Disney's Stitch: Experiment 626
Stitch offers plenty of twitch, and surprise of surprises, it's got a bit of decent gameplay to go along with it. Get the full skinny inside.
Published: July 2, 2002
I don't imagine myself a brilliant business man or anything, but I'd like to think I could spot a bad business decision if it was obvious enough. Now I'm not calling the run of Disney licensed games that have been kicked out over the years a bad business idea per se, because even if the game looked and played like Pong, but was called, say, Disney's Atlantis, it would still sell plenty of copies on name alone. What I don't particularly understand is why Sony Computer Entertainment America insists on co-publishing these games with Disney Interactive, since they've largely been monumental piles of crap from a hardcore gamer's point of view. This is all the more stunning when you factor in the developers of these games, which are oddly enough not Disney Interactive. Tried and true developers like High Voltage Software, Eurocom and Traveler's Tales have mixed it up with relative unknowns like Kodiak Interactive and Blitz Games, but the results have been spotty at best.
The games usually garner decent enough scores because they're unabashedly aimed at youngsters, but when it comes down to it, most of these games wouldn't pass for something playable by the more avid gamers' standards. That trend looked to be continuing with the latest Disney Interactive development team-up when High Voltage Software signed and Blitz games was resigned to handle games for both the PS2 and PlayStation, respectively, based on the Lilo & Stitch movie. While the plain vanilla movie-based game has met with less than stellar reviews, it's the movie spin-off, Disney's Stitch: Experiment 626 that's such a surprisingly decent effort. You'll have to look past some bland graphics and respect the gameplay for its simplicity, but there's nothing here that couldn't be used to fill some time in between some high profile game releases. And yes, dare I say, even for the more hardcore gamer.
Like any of the Disney movie-based games, you're going to have to like the source material to like the game; it's just an undeniable fact since you'll be bombarded with imagery and characters from the films, and if you can't stomach them in regular doses, there's no way you'll make to through the games. That said, Stitch is an odd character. He's a genetic experiment (number 626 in a series of constantly revised and perfected experiments) created by a doctor that goes by the name of Jumba. Stitch's sole purpose is to exist as the perfect fighting machine; a being of destruction and chaos, and that's exactly what he is in the game. You shoot stuff. Lots of stuff. Lots of exploding stuff. Constantly. This is Experiment 626's core game experience, and as a gameplay device, it works, because there's lots of stuff to blow up; enemies, crystals, boxes, computers, monitors... The list goes on and on, but suffice it to say that if it's moving or not part of the level structure, it can be shot and blown up, oft times revealing something of worth.
There are plenty of objects to pick up, but only two are necessary for advancing the game and its sole goodie: clips of the movie. Jumba orders 626 to collect pieces of DNA, which will be used to further his slightly diabolical experiments (Jumba's role is something of a slightly interested parent and a mad scientist; not entirely evil, but not especially nurturing either). 50 strands are located throughout each of the game's 24 levels, which span 4 different worlds. Collecting enough DNA opens up the next world and a boss battle. However, the main reason why I kept playing (and likely anyone else), wasn't to run this incredibly simple fetch quest for DNA. No, it was for the movie clips, which are unlocked on the secrets menu. Movie reels are hidden all over the level, either by themselves or after a sequence whereby you chase a robot around the level, tagging it before it returns to its original position (it's far more addictive than it sounds, trust me). Collect movie reels to "buy" clips from the secrets menu and gaze in awe of Lilo & Stitch's stunning hand-drawn animation (as opposed to the glut of CG movies that have become the norm for children's movies). It's mainly a big advertisement for the movie, but it works, since Stitch is adorable and hilarious, and Lilo is just as quirky. I can't wait to see the movie now.
There's a little more to just shooting stuff, obviously, but the operative words are "a little." Two major devices are used the break up the near-constant shooting: a jet pack found towards the end of the game, and the ridiculously fun grapple gun, which shoots out a beam that will attach to certain objects and allow you to swing and grapple to the next object. The jet pack allows for quick flight around more hazardous environments, but the grapple gun is really what keeps the game enjoyable. It's used in just the right places to keep things from entering utter tedium, and some of the jumps at the end of the game that use the grapple are deceptively difficult. Nothing that a child well-versed in the platformer, the goodness that should be any kid's introductory videogame experience (parents, when you talk about hand-eye coordination, this is the kind of game that probably best works it, and gets you the most bang for your buck).
The biggest hurdle for getting into the game, however, will undoubtedly be the graphics. Experiment 626 looks and feels like a PlayStation game, just brought into high-res and with a few extra particle effects that wouldn't be possible on the past generation of systems. The lighting is usually rather uniform and neither dynamic nor reflective of what happens on-screen. The texture work is simplistic to the point of being largely bland, but it does get the job done, and at least points out obvious objects that you can climb on. Very rarely, you'll hit upon a framerate snag, but it's exceptionally rare and only needs mentioning because the game otherwise slips along at a steady framerate (and with the stuff that's being thrown on screen, it'd better be rock solid). The animation, while simplistic and not overly exaggerated, does a good job. It's no Jak & Daxter, but then it's not really trying to be either.
The level designs eliminate any chance of draw-in or popup, mainly because most of the areas you'll be exploring are closed off, whether is the narrow crawlspaces and compact shafts of a military base or the claustrophobic duct work of your own ship, things are kept rather enclosed. That's not to say it's entirely closed off. Some of the planets and levels on them are kept open, or at the very least feature high ceilings. I suppose the biggest problem lies in the camera, and how it reacts to you. The right analog stick will sweep the camera around according to where it is at the time, but it'll always spring right back, which makes hunting for out-of-the-way movie reels or DNA difficult. Since Stitch's controls aren't directly relative to the camera (pulling back towards it only rotates him about 75% of the way there), some jumps and just generally taking a look around can often be an unnecessary chore.
Having ties with a major movie studio should afford some envious advantages. It works well for LucasArts, who often shares resources with LucasFilm for the creation of great audio or more recently ILM for outstanding CG sequences. Disney Interactive doesn't quite have that level of connection, but they are able to secure voices and clips of the movies on occasion. For Experiment 626, which takes place before the events of Lilo & Stitch, the game's creators were able to record a decent amount of original dialogue that walks you through the game. David Ogden Stiers, who donates his voice talent to a number of games, is fantastic as Jumba, and while Chris Sanders' Stitch and 616 (626's slightly inferior and completely jealous older sibling) are just a mishmash of grumbles and grunts (which, by the way are near constant and start to get annoying almost immediately), they helps give the characters some life.
Explosions boom, the skitch-skitch-skitch of Stitch's feet when he's climbing on something is fun and the zippy laser sounds from the various guns in the game all do their part, but aren't especially interesting. Most of the non-vocal audio is competent, but that's about it. The music is lively, and actually features a slightly dynamic system for mixing in more spunky breaks when you enter a more combat heavy section of the level. It's nothing on par with, say, SSX Tricky, but it's noticeable and a welcome addition. The music itself has a very old-school feel to it, and drips of something Tommy Tallarico or even Mark Mothersbaugh would do for games; a synthy, poppy sequence of drum loops that lends a clanky, industrial feel to the game. It's good stuff, but rather basic.
Basic is the way and the walk with Stitch: Experiment 636. The game is never, ever horribly complex, and you have to understand that going into it. If you do, you'll find an oddly intriguing little chunk of code that, while rather on the short side (we finished it up in about two whole days' worth of play time), can still entertain, and if you're looking for further evidence that you need to go see Lilo & Stitch, you needn't look beyond this game.
The games usually garner decent enough scores because they're unabashedly aimed at youngsters, but when it comes down to it, most of these games wouldn't pass for something playable by the more avid gamers' standards. That trend looked to be continuing with the latest Disney Interactive development team-up when High Voltage Software signed and Blitz games was resigned to handle games for both the PS2 and PlayStation, respectively, based on the Lilo & Stitch movie. While the plain vanilla movie-based game has met with less than stellar reviews, it's the movie spin-off, Disney's Stitch: Experiment 626 that's such a surprisingly decent effort. You'll have to look past some bland graphics and respect the gameplay for its simplicity, but there's nothing here that couldn't be used to fill some time in between some high profile game releases. And yes, dare I say, even for the more hardcore gamer.
Like any of the Disney movie-based games, you're going to have to like the source material to like the game; it's just an undeniable fact since you'll be bombarded with imagery and characters from the films, and if you can't stomach them in regular doses, there's no way you'll make to through the games. That said, Stitch is an odd character. He's a genetic experiment (number 626 in a series of constantly revised and perfected experiments) created by a doctor that goes by the name of Jumba. Stitch's sole purpose is to exist as the perfect fighting machine; a being of destruction and chaos, and that's exactly what he is in the game. You shoot stuff. Lots of stuff. Lots of exploding stuff. Constantly. This is Experiment 626's core game experience, and as a gameplay device, it works, because there's lots of stuff to blow up; enemies, crystals, boxes, computers, monitors... The list goes on and on, but suffice it to say that if it's moving or not part of the level structure, it can be shot and blown up, oft times revealing something of worth.
There are plenty of objects to pick up, but only two are necessary for advancing the game and its sole goodie: clips of the movie. Jumba orders 626 to collect pieces of DNA, which will be used to further his slightly diabolical experiments (Jumba's role is something of a slightly interested parent and a mad scientist; not entirely evil, but not especially nurturing either). 50 strands are located throughout each of the game's 24 levels, which span 4 different worlds. Collecting enough DNA opens up the next world and a boss battle. However, the main reason why I kept playing (and likely anyone else), wasn't to run this incredibly simple fetch quest for DNA. No, it was for the movie clips, which are unlocked on the secrets menu. Movie reels are hidden all over the level, either by themselves or after a sequence whereby you chase a robot around the level, tagging it before it returns to its original position (it's far more addictive than it sounds, trust me). Collect movie reels to "buy" clips from the secrets menu and gaze in awe of Lilo & Stitch's stunning hand-drawn animation (as opposed to the glut of CG movies that have become the norm for children's movies). It's mainly a big advertisement for the movie, but it works, since Stitch is adorable and hilarious, and Lilo is just as quirky. I can't wait to see the movie now.
There's a little more to just shooting stuff, obviously, but the operative words are "a little." Two major devices are used the break up the near-constant shooting: a jet pack found towards the end of the game, and the ridiculously fun grapple gun, which shoots out a beam that will attach to certain objects and allow you to swing and grapple to the next object. The jet pack allows for quick flight around more hazardous environments, but the grapple gun is really what keeps the game enjoyable. It's used in just the right places to keep things from entering utter tedium, and some of the jumps at the end of the game that use the grapple are deceptively difficult. Nothing that a child well-versed in the platformer, the goodness that should be any kid's introductory videogame experience (parents, when you talk about hand-eye coordination, this is the kind of game that probably best works it, and gets you the most bang for your buck).
The biggest hurdle for getting into the game, however, will undoubtedly be the graphics. Experiment 626 looks and feels like a PlayStation game, just brought into high-res and with a few extra particle effects that wouldn't be possible on the past generation of systems. The lighting is usually rather uniform and neither dynamic nor reflective of what happens on-screen. The texture work is simplistic to the point of being largely bland, but it does get the job done, and at least points out obvious objects that you can climb on. Very rarely, you'll hit upon a framerate snag, but it's exceptionally rare and only needs mentioning because the game otherwise slips along at a steady framerate (and with the stuff that's being thrown on screen, it'd better be rock solid). The animation, while simplistic and not overly exaggerated, does a good job. It's no Jak & Daxter, but then it's not really trying to be either.
The level designs eliminate any chance of draw-in or popup, mainly because most of the areas you'll be exploring are closed off, whether is the narrow crawlspaces and compact shafts of a military base or the claustrophobic duct work of your own ship, things are kept rather enclosed. That's not to say it's entirely closed off. Some of the planets and levels on them are kept open, or at the very least feature high ceilings. I suppose the biggest problem lies in the camera, and how it reacts to you. The right analog stick will sweep the camera around according to where it is at the time, but it'll always spring right back, which makes hunting for out-of-the-way movie reels or DNA difficult. Since Stitch's controls aren't directly relative to the camera (pulling back towards it only rotates him about 75% of the way there), some jumps and just generally taking a look around can often be an unnecessary chore.
Having ties with a major movie studio should afford some envious advantages. It works well for LucasArts, who often shares resources with LucasFilm for the creation of great audio or more recently ILM for outstanding CG sequences. Disney Interactive doesn't quite have that level of connection, but they are able to secure voices and clips of the movies on occasion. For Experiment 626, which takes place before the events of Lilo & Stitch, the game's creators were able to record a decent amount of original dialogue that walks you through the game. David Ogden Stiers, who donates his voice talent to a number of games, is fantastic as Jumba, and while Chris Sanders' Stitch and 616 (626's slightly inferior and completely jealous older sibling) are just a mishmash of grumbles and grunts (which, by the way are near constant and start to get annoying almost immediately), they helps give the characters some life.
Explosions boom, the skitch-skitch-skitch of Stitch's feet when he's climbing on something is fun and the zippy laser sounds from the various guns in the game all do their part, but aren't especially interesting. Most of the non-vocal audio is competent, but that's about it. The music is lively, and actually features a slightly dynamic system for mixing in more spunky breaks when you enter a more combat heavy section of the level. It's nothing on par with, say, SSX Tricky, but it's noticeable and a welcome addition. The music itself has a very old-school feel to it, and drips of something Tommy Tallarico or even Mark Mothersbaugh would do for games; a synthy, poppy sequence of drum loops that lends a clanky, industrial feel to the game. It's good stuff, but rather basic.
Basic is the way and the walk with Stitch: Experiment 636. The game is never, ever horribly complex, and you have to understand that going into it. If you do, you'll find an oddly intriguing little chunk of code that, while rather on the short side (we finished it up in about two whole days' worth of play time), can still entertain, and if you're looking for further evidence that you need to go see Lilo & Stitch, you needn't look beyond this game.
