Life as a rat is no picnic.
In “Ratatouille,” the game inspired by the Pixar movie of the same name, players scurry through the streets and sewers of Paris as one of those unlovable rodents.
That rodent is Remy, an aspiring chef asked by the ghost of his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau, to restore the reputation of the fine French restaurant bearing his name because a lowly food critic knocked a star off its rating.
Remy's journey to the kitchen begins in a home outside Paris, where players are taken through the obligatory control outline by Remy's older brother, Emile.
The contrast between the siblings highlights how Remy strives for human sophistication. He walks on his hind paws. He devours every word from Gusteau's cookbook, “Anyone Can Cook.” Yet Remy has no reservations about whacking chicks in the henhouse with a wooden spoon. But hey, at least it's practice using a kitchen utensil.
Like all subsequent environments in the game, the game presents the country home in marvelous graphic detail. The grass and cobblestone floors are gorgeous and rife with the sort of small imperfections that Remy would see from his vantage point. Environments like the Parisian sewers and the country home, are massive.
The game play heavily emphasizes platform elements like jumping across gaps between stacked cardboard boxes, walking along wires and climbing on nets. Springs, sardine cans and makeshift catapaults launch Remy into the air as well. The cluttered environments are open to endless exploration.
A particularly fun action is Remy's sprint, where the camera repositions into a low rat's-eye-view and the edges of the screen blur. But the slightest bump in the terrain - such as a raised floor board or a stone block - can stop him in his tracks.
Remy can also use a sort of “scent vision” to guide him through the game's environments with the trail emanating from the odor of cheese, apple cores or other food items. When your eyes fail you, Remy's nose won't.
After the player is acquainted with the controls, Remy and his family are uprooted from their countryside home when the owner discovers their colony. Using “Anyone Can Cook” as a raft, he races down a stream into the city of Paris. After Gusteau appears to him, Remy begins infiltrating the restaurant to try his paw at preparing cuisine.
But a rat is hardly welcome in a kitchen. Remy must find a way to work his culinary magic - and the will of Gusteau - without anyone spotting his furry hide. He finds the perfect cover in Linguini, whose movements Remy controls by pulling the young chef's hair from inside his hat.
As Remy progresses as a puppeteer chef of sorts, the player unlocks minigames for up to four players once the three-hour main game has been completed. They are the after-dinner mints to the main course, which is a surprisingly decent if unspectacular meal.
Staff writer David Wilcox reviews video games for The Citizen. He can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
“Ratatouille”
Score: B
Parental rating: E for everyone
Developer: THQ
Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Macintosh, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Wii, PlayStation Portable, PC
Retail price: $39.99
Features: 1-4 players
Life span: Approximately 3 hours to complete
The final boss: “Ratatouille” serves up a slice of platforming fun in
delicious environments
That rodent is Remy, an aspiring chef asked by the ghost of his culinary hero, Auguste Gusteau, to restore the reputation of the fine French restaurant bearing his name because a lowly food critic knocked a star off its rating.
Remy's journey to the kitchen begins in a home outside Paris, where players are taken through the obligatory control outline by Remy's older brother, Emile.
The contrast between the siblings highlights how Remy strives for human sophistication. He walks on his hind paws. He devours every word from Gusteau's cookbook, “Anyone Can Cook.” Yet Remy has no reservations about whacking chicks in the henhouse with a wooden spoon. But hey, at least it's practice using a kitchen utensil.
Like all subsequent environments in the game, the game presents the country home in marvelous graphic detail. The grass and cobblestone floors are gorgeous and rife with the sort of small imperfections that Remy would see from his vantage point. Environments like the Parisian sewers and the country home, are massive.
The game play heavily emphasizes platform elements like jumping across gaps between stacked cardboard boxes, walking along wires and climbing on nets. Springs, sardine cans and makeshift catapaults launch Remy into the air as well. The cluttered environments are open to endless exploration.
A particularly fun action is Remy's sprint, where the camera repositions into a low rat's-eye-view and the edges of the screen blur. But the slightest bump in the terrain - such as a raised floor board or a stone block - can stop him in his tracks.
Remy can also use a sort of “scent vision” to guide him through the game's environments with the trail emanating from the odor of cheese, apple cores or other food items. When your eyes fail you, Remy's nose won't.
After the player is acquainted with the controls, Remy and his family are uprooted from their countryside home when the owner discovers their colony. Using “Anyone Can Cook” as a raft, he races down a stream into the city of Paris. After Gusteau appears to him, Remy begins infiltrating the restaurant to try his paw at preparing cuisine.
But a rat is hardly welcome in a kitchen. Remy must find a way to work his culinary magic - and the will of Gusteau - without anyone spotting his furry hide. He finds the perfect cover in Linguini, whose movements Remy controls by pulling the young chef's hair from inside his hat.
As Remy progresses as a puppeteer chef of sorts, the player unlocks minigames for up to four players once the three-hour main game has been completed. They are the after-dinner mints to the main course, which is a surprisingly decent if unspectacular meal.
Staff writer David Wilcox reviews video games for The Citizen. He can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
“Ratatouille”
Score: B
Parental rating: E for everyone
Developer: THQ
Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Macintosh, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Wii, PlayStation Portable, PC
Retail price: $39.99
Features: 1-4 players
Life span: Approximately 3 hours to complete
The final boss: “Ratatouille” serves up a slice of platforming fun in
delicious environments
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