First time developer Web Tribe can’t be blamed for trying to make the game as appealing as possible, and ‘old skool’ 2D platformers are seemingly a thing of the past. Hence the decision to transform the original 2D toons into shiny 3D equivalents must have seemed like a good one as it would mean the whole game was up to date. However, they seem to have sadly missed the point of Looney Tunes. Heck, even Michael Jordan was acting alongside a 2D Bugs, so if it’s good enough for His Airness then it’s surely good enough for the rest of us. Not to mention the fact that games like Metal Slug and Alien Hominid have shown that, if done right, a 2D game can still impress and entertain.
If only there was a clue about where I should be going.
The game’s plot is as non-sensical as you would come to expect from such source material and is played strictly for laughs. An evil scientist has decided to get rid of the current day characters by travelling back into the past and eradicating their ancestors, therefore it’s up to the current gang to chase after him and stop any damage being done. The story is told through a number of cut-scenes that try to keep things as light hearted as possible, though a lot of the gags are hit and miss. I think because we are so used to seeing the various characters attempting to upstage each other something seems to be missing when they are working together. The game is, broadly speaking, a platform beat ‘em-up, as you dispatch a variety of enemies with your fists (or numerous comedy firearms that can be found) while solving basic puzzles and leaping across the standard array of moving platforms.
The cunningly unsubtle title gives you a clue about how the game tries to stand out from the crowd by allowing access to a variety of fun weapons to aid your progress. From bog standard shotguns, to lasers and the ever useless mallet gun, there is a nice range of firepower on offer but they feel more like a gimmick than a necessity and most of them are grossly underpowered, with even generic enemies taking multiple hits to finish off. More powerful basic attacks can be acquired by collecting the green Illudium scattered throughout the levels and you can grab coins from destroyed enemies and crates that can be used to buy weapons at nearby vending machines. A nice feature is the fact that you can play co-op throughout the entire game via split-screen or online play, and it makes things a bit more interesting to play with a pal. Though sadly the novelty soon wears off and, other than a poor battle mode, there are no original perks for multiplayer play. To be honest the game is just as easy in single player and playing with someone else just means splitting the weapons and power-ups further.
Is that a gun or merely a collection of firewood?
The biggest bug bear here is the fact that the game is graphically appalling. Switching to 3D does the cast no favours and all of the characters look decidedly off, especially in the interim scenes when they are far too smooth and shiny for their own good and it instantly kills the charm and nostalgia. The malaise also spreads to the game design with each level being thrown together in a shambolic way with very little challenge on offer, not to mention the fact that you can pretty much run through most levels without doing much of anything. It doesn’t help that your character can often glitch into the scenery meaning you are unable to move so you’ll have to just restart or, if playing with a friend, wait for them to hit the next checkpoint. The checkpoint system also leaves something to be desired in co-op, as it will drag both of you to the same point as soon as one player triggers the next checkpoint, meaning you often miss out on collectibles and the like. While the game is easy you’ll often struggle due to camera angles rather than anything else as they have a habit to sit in the worst spots, and if you are in certain areas of a level then trying to move then just makes matters worse.
At least the vocal talent on offer sticks to what it knows, though they are struggling manfully against a fairly poor script. The obvious problem is that we are used to Looney Tunes in small five minute doses and trying to stretch that formula across hours of gameplay was always going to be a challenge. Still they managed it successfully to some extent in the big screen outings so it’s strange that they couldn’t have done a bit better here. The voices are exactly what you would expect and will force the odd chuckle past your lips, but you’ll feel guilty for laughing even then because most of the fare on offer is of such a low quality.
This cartoon violence just got REAL.
Most people would say it’s easy to dismiss a lot of the problems on show here due to the fact the game is aimed at children but that’s no excuse for lazy programming. The camera is a problem that a lot of kids won’t take the time to get to grips with because it’s that frustrating, and the graphical glitches are also less than acceptable. The levels are surprisingly short and linear, ideal for kids maybe but still not very taxing even then and you’ll rush through the game in a few hours with pretty much zero impetus to play it again. If it was truly a short easy game for kids then surely that should have meant a lower price? For a full price game this one is grossly overvalued and barely worth a rent.
The achievements on offer at least show some invention that is sadly lacking elsewhere. You can get points for completing the game but also for doing certain levels in a par time or with a co-op buddy. There are hidden trophies to grab, high combos to master and a few online chores to plough through too. Overall a nice mixed bag that will actually force you to play the game a bit longer than you might actually want to. Still nothing on offer is too arduous and the full 1000 should be attainable by most with the patience to persevere. On a side note the game has an annoying viral achievement that may be tricky to get because very few people play this game online. Also, be aware that the US and EU versions are not compatible with each other so no trading online achievements between continents. On the plus side that means a possible 2000 points available for true sadists who can stomach playing through twice.
The Looney Tunes cast are on hand to bring back many fond memories though the script does leave something to be desired in places. In-game noises are of the usual crash, bang, wallop variety and don’t really create much of an atmosphere.
I hate Looney Tunes in 3D, so need I say more? Glitchy and uninspired backgrounds plus generic level design don’t add up to much either.
Fun for a while but it soon wears out its welcome thanks to the fact pretty much every level plays identically and the puzzles and enemies lack variety. It tries to slot into a couple of genres and doesn’t really do well in either.
As a fan of the original cartoons this fails to impress me on every level, the graphics detract from the source material and the story seems remarkably forced. Only the voice work salvages a modicum of pride but even that can’t stave off the feeling of disappointment in an opportunity missed.
A pretty good list that covers single, co-op and online play while at the same time making everything seem tricky yet attainable. The only struggles may come with the combo and par time challenges, and finding someone with the viral achievement that has actually kept the game long enough to pass it on.
A poor realisation of the Looney Tunes universe that is only fit for a rent at best and, even then, only for points purposes. I wouldn’t even recommend this title for kids due to the various gameplay issues that would certainly spoil what fun they would otherwise have.
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