Simpsons Hit A Home(r) Run With GTA Clone?

Thanks to GameSpot for their review of the PS2/Xbox/GC driving game, The Simpsons: Hit & Run, released this week, in which they shrewdly point out: "with perhaps the sole exception of Konami's 1991 arcade action game, The Simpsons, no [Simpsons games] have really even proved to be much in the way of fun." Although it seems "practically every mission in the game is a direct clone of one of the GTA driving missions", the reviewer thinks Hit And Run "finally manages to bring the world of the Simpsons to life with proper justice", and much of the appeal, according to Gamers.com, is in the references: "You'll plow through a field of Tomacco... and take a shortcut through the Stonecutters' Hidden Tunnel... you'll conduct missions that require you to collect 'flatmeat' for Cletus, [and] round up monkeys for Dr. Nick's experiments."

Comments

I don't understand these people

[Apreche]

I don't know who makes these Simpson's games, but they are seriously not using their license to the full potential. All they have done since the beginning is take cookie cutter genre games and replace all the graphics and sound with simpsons stuff. Started out with generic beat 'em up, then platform games, mario kart type games. It goes on.

If I had the Simpsons video game license you can sure as hell bet that I'd be making some innovative games. Maybe something like an episode maker. Include craploads of animations and sounds and graphics on a CD, or DVD even for the PC, and let people make Simpson's episodes.

Another good one, a virtual springfield. Pick any one of the zillion characters and live out their day in the town. Have multiple decision paths for each character, unlockable characters and a zillion minigames or some such to determine outcomes of things.

There is so much you can do with a license like the Simpsons. It's one of the most popular shows ever because of its high creativity, which it's video games have always lacked. Stop sucking!

Re:I don't understand these people

[sweeney37]

Maybe something like an episode maker. Include craploads of animations and sounds and graphics on a CD, or DVD even for the PC, and let people make Simpson's episodes.

Do you mean like this?

Another good one, a virtual springfield. Pick any one of the zillion characters and live out their day in the town. Have multiple decision paths for each character, unlockable characters and a zillion minigames or some such to determine outcomes of things.

Perhaps this?

What it comes down to is that both have been created, and both suck.

Mike

Re:I don't understand these people

[lightspawn]

I don't know who makes these Simpson's games, but they are seriously not using their license to the full potential. All they have done since the beginning is take cookie cutter genre games and replace all the graphics and sound with simpsons stuff.

It's not just one company; many different developers (and several different publishers) were involved in simpsons titles. And you know what? Some were OK, some were mediocre, and some sucked. That's what normally happens when you look at any random batch of titles, licensed or not.

Re:I don't understand these people

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually, the developer of Hit and Run is "Radical", the exact same company that made Road Rage.

And to that guy who thinks he's so smart because he'd make an "episode maker"... the market for that product would total about 5 people.

Re:I don't understand these people

[ziggles]

I hate to break it to you, but those don't sound like fun games at all. I think a GTA clone is the perfect idea for a Simpsons game. You get to explore the town, see all the characters and interact with them, possibly re-enact certain episodes. I haven't played Hit & Run, so I don't know how well it was executed, but the idea has the most potential of any Simpsons game idea.

Re:I don't understand these people

[Kyouryuu]

With the track record most Simpsons games ahve, 8.3 is legendary. The only really good Simpsons game, IMHO, was that "generic" beat-em-up Konami produced for the arcades. Sure, they probably cloned the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles engine and replaced the sprites, but it was a fun game, which is far more than I can say about any of Acclaim's butcherings of the franchise.

I have a gut feeling that the people who are in charge of Simpsons licensing as it applies to video games are out of touch with how well the games do in the market. When the producers of TMNT wanted a new video game to commemorate their resurrection of the series, they faithfully returned to Konami and commissioned them to do it. Why the producers of the Simpsons games continually allowed Acclaim to tarnish their reputation, instead of going back to the only publisher that actually made a good game, is mysterious to me.

Re:I don't understand these people

[Anonymous Coward]

This game is not published by Acclaim, it's a Vivendi Universal title. ...and so was Road Rage, come to think of it (fun little game that, nothing special though).

Re:I don't understand these people

[Babbster]

If I had the Simpsons video game license you can sure as hell bet that I'd be making some innovative games. Maybe something like an episode maker. Include craploads of animations and sounds and graphics on a CD, or DVD even for the PC, and let people make Simpson's episodes.

I'm certain this already exists...I believe it's what the producers of the TV series have been using for the past two years.

Re:I don't understand these people

[bigman2003]

This was probably the most informative post I have seen here. Like, this Mike guy knows what he is talking about or something.

I can pull crap out of my ass, but I've never been able to refute someone elses comments so succinctly.

Good job Mike

Re:I don't understand these people

[Anonymous Coward]

Are you being sarcastic? I can't tell (the internet needs a built-in sarcasm detector.)

*A sarcasm detector, that's a real useful invention.* -CBG

Mike

Re:I don't understand these people

[Anonymous Coward]

He never said Hit and Run had anything to do with Acclaim. Just that Fox previously allowed Acclaim to repeatedly make bad Simpsons games.

Re:I don't understand these people

[Anonymous Coward]

Not necessarily. They just don't seem to care any more. I remember Groening saying something about running the show into the ground, and it's certainly headed that way. He seems to be fed up with Fox, which is understandable. They kill all my favorit shows. *mumblegrumble*Futurama*grumble*

Re:I don't understand these people

[bigman2003]

No- I was serious. Dude number one said "they should do these two things"

Dude number 2 (Mike) said: "They already did those things..and he proved it."

It was beautiful.

Seems like they are doing their last game over

[IRNI]

I have Simpsons Road Rage for PS2 and it is indeed fun. You drive around and run into people or things. From the description of this review I thought they were talking about that game for a minute. Are all the new simpsons games going to be driving games? Interesting.

Re:Seems like they are doing their last game over

[Anonymous Coward]

Feel free to read about the game before talking about it. While Road Rage was a take off on Crazy Taxi, this game is a take off on Grand Theft Auto. Both involve driving, but GTA is not a driving game.

You're an idiot.

Re:Seems like they are doing their last game over

[Anonymous Coward]

Hit-and-Run is made by the same developer that produced Road Rage. They already had a good handle on a Simpsons game with good driving mechanics. The next logical step was to take the characters out of the car for at least part of the action in the sequel. A GTA-style game design was deemed to be a good fit.

Re:Seems like they are doing their last game over

[samsmithnz]

Except that Crazy Taxi sucked ass compared to GTA3. I'm looking forward to this title, its going to be a nice filler until GTA4 (or 5 depending on what you call Vice City). I can't wait to be able to explore the city, I hope that its right thats all!?!

Why is it 3d

[techstar25]

I didn't read the article but I've read other things about this game. My question is: With all the great looking cell-shaded games out there, why didn't they just animate the game to look exactly like the show? It makes no sense to me to make 3d models. For an example of how they should have animated it, look at the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game coming out next month. It's beautifully animated to look like you are actually playing a cartoon.

Re:Why is it 3d

[ClutchUGA]

You are right, cellshading would look cool, but I doubt it would look more like the cartoon.

Re:Why is it 3d

[Anonymous Coward]

Probably because cell-shading is already way over used, and it's a 3D game, regardless.

Re:Why is it 3d

[JimPooley]

I agree. Simpsons in 3D is just WRONG. Well, apart from that bit in one of the Treehouse of Horror episodes, anyway.

This looks pretty cool

[anon*127.0.0.1]

I love the GTA franchise... they're all great, fun games in my book. My boys like any game that Daddy likes, but unfortunately GTA is a category 3 game.

Category 1: Games the kids can play.
Category 2: Games the kids can't play, but they can watch Daddy play.
Category 3: Games the kids can't even watch Daddy play.

I can buy this and give them something close enough to GTA to keep them happy. Of course, I just might have to help them out a little with a few of the missions... you know, just doing what a good Dad does...

Re:This looks pretty cool

[IIRCAFAIKIANAL]

I got 100% on GTA3 and GTA:VC. I love the Simpsons. This is a Simpson's licensed game that doesn't suck. Yeah, I'll be picking this one up.

I plan on living my video game playing life vicariously through my child, since I no longer have time to play all the games I want too. In fact, this is the only reason I want a child. Video games and lego.

It's rather like jocks with their cute little jock kids in little league :)

Come to think of it, I hope I spawn a little geek and not a jock.

Why not Cel-Shaded?

[Axis of Weasel]

Why make a 2d cartoon 3d?

yes, yes, people complain about the over use of cel shading, but I would think this is the ideal game for it.

meh, maybe it's just me but things in 2d always look bad/awkward when translated to 3d.