The Emperor's New Groove

Disney's latest cinematic offering is something of a change from the norm. There are hardly any songs in it, there is no damsel to rescue and fall in love with and it's more like the kind of cartoon you'd expect Warner Brothers to come up with. But these are not bad things. In fact, it's because of the above reasons that it's probably one of Disney's best films. It's incredibly funny (really, really funny), crazy, full of action and adventure and, as you'd expect, has a load of merchandise trailing behind it! Sadly, this videogame has none of the charm or humour of the film and is just another soulless cash-in!

Bring It On

You control Emperor Kuzco who's been turned into a llama by his evil royal advisor Yzma. Basically, you must head back to your palace by clearing level upon level of repetitive, dull environments through the art of head-butting, spitting and annoying puzzle-solving. This game couldn't get any poorer. Graphically, it's ugly and captures none of the gorgeous scenes from the movie and Kuzco handles like Pac-Man after one too many vodkas. The game tries to inject some kind of puzzle element but this fails miserably as it consists of having to spit on a switch that opens a door, and getting to said door before it closes. That's it. A bit pathetic and also very annoying too due to the fact that this rate against time exercise is made tougher thanks to the hapless control system.

Once again it seems a great movie has had its best qualities surgically extracted before conversion into a videogame that's about as much fun as an in-growing toenail

The Emperor's New Groove is one of the many video game adaptations of popular movies. Unlike most of them, this one feels like there was some heart put into it. Disney has a knack for interactive games to keep fans entertained. If you’re one of the millions of people that enjoyed Kuzco’s adventures in the movie, you’ll be happy with what you get here.

Story

The game follows the same plot as its movie inspiration. However, a few things are tweaked to create a worthy video game equivalent. You’ll encounter fun characters sprinkled around such as Kronk, Yzma, Pacha and of course, the famed Kuzco. After transforming into a Llama, Kuzco finds himself engaged in a bizzare adventure that tests his resolve… as a Llama. To be fair, there are a few other animals, but we can’t deny his goofiness in these avatars. Cutscenes in the game are straight from the movie, giving players a chance to rest from the unrelenting action.

Gameplay

The Emperor's New Groove plays just like Spyro and Psychonauts. Those games pretty much encapsulate the level of platforming that you’ll encounter most of the time. Kuzco travels around in classic third-person gameplay while the camera hangs behind. He also sports a dash attack, jump and a few other ways to navigate through levels. Things don’t tend to get boring either. There are opportunities further into the game where you’ll get the chance to turn into a bird and experience some little side quests that break the mold.

These mini quests are a welcome break from the tense platforming levels you’ll be accustomed to. Here, you’ll get to engage in a classic escape from a hungry pack of hyenas, test your reactions through certain quick events, etc. These additions make the game more charming, leaving you with a sense of accomplishment by the end of particularly tough levels.

You’ll need to collect coins, explore levels for secrets and find special red items that allow Kuzco to open doors, gaining access to new areas. Boss fights and puzzles are also great in terms of variety and quality. You won’t find any of the encounters boring or tedious. Instead, everything feels intentionally placed and balanced. Although, the game tends to lean on the easier side.

Controls

Controls are intuitive and easy to get creative with. Jumping across platforms is straightforward and Kuzco’s character physics are conveniently natural. This lets players avoid the frustration of dealing with clunkiness during the experience.

Sound

The sound design on The Emperor's New Groove is a decent one to experience. Characters speak with awesome voice acting, funny writing and superb delivery. You’ll find yourself in numerous bouts of hearty laughter. The musical score is subdued but provides a great background while you’re busy thinking of what to do.

Pros

• Fun gameplay
• Great story
• Nice sound design

Cons

• Short story

Disney's newest animated feature is coming to the PlayStation this November, courtesy of Sony. This 3D action adventure title looks and plays a lot like Spyro the Dragon (and that's an understatement), but it's got its own unique feel thanks to some very witty humor and a cool kickboxing fighting style. There's also a keen first-person shooting mode, where you can fire grape seeds at anything that annoys you.