Pixar is one of the most successful movie studios there is, and for good reason. They have a track record of fantastic films that is simply unequaled. Toy Story 3, their latest film, was released last week, but today we'll look at the video game based on last year's Pixar offering: Up. It's a very good game, with some excellent co-op throughout, and is certainly worth playing for fans of the film, young and old.
We saw Up for the first time after its home video release, and after only a few minutes, we were totally hooked on the characters. The first fifteen minutes of Up are full of heartfelt emotion and raw humanity, the likes of which I've seen in few films, much less those aimed at younger audiences. This focus on character comes through in the game, as well. The exotic locales and spirit of adventure in the movie are perfect for a video game translation, and though the game lacks the heart of the film, it's still great, primarily due to the charm of the characters.
Carl, a grumpy, grieving widower, and Russell, a chubby young Wilderness Explorer looking for merit badges, are the primary characters. The two are vastly different throughout play. Carl shuffles along rather slowly, but uses his walker to great effect, both as a grappling hook and as a weapon. Russell is a bit quicker, and has a few survival items that are very useful, including a knife to cut barriers and a rope. Dug the talking dog appears in a few levels, too, and can help in the quest by swimming, pulling bone levers, and fitting through small spaces.
It is in the gameplay interactions between the characters that the co-op really shines through. There are areas that one character alone can get to, which requires true coordination. One example, repeated quite often, is Carl's ability to latch onto vines with his walker. After pulling his aged frame up, Carl reaches the walker down for Russell to grab hold, then pulls him up. Russell pays back the favor by navigating narrow ledges, and hoisting Carl up with his rope. Dug even gets in on the action by carrying Carl across rivers atop his back. Each level brings new challenges that can only be overcome by using each characters attributes effectively. It's well designed and really evokes the movie's theme of the growing partnership between Carl and Russell.
The boss battles, though few in number, truly showcase the teamwork between the two characters. A giant crocodile and a huge anaconda are particularly enjoyable fights, and require a fair amount of coordination and cooperation to complete successfully. Thankfully, the game is quite forgiving when it comes to making mistakes; players share a pool of health, so there's no waiting for your partner to respawn. You're both playing together the entire time. The only section where the co-op stumbles is the airplane levels, in which player two has no control over flight, but is instead a second gunner. Thankfully, this arrangement is used very little, only briefly at the beginning, yet more extensively during the finale.
While Up is generally a very good experience, there are a few problems that drag it down a bit. Most annoying are the dog packs which you have to fight repeatedly. It is very difficult to ge the timing just right to block the dog's strike, since the animation for the block is so brief. This problem is compounded when there are multiple dogs to defeat. It's the only really frustrating part of the game, but these pack fights are reused often so you'll really be tired of them by the time the credits roll.
And it won't really be long before that happens. Up is a very short game, even by movie tie-in standards. I would estimate we spent no more than five hours total playing through the story. There is little incentive to replay, as most achievements are unlocked the first time through. A few non-co-op multiplayer modes, all based on the airplane fights, add somewhat to the longevity of the game, but it's still very, very short. I'd have balked at paying full price for the game a year ago, but now it's under $20 most places, and it's worth that, or at least a rental.
Up: The Video Game is a surprisingly good title. I was quite impressed by the high level of co-op between Carl and Russell. They were a good team in the movie, and that was readily apparent in the game as well. There are lots of serious, more mature games out there that could learn a thing or two from the co-op in Up. It's one of the best games I can think of for an older gamer to play with a child; after all, it's a game about a grown up and a kid teaming up for an adventure! With a high interest subject, forgiving difficulty, and a whole heap of charm, Up is quite a lot of fun for young and old alike.