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A Bug’s Life
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Graphics & Sound:
The graphics in A Bug’s Life are beautiful and are very true to the motion picture of the same name. Since this is a children’s game, everything is bright, colorful, and attention-grabbing. It’s also filled to capacity with clips from the movie itself, which are used to explain plot background and upcoming levels. A Bug’s Life also contains tons of voice clips from Dave Foley (of NBC’s News Radio fame), who did the voice of Flik, the main character in the game and movie. The use of the sound clips is very much along the lines of Gex, only more geared to kids.
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Gameplay:
You begin your journey as Flik, the wise-cracking hero. There’s a great Training Mode which is a mini-level in itself, and does an excellent job of preparing you for the adventure that lies ahead. You wander throughout a 3D environment, pummeling the buggy baddies that get in your way and facing a variety of obstacles. Flik is pretty easy to control, and he has a number of helpful moves such as the Berry Throw and the Abdomen Bounce.
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Difficulty:
Well, A Bug’s Life is a kids game, so it’s understandably pretty easy at first. The levels do increase in difficulty as you progress, however (that Riverbed Maze is a killer). Flik is easy to control, and anyone should be able to jump right in and go to town with this game. I think it’s important that a child’s game (or any game for that matter) be challenging, but not frustrating, and A Bug’s Life accomplishes this feat.
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Game Mechanics:
One of my favorite features in this game was the Dewdrop Telescope, a floating telescope that Flik can use to see things such as Level Exits and Secrets. I think this is a very clever way of utilizing hints in the game. Plus, it rewards the child for using their memory, as they have to remember the location and surroundings of what they saw earlier. A Bug’s Life also supports Dual Shock Analog controllers as well, and both are handled nicely. All in all, this is a great choice for kids of all ages.
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-Psibabe, GameVortex Communications AKA Ashley Perkins |
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