The Simpsons: Hit & Run Platinum (PS2)

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Up to now The Simpsons games have been nothing if not consistent: they've all been completely rubbish. However, The Simpsons: Hit & Run thankfully breaks this 100 per cent record, and although it's hardly a classic in its own right it's just the thing for fans who want to worship their favourite characters through the medium of the joypad.

Like many of the more recent Simpsons games Hit & Run is primarily a racing game--a racing game that's very obviously using Grand Theft Auto as its primary inspiration. There's less swearing and gore but just as much running people over and driving lots of different vehicles. You can't steal them off the street, admittedly, and the missions are presented in a much more linear fashion, but otherwise this is GTA: Springfield through and through.

Somewhat embarrassingly for GTA, the on-the-foot sections are actually handled rather better than Rockstar's game, with a fairly non-rubbish camera and a decent control system that actually makes the occasional platform sections rather fun.

Most of the game is about driving, though, whether it be racing Principle Skinner to school in order to give Lisa her homework or helping Bart buy some illegal fireworks from around town. It's only when controlling underage characters such as Bart that the game's concept really starts to seem peculiar (he only drives unmotorised vehicles) but otherwise the addition of all the proper voice actors from the TV show make this the first Simpsons game ever that is in any way worthy of a purchase. --David Jenkins

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2009-01-06 rating:
It's a bargain now
Bought this as a Christmas stocking-filler for my daughter, who's eight years old, and it's proved a success as well as a bargain - the price is so low now you don't really need to think about it. All the voices are genuine (as far as I know!) and although I've barely touched it myself I can recommend it on the grounds that it has been used every single day for two weeks now, which is always the sign of a good choice. I know from past experience when it comes to buying PS2 games that the measure of its worth is how often it gets used. This one has been a hit, and if you like the Simpsons then you'll probably like the game too.

Incidentally, if you're wondering what the difference is between the normal version and this 'Platinum' version - there isn't any. Just the packaging, really. It's called Platinum to indicate how successful it has been as far as sales are concerned, a bit like a CD album when it 'goes platinum'. The game itself is exactly the same, platinum or otherwise.

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review by: date: 2007-11-22 rating:
ROAD RAGE MAYHAM!
It's really good to be fair. To start the UP parts, 1.The game has alot of free time to do what you want on it. 2.It has alot of the simpsons jokes in it. 3.You can explore Springfield. 4.You are rewarded for destroying things with money. 5.Money can be spent on clothes and cars!!!
6.3 crazy worlds to explore:Springfield,squidport and uptown and downtown Springfield. 7.And MUCH MUCH MORE!!!
I make it sound good but one down part. again like the simpsons game some kids may get stuk not for begginers (good for over 9 children.)

STORY
a strange new cola is on sale in springfield which makes people go crazy.
But the cola is made by no other than Kang and Kodos. They made this cola to make people go crazy so that kang and kodos can use it on there new program which shows stupid humans that alieans will want to see. But when the cola gets into the water suplie it wakes the dead! can Homer save the town?
so the game is fun overall so bye it DONT rent it!!!

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review by: Parsley date: 2007-09-29 rating:
Fantastic
The only Simpsons game I have really like I have got to say!
Drive around 7 different worlds - all incredibly detailed,
Never do the same mission twice as you search to find the meaning of the new Buzz Cola,
Play as Bart, Lisa, Homer, Marge and Apu,
Change all the characters clothes with coins that may be found all over the town,
Also change your cars - these include Ferraris, Bikes and more...
Enter the Simpsons world!
I love this game and recommend it to anyone.
Strictly 7+
Can't wait for the Simpsons MOVIE GAME to come out!!

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review by: DJ $aM date: 2007-07-09 rating:
I just cant say no to the simpsons
I would have expected better from the simpsons. it tries to copy GTA but it comes off worse. The cars have unrealistic handling. Whenever you look behind your car, another car appears right in front of you that wasnt there before, which is frustrating. the characters look detailed and the graphics are cool. i dont know why they included a multiplayer. the multiplayer just seems like a rushed aspect of the game.

i dont like the game, i havent given it a 1 star because it is simpsons, they deserve some credit. i guess you should buy this game cheaply or borrow it from a friend.


review by: Ed Clarke date: 2007-05-21 rating:
From a Simpsons fanatic...excellent game
I don't like to blow my own trumpet, but I know pretty much everything about the Simpsons. I've probably seen every episode there is to see. And I tell you what - the producers of this game have done a heck of a lot of research.

Every single episode you can think of, there is some relation to it in the game. Whether it be the solid gold house, the broken down monorail, Herman's Military Antique Shop...it's all there. This makes the game incredible in itself. As a hardcore Simpsons fan, I found most enjoyable about this game exploring each level, admiring the sheer detail of Springfield. The levels are designed so intelligently.

Often when I watched the Simpsons, sad as it may be, I imagined how fantastic it would be to live there. To drive the streets, explore the town and to meet the hundreds of different people. Well, when I got this game, it wasn't a matter of imagination - it was reality. First hand experience of wonderful Springfield.

Onto the missions. These let the game down, unfortunately. They are SO REPETITIVE! There is literally about 5 different types of mission, and there are 50 main missions on the game. And the missions are rarely explained well. For example, most of the time (particularly towards the later levels), there is a time limit for each level. Why? Don't ask me - they don't tell you. They just shove on a time limit for the hell of it. And it always involves chasing some other car, or collecting something falling out of the back of a car. It gets so tedious. Furthermore, the difficulty level is pretty awful. Considering young(ish) kids will be playing this game, it is a disgrace how hard some of the missions are. They require near, if not total, perfection. One mistake, and you may as well end the mission. What makes it worse is that on every mission, cars on the road randomly drive into you, so you run out of time, or lose the vehicle you are chasing. There is no explanation of this either. And it happens ALL THE TIME! Equally as bad is the fact that some missions are really long, and contain many different sub-tasks. If you fail one sub-task, the whole mission is over, so you have to go back to the start. So that wastes 10 minutes of your time, then you fail again and have to start over. So prepare to break a few controllers - because this is the most frustrating game I have ever played.

However, the best thing about missions on this game is the ability to SKIP. I am surprised GTA haven't come up with this option yet. If you are struggling with a mission (i.e. fail it 5 times), you get the option to skip the mission the next time you fail it. So you can move on with the story. So much better than GTA, where if you can't do a mission, you can't progress. What a great feature the SKIP option is.

Another great thing about this game is the character voice acting. All the originals are there, and there are loads of different characters all over Springfield. Think of one? They're in the game, no doubt.
One of the most impressive things with the game is the interactivity. There are loads of objects that you can use the action button with, which provokes some sort of response from that item. It is very detailed in this aspect.
The cars - well they're alright. Very generic, some of them, but there are some really good inclusions too, from a variety of episodes. Like the Homer Car (the one he builds in the episode with his brother). That has got a terrific hooter, which made me laugh a lot the first time I heard it. The way the characters walk is funny too. Homer walking in an unlockable muumuu outfit - priceless comedy. The character likeness to the original show is second to none.

So to summarise, The Simpsons Hit and Run is the perfect video-game for diehard Simpsons fans. It may be insanely frustrating, but the detail, interactivity and hilarity of this game makes the player feel as if they are experiencing Springfield first hand - an experience I for one have pined for for a very long time.

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