Futurama

Video game adaptations of popular animation franchises often feel like a cheap products, designed to sell based on the show's popularity alone. That's certainly not the case with Futurama: an enjoyable 3D platformer that any fan of the animated show will surely love, thanks to the heaps of references and exclusive content included.

Join Fry, Bender, Leela, and even Zoidberg, as they traverse levels full of self-referential humor and easter eggs. Though the gameplay is nothing groundbreaking, there's still tons of fun in this quirky platformer. Even players that haven't seen a single episode of the show might find it engaging – although, I have to admit, it takes a seriously die-hard Futurama fan to get over some of the title's more negative aspects.

Original Content

While games like The Simpson's: Hit & Run offered scenes and content that was similar in writing quality to what we've come to expect from the show, Futurama goes one step beyond, effectively containing an animated episode made exclusively for the game. Though many tie-in games have tried it in the past, this might be the only title that really feels like an episode of the show.

The plot contains some of the same mind-bending scientific shenanigans fans of the show love so much. This time, time travel and video game meta humor are front and center.

Once you look beyond the immensely funny plot, however, you might begin to notice the cracks in Futurama's dated gameplay mechanics.

Self-referential Excuses

As I mentioned a bit earlier, the game is a 3D platformer, much like The Simpsons Game. However, the similarities stop there, as Futurama's floaty controls and uninspired level design make the game feel like one big chore after another. The game itself even makes fun of its basic gameplay with alarming frequency.

Even though the game's writers use every opportunity they have to address some of the more "video gamey" aspects of the Futurama game, they're still glaring issues that no one corrected. Things like long fetch quests and lackluster areas are sadly a common occurrence in this title.

It's not all bad, though. Character models and even some of the game's locations look decent enough and more or less in line with the show's art style. There's that uncanny quality that comes with every 3D game based on 2D characters, but that's something that would hardly be Futurama's fault.

Still, the humor is decidedly top-notch in Futurama. Directed by the same creative team behind the series, this is one seriously funny game that fans of the show are sure to enjoy, if only for the animated sequences that appear from time to time.

Pros

• The original voice cast from the show is all here
• Includes an animated episode that's genuinely funny
• Some levels look just like the show

Cons

• Awkward controls
• Almost zero replay value
• Some boring level design