EAT MY EXHAUST!!!

Author's Rating:

Pros: True to the TV series, smooth graphics and hilarious sound bites.

Cons: Can get a little repetitive

The Bottom Line: 
I recommend this game for fans of The Simpsons TV program as well as those who want a driving game with a difference.

Author's Review
I think it is fair to say that previous computer and console games carrying the Simpsons name have been something of a let down. The Simpsons Wrestling was little more than tedious rounds of punching, kicking and hoping, while The Simpsons Road Rage was a display of inept graphics and gameplay at there very worst. No doubt like many others I held my breath when I heard that a new game in The Simpsons stable was coming out called The Simpsons Hit & Run. But what was I worrying about? At last the people who licence The Simpsons brand name had got it right and finally put the name to a decent, funny and playable game. A game of such immense enjoyment it will surely go down as one of the classic console games of recent years.

♦So what is the game all about then?♦

Well, in its crudest form it is a sort of Grand Theft Auto for cartoon fans. Taking turns as Homer, Bart, Lisa, Marge and Apu it is the players quest to work out the riddle of the black vans, dark sedans and spy cameras that have started popping up throughout Springfield. Is it all linked to the new cola drink on the block, the imaginatively named “Buzz Cola”? Something is afoot that’s for sure and through a clever succession of car chases and tasks in which you help the other members of Springfield in return for clues or the use of their cars the mystery is slowly revealed. Along the way you must avoid too many hit and run accidents on the poor innocents that happen across your path as you drive like a maniac, and should you hit too many of these people Chief Wiggum will be sure to chase you and try to fine you for your misdemeanours. Throughout the game there are also Collectors cards to find that unlock a bonus race on each level, as well as money which is needed to buy vehicles or clothing which is sometimes required for specific tasks.

♦Homer – Level 1♦

The player starts off as Homer on the first level which is a mix of tutorials and fairly simple tasks to let the player get a feel for the game and the controls needed to play it. In this level Homer has to drive to the kwik-E-Mart to collect ice cream and Cola as well as race Principle Skinner to Springfield elementary to give Lisa her forgotten science project. After that a quick mission to find Ned Flanders “borrowed” household items is followed by a race in which Homer must destroy Mr Smither’s car before he can reach the power plant and carry out Homers evaluation. Once done Homer has little time to rest on his laurels as he must destroy the spy cameras at the power plant to stop them spying on him and then follow the suspicious black vans that are driving around Springfield to see where they are coming from. Finally a destructive mission to get rid of all the copies of a new video game called Bonestorm 2 needs to be carried out by ramming the delivery van and collecting the copies that fall off the back, and then a race with Mr Smithers yet again as you try to reach Mr Burns to confront him about the spy cameras. Most of these tasks and races must be carried out against the clock with failure to complete them resulting in the option to try again or move on. Providing all of these tasks are completed successfully and the collectors’ cards are located then a bonus game in which you must help Cletus the slack jawed yokel harvest his tomato crop is unlocked. There are also four races that can be entered at the players’ discretion – three of the races are for a piece of equipment called the electaurus while the fourth is for a financial prize, but it does cost to enter so be sure you have half a chance of winning or it is money down the drain. Once all of these tasks are completed the player progresses to level two, where the guise of Bart is taken.

♦Bart – Level 2♦

Of course this being level two the game moves up a gear in the complexity stakes. Being the rascal he is Bart must avoid Principle Skinner at all costs in a road race. Providing this is done successfully Bart must then drive around Springfield talking to various people and collecting illegal fireworks before taking the comic book guy to the Java centre to complain before another nerd can do it first. A quick race with the master criminal that is Snake is followed by and interesting drive in which you must collect road-kill for the Krusty burger franchise before Apu gets his hands on it. No time to rest and admire your handiwork however as you must help Dr Nick round up his monkeys and then crash into and destroy any cars that are using cell phones so that Professor Frinks Truckosaurus can work unhindered. The bonus mission on this level is to get some blood for Grandpa Simpson as he has given his away, should you complete it the reward is the use of Grandpa Simpsons World War II jeep. Again there are four street races as well in which you can win money or a sedan if completed successfully.

♦Lisa – Level 3♦

At the end of level two Bart is mysteriously abducted by forces unknown, and it falls to Lisa to try and find her brother. A nerd race to get an Itchy & Scratchy comic is quickly followed by a series of discussions and missions featuring Barts` best friend – Milhouse. Some more road-kill collecting is followed by the acquisition of the school bus to ram three dark mysterious looking sedans, the drivers of which just might know where Bart is. Some stealthy criminal chasing on behalf of the inept Chief Wiggum is followed by the surreal task of collecting fish that are positioned around the nearby streets. Finally, with all these tasks completed the sea captain tells you that he saw Bart in a black stretch limousine which is just speeding away from the harbour. Chasing and crashing into the limo repeatedly until it is rendered useless concludes the level and releases Bart form his captors. This levels bonus mission involves helping Principle Skinner run errands in return for a sedan while the four races reward the winning participant with a book burning van or some money.

♦Marge – Level 4♦

Onto level four and the game is getting very hard by now; Firstly Marge must get some doughnuts for Chief Wiggum before chasing and talking to Cletus the slack jawed yokel. Before he helps you Cletus asks you to help him pick up sachets of tomato ketchup scattered around the neighbourhood, once done he tells you to talk to grandpa who needs his medication rescued from those damn thieving wolves! Sensing that she must take the law into her own hands Marge dons her police officer outfit and runs around collecting coke tins against the clock. Sadly for Marge and the inhabitants of Springfield there are plenty more shipments of Buzz cola on route so with the use of the Canyonaro four wheel drive vehicle three cola delivery trucks in different parts of the town must be rammed and destroyed. Providing you can complete all these tasks and collect the relevant collectors card the bonus game involves getting back the comic store guys love gifts that are being intercepted by Principle Skinner. Also dotted about the streets are the four races (usually accessed by talking to a character with a chequered flag above his/her head) in which money and a clown car are the prizes.

♦Apu – Level 5♦

Level five sees matters take a turn for the weird as you leave the immediate members of the Simpsons` to take a turn as Apu. Apu needs to pick up stray cola crates that fall from the delivery truck, a difficult task made all the worse by the fact that the threat of being turned into a sea cucumber hangs on the success or failure of the mission. After a race to pick up his octuplets another task sees our intrepid Hindu hero trying to knock diapers from another truck. After some doughnut collecting and helping Snake pick up litter as part of his community work Apu has to rob a security van with the criminal and then go to the museum to find important info on the Cola business. The bonus mission in level five involves tracking down and destroying Professor Frink`s hover machine with the reward of your very own hover car to do with as you wish. Four more street races offer yet more cash or another car.

♦Levels 6 & 7♦

Levels 6 & 7 are incredibly hard and see the player again taking on the roles of first Bart and then Homer. More time trials and tasks need to be completed for progression in the game with escapades such as picking up and delivering school children safely in the school bus, ramming and destroying Duff beer delivery vans and tracking down nuclear waste to dispose of aliens! Bonus games give the use of Mr Burns Limo and a race car if successfully completed.

♦Vehicles♦

As The Simpsons` Hit & Run is a car based game it is little surprise that the various vehicles take a key role in all of the levels. In all there are forty-two vehicles to buy, win or simply borrow and they should be chosen carefully. On some tasks the player has to buy a certain type of vehicle in order to complete the task successfully. Also if the player wants to enter a race it is advisable to borrow a fast car that stands half a chance of winning – when was the last time you saw a tractor like grounds keeper willies or a school bus borrowed from Otto win a speed trial? Each character in their level also has specific vehicles pertinent to them; Marge gets to cruise the streets in her Canyonero while Lisa can shoot from task to task in her nippy Malibu Stacey sports car. As in real life these vehicles are not indestructible, repeated ramming or crashing into other road users or buildings will damage the vehicle until eventually it will blow up having thrown the character clear. A damaged but still functioning vehicle can be repaired by driving into the rotating spanners that are dotted hither and dither while a blown up vehicle can be fixed by going to a phone box and paying for a fix up.

♦Making Money♦

Of course all these vehicles cost money to buy or repair which is where the money comes into play. There are numerous coins rotating on the streets and buildings and it is a simple matter of driving through them or walking up to them to claim them as your own. Additional money can be made in races although it also costs to enter them so be sure you have a realistic chance of winning. It is also possible to collect money simply by driving into inanimate objects and destroying them – phone boxes, vending machines, traffic signs and lampposts are just four of the items that can be hit for financial gain, just be careful not to damage your vehicle too much with an overindulgence in fiscal vandalism. Finally, too much running over and maiming of the innocent residents of Springfield will result in your hit and run meter reaching red – when this happens the police will chase you with a view to fining you for your careless driving, so drive carefully - or fast, either will do.

♦Graphics♦

Graphics wise this game really shines, with nice crisp colours and edges complimenting each other perfectly. It is a little strange to see the people and places of Springfield depicted in 3D rather than the flat 2D of the TV show but once you get used to it it offers an amazing look and feel. When racing at high speed the scenery and buildings scroll faultlessly and the constantly moving sun provides shade in all of the places it should. The vehicles are detailed enough without being overdone and obstacles remain solid if they have to be. One slight niggle would be that the game is dark in colour as a whole but not to such an extent as to detract from the overall enjoyment. All in all the graphics depict the cartoon ancestry of the game to perfection.

♦Sound♦

Again this is an area where the game really comes to life with the actors that voice the characters on TV also providing the voices for the game. Some of the sayings that erupt in the heat of a chase are priceless with my favourites coming from Bart - “Ow, my ovaries” and Homer - “I’m a lean, mean, speed thingy”. Music is fast paced and jaunty during a race / task and more sedate during spells of calm. The vehicle engines sound as they should and the wheels screech when corning too excitedly. Pedestrians can be heard moaning and shouting as they go beneath your wheels while driving into a lamp post or traffic sign sounds as it should.

♦Gameplay & Longevity♦

The game is immensely playable with fun on so many levels. If you enjoy racing games this has all that you could want with a multitude of vehicles and a plethora of streets to practice your art. The game also has a touch of “The Sims” about it as you carry out tasks for the betterment of the Simpson family. For those who like a more sedate game you can simply cruise the streets of Springfield either by car or on foot and familiarise yourself with the surroundings at your leisure. Money is scattered all about the game to be collected while the infamous Bee cameras are always looking to sting and take back some cash. The gags are plentiful and delivered with trade mark Simpson’s aplomb while the many hidden collectors cards and races will keep the player busy for many hours. The controls are simplicity itself with the left control stick used for direction and the four  O X ^ buttons used to walk/accelerate, jump/brake, get into and out of a vehicle and kick/pull the handbrake depending on whether you are on foot or on a vehicle. The levels get harder as they progress with me personally struggling on level four at the time of writing.

♦Is the game child friendly?♦

Those nice people at www.pegi.info have categorised The Simpsons Hit & Run as suitable for those aged 7+ with the warning that it does contain some violence and I think that is just about right. It does contain cartoon style violence and the idea of the game is sometimes to run people off the road and to pick up cash for hitting objects in your vehicle but there is no gratuitous blood letting or bad language involved. Of course those that have bought the game for a child should sit with them when they first play the game just to ensure they are happy with the content and theme therein.

♦Conclusion♦

A cracking game that will give many hours of entertainment for young and old alike. The idea is hardly new with games like Grand theft Auto and Midtown Madness similar is style but this version is very much seen and written with a sense of humour. The game is crisp, fresh and a good introduction to the world of gaming for those who are still thinking of buying a console. It can very occasionally seem repetitive but the diversity of the vehicles, characters and gags mean there is always something new to experience. The Simpsons Hit & Run has recently been released as part of the budget Platinum collection which means you can pick up a copy for $19.99 on Amazon.com or £11.97 on Amazon.co.uk – a good price I’m sure you will agree! Four stars out of five then from me with the recommendation that if you like the Simpsons on TV you will love The Simpsons on the PS2.