Epic Mickey
SCORE: 94
If you are going to put the word epic in the title of a video game,
it better be something special. Thankfully for Disney Interactive
Studios Epic Mickey is something special. This Wii game takes us on a
trip of monumental proportions. Epic Mickey contains a wide range of
emotions as well as historical context. It is great to see so many
forgotten characters in one video game.
Two major skills in Epic Mickey distinguish this game from so many other
action adventure platformers. Those are the ability to paint and use
paint thinner. One giveth, and the other taketh away. Due to these two
skills I found myself thinking about how to solve puzzles in a
completely different fashion. I love it when a game makes me adjust my
outlook in solving a problem.
Many of the levels start out with a darker more depressed tone. I do not
mean there is a darkness, but there are more shadows. Players get to
bring light thanks to color. Also things like the thinner offset this
quite well. I noticed when I would go back to a level after solving
problems that it would be much brighter. Mean Street is a fine example
of this. Players also choose how they want to deal with enemies. They
can be thinned away, or painted. When they are painted they become your
friend. Allowing players to bypass destroying the enemies is a fantastic
feature.
If you are a Disney fan in any way shape or form you will recognize most
of the music in Epic Mickey. I am very impressed with how many different
tunes are present in this Wii game. The storyline illicit various
emotions like regret, anger, resentment, and having a place to belong. I
would have not thought that were possible in a video game, but Epic
Mickey is evidence that is can be done. The special effect sounds fit
the theme of this game nicely.
Thin out a wall to find a hidden item. Collect numerous pieces of art,
videos, and more in Epic Mickey. The level of unlockable content in Epic
Mickey is amazing. It takes the most dedicated hard core gamer to
acquire all of it. The amount of quests in Epic Mickey is astounding.
Not all have to be completed though, and this affects the characters in
the world. Players can take shortcuts in how they solve certain puzzles
as well.
The more you use a certain skill the more it will level up. I learned
this in Epic Mickey very quickly. I relied on the thinner at the
beginning a bit much. My reward was a larger bar for the paint thinner.
I then shifted my play style to use more of the paint. I am sure you can
figure out my reward after that. The paint and the thinner really open
up this game in ways I could barely imagine. Well that was before I
really dug into Epic Mickey. Now that I have played it, I marvel at the
amazing concept.
I figured out pretty quickly that Mickey was to blame for the problem in
this world. It is awesome that he has to clean up his own mess. I also
like how forgotten characters are given new life thanks to Epic Mickey.
I had a lot of fun playing this Wii game. I hope to see sequels to this
franchise in the near future. Although it will have to be something
extra special to be a sequel.
Epic Mickey is almost like a museum to Disney's past. I saw things in
this game I had not seen in decades. Cartridges to old games lying
around, a lunch box, flyers, old movies, toys, wild colors, and more.
Epic Mickey is one of the most impressive games I have played all year
long. Epic Mickey gets in your head, and stays there. I have not been
impacted by a video game this much in a very long time.
Family Friendly Gaming was given a reviewable copy of Epic Mickey for
this review.
- Paul
Graphics: 87%
Sound: 93%
Replay/Extras: 99%
Gameplay: 100%
Family Friendly Factor: 90%
System: Wii
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
Rating: 'E' for Everyone
{Cartoon Violence}
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