Scooby Doo and the Cyber Chase
Score: 10% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: THQ Developer: Software Creations Media: Cart/1 Players: 1 Genre: Miscellaneous
Graphics & Sound: This game looks good, but don't let that fool you. Let's just say Scooby Doo isn't the only thing doggy about this game. Scooby Doo and the Cyber Chase is so impressive graphically that it's easy to be swayed by screenshots into thinking there's more here than meets the eye. The characters look awesome, and everything right down to the way they run is true to the animation style of the original show. Each level is beautifully crafted, and only a little slowdown crops up from time to time in the midst of the most intense on-screen action. Most levels present in a standard side-scrolling Platformer fashion, but when you have the chance on a few occasions to ride a vehicle, you move across side-scrolling lanes and change size to show perspective, like you're moving further or closer to the camera. A funky variation on the Scooby Doo theme plays through the game, but there's no additional music or special sound effects.
Gameplay: If you're old enough to remember that commercial with the little old lady who opens up the burger bun and yells, ''Where's the beef?'' you can immediately relate to the problem with Scooby Doo and the Cyber Chase. Where in the name of all that's holy is the gameplay?! True to the TV show, you and the members of the Mystery Inc. gang tackle a big puzzle and a tough foe. The Phantom Virus is loose, and you'll have to enter cyberspace to track him down and figure out who was behind all the mayhem he's causing. So, the premise is cool but the execution falls apart completely. After plopping down in the halls of the university where the Phantom Virus has been causing problems, you'll need to track down CDs to enter one of 7 levels in the computer and gather clues. After defeating P.V. and completing all the levels, you'll need to choose a suspect, based on clues you've gathered throughout the game. Oh man, it sounds promising, doesn't it? But, when you jump into the first level, you'll start noticing the problems. In a level, top priority goes to gathering Scooby Snacks. After you gather enough snacks (a little counter lets you know how many more are needed) you'll be able to grab a box of snacks, and complete the level. Each level is timed, but the timer doesn't seem to relate to anything special beyond bonus points. Finding the box of snacks, especially in the 'race' levels can sometimes be a chore, and nothing is more frustrating than struggling through a level, gathering all the needed snacks and then missing the box. And don't even get me started on the platforming levels! One of the 'fun' pieces of gameplay is supposed to be that your characters can wear masks to avoid detection by enemies, but it doesn't really matter since you can also jump over most enemies or shoot things at them to freeze them briefly. And, even though you have a health meter, the platforming levels are almost impossible to die in. On the other hand, the racing levels are pitifully easy to die in, so the balance is all messed up. Fighting bosses in levels plays about as smartly as the rest of the level, and nothing about the elements of gameplay make the experience worth the effort.
Difficulty: Enemies are about as smart as rotting logs, and even though you can choose a skill level before starting the game, don't expect to see a major difference in the AI. The real frustration comes from poor control; these characters move with as much grace as garbage trucks on ice. Jumping, running, shooting, hiding... Each action is equally terrible to perform, and the only possible exceptions are the racing levels, where control is fairly decent. Still, there's no excuse for such poor control in a game that obviously has a high degree of visual polish. In the time it took to make things look right, why couldn't Software Creations make this dog play right?!
Game Mechanics: A few of the things that really stand out as poor design in this game would be the simple lack of a way to restart levels, quit to the title screen, or change your mind before you choose a level. It sounds crazy, but from the time you choose a character at the university and enter the selection screen to decide which level to play, you're totally locked in. The levels are timed, and at least partially scored by completion time, so why wouldn't you want the ability to restart if things get messed up or you get turned around? You can't even quit to the title screen if you decide that you want to play a different level! And, if you choose Shaggy then decide that you really want to play as Scooby, you'll have to turn off the GBA and start all over again, entering your password and going back through the university area to choose again. Pitiful. Especially for kids, who probably like the idea of playing characters more than they care about the technicalities of the game, limiting choice like this is awful. Once you 'get' the point of the game, it makes perfect sense that you'd want the best score, try to save your characters and even restart a level when things go wrong. For the developers, turning the GBA off and on is apparently a reasonable way to accomplish this. This game turned out to be a big, fat disappointment and nothing could have surprised me more. With great graphics and a look that is so true to the show, many folks will no doubt grab for this out of nostalgia or maybe a newfound appreciation of Scooby Doo but they'll all walk away with a sour look on their face wishing for their money back after about five minutes with this game. With only a little tweaking and some focus on gameplay, there's nothing that couldn't have been fixed here, but the version that ended up on shelves doesn't do the Mystery Inc. crew justice.
-Fridtjof, GameVortex Communications AKA Matt Paddock
Rocket Power: Dream Scheme Spider-Man Mysterio's Menace