The Simpsons Hit and Run Review

Developer	Radical Entertainment
Publisher	Vivendi Universal Games
Genre	Driving

I honestly can’t remember the last good Simpsons game that appeared on a home console. Sure, there was an arcade game back in 1991 that left some of us with fond memories, but that’s been about the extent of this licensing juggernaut’s impact on the world of gaming. Console gamers have had to put up with one crappy offering after another – The Simpsons Skateboarding, Road Rage, and Wrestling all spring to mind – but that consistent string of crap looks to have reached its end with the latest, and most certainly greatest, Simpsons game: The Simpsons Hit and Run.

Gameplay - Gamers will be able to immediately pick up and play Hit and Run, largely because they’ve already played it when it was called Grand Theft Auto. To say that The Simpsons Hit and Run borrows from Rockstar’s megahit is like saying that Puff Daddy borrowed “Every Breath You Take” from the Police – the basic gameplay is virtually unchanged aside from the addition of the Simpsons elements.

Fortunately, the conversion is a well executed one with plenty of charm. The world is well designed and sports a ton of clever little nuances for the hardcore Simpsons fan to spot. With an open-ended mission system in place, gamers are able to spend time just driving and walking around exploring the world. And there’s a lot of world to explore, with each level offering a considerable amount of real estate, complete with hidden paths and tons of bonus items like new character outfits and vehicles to collect.

The missions aren’t incredibly difficult, with most being of a very simple drive here, drive there format, so most gamers will be able to blow through the game fairly quickly, but exploring and collecting every outfit and vehicle will take somewhat more extended play.

Graphics - There’s nothing too incredible about the graphics in Hit and Run, but then again – how good did you expect it to look, it’s based off a 2D cartoon! The character models resemble the graphical upgrade that Homer got during the Hallowe’en “Treehouse of Horror” episode, and they work reasonably well. It can be a bit disconcerting to see the Simpsons in 3D since we’ve been watching them in 2D for the last 14 years, but the look quickly falls into place. Perhaps the most impressive thing about the graphics is the framerate, which remains solid, even with sparks flying and smoke billowing from a vehicle that’s badly damaged.

Sound - The audio in Hit and Run really seals the deal for Simpsons fans. Each character is nailed to perfection, not just by the voice work done by the actual voice talent from the show, but also in their characterization throughout the game. From Homer’s rather complacent attitude to Ralph’s utter stupidity, his countdowns to the beginnings of races are solid Simpsons gold, the game nails the Simpsons world to perfection. The writing done here is easily as cynical as on the show, with a particularly biting mission sequence that blasts videogaming itself, and it really helps sell the gamer on the experience of playing through an episode of the show.

Overall Value - While it’s not the most original product on the planet, Simpsons Hit and Run is one of the most faithful to the source material. Equal parts hilarity and biting social commentary, the game grafts Grand Theft Auto gameplay onto the material from the TV show and does it extremely well. Worth a look for anyone who’s ever snickered at a Simpsons episode or gotten bored of driving around Vice City and wants someplace else to terrorize. A must buy for any real Simpsons fan, you won’t find a better console version out there.

Review by Rod Oracecheski