WALL-E

Author: Andy Fair
Published: 27th July 2008
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Gameplay

In general, the game follows the storyline of the film. You start of playing WALL-E as he trundles around gathering rubbish, packing it into cubes and throwing it at targets to progress through the levels. There are no enemies to shoot, so it really is just a case of overcoming obstacles to navigate through the scenery. Pleasant and simple, like WALL-E himself.

There are four different types of rubbish to collect: standard cubes can be created out of any piles of rubbish that are just sitting round, but are only good enough for throwing at switches. The three remaining rubbish types require the use of dispensers, most of which need repairing with a fuse before you can use them.

Heavy rubbish is used to trip heavier switches or knock over large objects; charge cubes can be used to activate machines and lifts, and explode when you throw them; and magnetic cubes can be used to attract or repel certain items in the game.

WALL-E WALL-E - Conclusions

The problem is that the cube system isn't really used to any great effect. There are no logical puzzles in the game that require you to retrace your steps to find the right cube dispenser – the right dispenser is always located near to the puzzle where you need to use it. WALL-E also throws the cubes with pinpoint accuracy each time, so there's no skill involved in hitting targets.

Control of WALL-E is awkward at best, and is hampered by a camera system that always seems to choose the worst angle to show you an obstacle. More often than is acceptable you'll find yourself tumbling over edges or slipping uncontrolled down slopes because you can't see what's on the other side of an obstacle. Momentum after jumping also seems overdone, and you'll frequently end up jumping onto a platform and straight off the other side unless you're careful.

Later missions introduce Eve into the equation, with her ability to fly and shoot things adding another dimension to the game. However, control of Eve isn't much better than WALL-E's, and you'll find yourself frequently bumping into walls rather than flying over them.

Unfortunately, once you've been introduced to the main aspects of gameplay involving WALL-E and Eve, there's very little that's new in the later levels. It all becomes quickly repetitive and neither WALL-E's rubbish-gathering skills nor Eve's flying skills are stretched beyond the mediocre and drab.

WALL-E WALL-E - Conclusions

Conclusion

The reason that Pixar films are so successful is that operate on two levels: there's the twee story and characters that appeal to children, and then there's the clever dialogue and dirty in-jokes for the adults. Pixar have a virtually unmatched talent to weave both these aspects together in a film in such a way that both children and adults alike can rave about it.WALL-E WALL-E - Conclusions

Sadly, this is not the case for the game version of WALL-E. This is firmly targeted at children, and there's very little here that will keep an adult amused for the full seven or eight hours of trash-compacting gameplay.

What's worse, there isn't really much that will keep children occupied for long, either. Awkward controls, simplistic puzzles and repetitive levels will put kids off just as much as adults.

In a way, it's disappointing because as the best computer animation company around, you'd expect Pixar to understand how best to convert a successful film into a successful game. Maybe if Pixar wrote games as well as it made films, we'd be reviewing the best ever film-to-game conversion. Unfortunately, since the game is made by a licensee, it falls far short of what could have been achieved.

Still, there's always the next Pixar film. We'll just have to cross our fingers and hope like doe-eyed irrepressible and strangely anthropomorphic androids.

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