 Review By: Andrew Joy |
Developer: | Blitz Games |
| Publisher: | King Games | |
| Genre: | Action | |
| ESRB: | Everyone | |
| # Of Players: | 1-4 | |
| Online Play: | Yes | |
| Accessories: | Available only at Burger King 11/19/06 - 12/24/06, Xbox 360 & Xbox versions on same disc, Xbox Live (online play) |
While all of those modes are fairly enjoyable to some extent, the entire package is hindered by what I see as three main faults with the game: the camera is annoying, the game controls awkwardly, and the matches are way too short. We’ll tackle those in that order, mostly as they lead into one another. So, first off, the camera is set at a sort of pseudo-fixed, overhead position. I say "pseudo-fixed" because it tends to sway ever so slightly and, when your bumper car gets too far away from another car, the camera likes to suddenly pullout so far that you might as well be watching the match from the international space station. Of course, because the camera is locked, it throws off the controls for the game. Normally, in (what can best be described as) a racing game (or most any other genre, for that matter), the camera follows the player, letting them control freely and more naturally. In Big Bumpin’, however, up isn’t necessarily forward, and the player needs to push the analog in the direction they want to go, similar to old arcade games like, say, Frogger. Switching to the D-pad might make it seem more natural, unfortunately, I found that control option to be largely unresponsive. There is no gas button either, so pushing where you want to go moves you in that direction, while the A button activates a boost, and B taunts your opponents. But, perhaps the bigger problem is that, even before you get a chance to master the controls, the matches have usually ended. For an unskilled driver, it won’t take long before your character gets knocked off the edge, a bomb goes off, a point score is met or whatever else signifies the all to abrupt end to a match. And, in the beginning, I think we will all be a bit unskilled, but such is the joy of playing a new game, I suppose.
When I first put in this game, I got quite a shock. Not I-just-opened-my chili and-found-a-human-appendage kind of shock, but the good kind...just not I-just-tore-off-the-tickets on-my-cup and-I-won-a-million-dollars kind either (sorry, fast food references just seemed apropos). When you start the game, you are treated to a decidedly bland, if not amusing, main menu featuring the strangely unnerving, Cheshire-like grin of The King. It just seems rather low budget, seemingly put together with the effort of a straight-to-video DVD release, but all that changes once you get into an actual game. While I’m not going to go and compare a game like this to Gears of War and, proportionately, I know there is a difference, the graphics in Big Bumpin’ are surprisingly good. While it is true that each game is limited to a rather small course, the courses themselves have some very neat designs, are cluttered with slick lighting effects, and, in my opinion, look decidedly next-gen, sort of like the Need for Speed of carnival attractions. And, though I’d expect nothing less from the create-a-character portion, most of the licensed character models – which include characters like The King, Subservient Chicken, Whopper Jr., and, of course, Brooke Burke - are unfortunately something of a let down, so much so that it would almost be to the point of annoyance...were it not for the fact that you can hardly see any detail most of the time thanks to the camera I mentioned earlier. The music, on the other hand, won’t exactly impress, but it won’t annoy you either, and the sound effects are decent.
Now, as I’ve said, I was more impressed with Big Bumpin’ than I expected to be, and there’s more to that than just the graphics. Really, more than anything, this game deserves its score for its multiplayer – this is where the team really went the extra mile! Since the matches are as a short as they are, chances are, you’ll likely get more annoyed with them playing alone, so the replay value of Big Bumpin’ is carried with the multiplayer, both online and off, which is actually a lot more impressive than quite a few of the games out there I end up playing. Offline, you can play a multiplayer match with up to four players (with any spot not taken filled out by bots), and the same goes for online as well. Seeing a game of this sort, cheap and undoubtedly lacking a blockbuster-budget, take advantage of Xbox Live is more a surprise than anything else, especially since it is fully loaded, and the support has continued even after the games’ initial release: now, Xbox Live members can download a pack of Burger King-inspired Gamertag icons for free (as, in all honesty, they should be anyways...for any game!). While you may be basically providing free advertising, it is no different than any other icons, but it is just the icing on an already delicious cake - one that includes leaderboards, voice chat, and a full list of Achievements. It may not sound like much, specifically when held up against your more famous games, but considering the price, at the very least it is like paying five bucks for some (mostly) easy Achievement Points, which is actually better than the going rate.
Bottom Line:
Often times, the biggest disappointment when buying a video game is finding that you didn’t get what you paid for. For the average gamer, tossing around fifty, sixty, or even seventy dollars for an unsatisfying experience can get a little, well, uh, unsatisfying. However, there are times when a unique opportunity such as this comes along, but, while you might want to jump for the budget priced game (and, in this case, it goes well beyond that simple description), you have to wonder if you are going to get what you pay for. And, in truth, you do indeed with Big Bumpin’, but thankfully it is worth every penny. Playable on both the original Xbox and Xbox 360, this game is quite literally cheap thrills, but it does have decent visuals and a robust online multiplayer. And, while I’m not sure that makes up for some of its more sour points, the price certainly does.
| Pros: | Cons: | Final Score: |
|---|---|---|
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| 7.0 |
Posted: 2006-12-13 20:43:05 PST