either as some of them are just downright catchy. I do feel that Ubi Soft missed out on a great chance to incorporate the song "Brass Monkey" into this game though. That alone would make me want to start up the game on those long and boring nights.
If you grow tired of monkeying around the levels you can always partake in a few mini-games. Though they need to be unlocked via the Gotcha machine they’re accessible enough to the point where you won’t need to stress yourself too much to acquire them. Some of the mini-games include a very
Dance Dance Revolution-esque rhythm based game and a surprisingly deep and engaging soccer simulation. Each of them are of high quality and would fit well with one of those mini-game type compilations that seem to be the rage nowadays.
Make no mistake about it, this is a game that has cute written all over it. Even the health system, which uses cookies to establish your physical condition, is cute and charming. It can’t compare to Pipotchi though. In addition to looking cute and making cute noises he’s actually helpful. His aid ranges from dropping hints on how to solve puzzles to giving you extra cookies when it looks like you’re down for the count. My girlfriend is a huge fan of that damn monkey. I’m telling you right now, Ape Escape 2 equals instant chick magnet.
In addition to being a chick magnet,
Ape Escape 2 is fun for the whole entire family. Those who are searching for an excellent 3D platformer that is devoid of violent imagery should look no further than Ubi Soft’s latest entry. There’s enough here to satisfy both novice gamers looking for a challenge and hardcore gamers who are looking for something fun to cut their teeth on.
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Ape Escape 2 Companies:
Ubisoft B-
There are a ton of things that I don’t quite understand about the Japanese culture but perhaps none of them confuses me more than the country’s affinity with collecting random and useless trinkets. Sure there’s the shiny and novelty factors at work but why devote so much time towards such a futile cause? I came into Ape Escape 2 with this exact mentality, thinking that I wouldn’t enjoy this off-kilter game. But in the end I had a blast.
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