by Robert Workman on Wednesday, April 30, 2008
THQ plans to release yet another forthcoming summer movie release from Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Studios. However, Wall-E should stand out over Cars and The Incredibles, thanks to exquisite graphics and an intriguing multiplayer mode.
You begin the game by taking control of Wall-E, the last robot on Earth. The year is 2700 and mankind has basically trashed the planet, vacating to a healthier environment. They shut down most of the clean-up crews on Earth, save for this one little droid who still does his day-to-day chores. He's not completely oblivious, however – he develops a personality and a longing to find something, or someone, to be with.
Enter EVE, a high-tech robot who lands on Earth on a routine scavenging mission. She forms a special friendship with Wall-E and works with him through a number of stages, starting on the vacated Earth and eventually heading into the reaches of outer space. How the game's storyline plays out is a mystery at this point, as THQ didn't want to give away specific plot points from the film. However, it should follow the movie closely, giving you the chance to feel like you're interacting in its universe.
Wall-E does some "clean-up" duty.
Heavy Iron Studios has put a lot of work into the game's visuals. Earth's wastelands look great, almost on par with the devastated Earth introduced in other, more serious post-apocalyptic games. Both Wall-E and EVE showcase great design, such as the clean-up droid's ability to fold up into a cube and her flying capabilities. The sound effects should consist of audio from the film, mostly Wall-E's low-tech grunts and EVE's high-pitched futuristic tone. Expect an orchestral score in the background as well.
As for gameplay, both Wall-E and EVE bring something new to the picture. Wall-E can use his cube transformation to bust through walls, while also gathering up tools on the ground to form throwing objects. These come in handy for activating switches so he can get ahead in a level, lowering a bridge or opening up an inaccessible tunnel. As for EVE, her flying abilities allow her to zoom around a level much faster than Wall-E. She carries a blaster that lets her shoot objects with the help of an on-screen aiming reticule.
Best of all, the two can work together in specific parts of the game. EVE lifts up Wall-E and helps him get around, in case there's an area he can't reach, or she requires his technical know-how in order to achieve the stage objectives. No word yet if THQ intends to make this a co-op mode with two players, but it'd be a pretty neat idea, one that hasn't really been explored much in previous Disney/Pixar licensed games.
However, co-op or not, Wall-E has a strong multiplayer component. There will be several games for two to four players to take part in, such as rail-shooting sequences where you shoot at stationary targets and scrap matches involving multiple laser-carrying Wall-E's. These appear to be local matches only, although there's still a slight possibility that THQ will involve Xbox Live and PlayStation Network support. As a bonus, Wii owners will also get several Zapper-specific mini-games, including more shooting contests where you hit targets before your opponents do.
Wall-E looks like a refreshing change from the usual Disney/Pixar games, and should be a hit for both kids and fans of the film. We'll be back with a review when the game arrives June 24. In the meantime, you might want to work on those "Wallllll-Eeeeeeeee" impressions. That voice is pretty hard to nail down.
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