The Simpsons Game: Debriefing

You know, for a franchise that by its nature is dependent on being self referential (to the extent that it's even started to happen with plot points)
it's kind of Ironic that
the most damning indictment of the Simpsons, is in fact one of it's own. Yes, it's like that episode where one of the Simpson men went to court and one of the Simpson women testified against them (I'm not sure if that has actually ever happened, but after 400 episodes I'm just assuming it has at some point.)

In fact, it's kind downright disturbing when a licensed game is funnier then it's current peer. Not just funny as in 'It's the Simpsons, so I have to laugh' but as in 'genuinely well written and funny' (although given up current habit of enjoying 'Everybody Love Raymond', it may be best to ignore of definition of funny).
Not just funny as in 'Hey, I recognize that's a ham fisted parody, so I guess its funny' but funny as in it 'takes what it's parodying and actually does it.'

In fact, The Simpsons games manages to do what the Simpsons hasn't done in years: Be a perfect satire of culture. Whilst the television series has gradually degenerated into a pretty limp impersonation of a parody (although still generally being funny) the Simpsons Game tackles the state of gaming culture head on, and does it perfectly. In short, it's what the show ought to be: Witty, culturally relevent ( at least to gaming) and funny.


Considering the history of Simpsons game, it's a surprise that this game is about as far removed from the word 'cash in' as humanly possible, especially surprising as it's coming on the heels of the movie. Speaking of the movie, is it possible that the game borrowed potential elements of the movie to use in the games storyline? Granted, I didn't finish the game, but the plot that I did see felt earily remenistent of one the potential movie plotlines. I'm not trying to imply anything (after all Mr Burns being a megalomaniac and Lisa being a hippy are hardly new plot points), but I'm just pointing it out.
On it's own though, the plot is, by and large, great. In fact, it could have been an episode and it would have been great. In fact, given the fact that it's reasonably short, the best way to think about this game is an interactive episode, albeit one where you can turn into a giant ball of Homer-Fat and chase a screaming Hans Moleman down old Evergreen. This notion is given creeedance by the fact that sometimes the game looks just as good as the movie, and there are enormous amounts of original lines for almost all the characters (along with some recycling of some of their better known ones.) In other words, in what is becoming a running theme for games in 2007 (or maybe I'm just getting more fussy in what I play and ignore more crap), Kudos on the presentation and story.

Gameplay ,on the other hand, is kind of a difficult thing to define (at least in terms of quality), the way I see it, I'm split between two ways of thinking, and in many ways it's the perfect analogy for the television show as it continues on unhindered by the fickle winds of time into it's nineteenth season (making it almost as old me, and as lame as using the phrase 'fickle winds of time' in an unironic sense!)


The First Way

The Simpsons is still good:

Sure, the gamplay is basically one long cliche, but the animated Simpsons had cliches as well, what depends is how you mould these cliches into your own beings.
Yeah, so it's platforming, it's been around for about 20 years, but it's still decent fun. The basics are done as well as you could expect, and even if this would still be an okay game, didn't have a global hegemon of behind it. It doesn't matter that you've seen it before (and done better), what matters is how it stacks up to the competition at this moment (And if I may say so. this game is The Simpsons to Crash Bandicoot's Family Guy)


The Second Way

Eh, Not so much

Whilst the early animated Simpsons made the cliches their own, the game simply acknowledges them via sarcasm laden Comic Book diatribes (is there any other kind?). It doens't fix any of the problems, or 'cliches as they are called in game, rather acknowledges them and keeps moving on with broken gameplay mechanics intact. Now admittedly, I laughed most of the time when the cliches popped up, and contrary to my previous statement (which was mainly for rhetorics sake) they don't really break the gameplay.
In this sense it's kind of similar to Date/Epic/Holy Shit you paid money to this Movie, as when 90% of their jokes seem to rely totally on acknowledging they are parodying something and not including any actual humor.
Now look at the animated series: It acknowledges that the plots are getting more and more outlandish and inane, but never does anything to rectify it.


My point: Simply acknowledging that something is bad doesn't make it good, it makes you look lazy and self conscious (two subjects which I could write profusly on, but this is not the time.)


Ah fuck, I'm half drunk and it's a fucking Simpsons game. What more can I say that wouldn't end in a mish mash of words and me crying softly into my blanket and pining for Blair off of Gossip Girl? Nothing, exactly.