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Developer: SCEI
Publisher: SCEA
Genre: Platform
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 17 Jan 06
User Rating
10 (3 votes) -
- The monkeys are at it again, and it's your job to catch them all in this light-hearted and surprisingly solid game. Third time is definitely the charm for this quirky series.
Overview
I have seen some series in the gaming industry go on for far too long. Many series I sometimes wonder why they continue to keep being developed for as they just have never been turned into great games. Today we are talking about the third installment of the Ape Escape series, which has been moderately popular but unfortunately in my eyes has never been a great game. But nevertheless Sony has not given up on its fury friend and we are back in the third installment of the franchise in Ape Escape 3 for the Playstation 2. So is third time the charm for the series? Read our full review to find out!
Gameplay
The series all started back on the original Playstation as a very simple platforming game that really never took itself series. I think that was really the prime focus of the game to just be a simple fun experience, and one that incidentally makes full and excellent use of the dual analog sticks. Now I can't say I am a huge fan of the series, but I could see some simple fun value to the games that would make them somewhat popular. Well now in a time where the PS2 has great platformers like Sly and Ratchet, Ape Escape would have to produce something special to keep up with the big boys.
So let's talk about the third edition of the Ape Escape series by starting with the story, which is as simple as ever. The story runs at the same pace as the previous few games, with you trying to save the world from the evil Specter who is of course trying to take over the world. The difference this time is that Specter is doing this through TV, which kind of changes the look and flow of the game, but we will talk more about that later. Besides this the story is pretty much exactly what you what you would expect from an Ape Escape game.
The whole premise of catching monkeys that has been prevalent throughout the Ape Escape series is of course back with a vengeance in Ape Escape 3. For the most part, the flow of the game feels almost identical to the first two games, with some added abilities and more diverse levels. The core gameplay however still has you running around environments doing everything you can with your big net to capture the monkeys. To capture the monkeys you have to get used to the control scheme, which uses the analog sticks (very popular lately) to throw the net at the monkeys. This idea works well and does take some time to get used to, but you feel more much involved in the monkey catching business this way.
Like I said, there really isn't much new to this game. I mean the majority of this game plays like Ape Escape 2. Now there are some new transformations that kind of give breath of fresh air at points in the game, but this isn't a huge part of the game. These transformations basically allow you to change form for a short period of time, and while this kind of mixes up the gameplay for a brief time, it goes back to normal pretty quick. This was an interesting idea, but once again the implementation of this new feature didn't change the pace all that much.
I think that the one thing that impressed me the most is that it's a more cohesive experience this time around. I found that the whole game just flowed so much better now than it ever has. I say this because the gameplay in the game is extremely satisfying and I think they brought in the right amount of gadgets to keep things very interesting and fun. In the end Ape Escape 3 may not be all that new or fresh for the series, but I just found this game more then the previous few games to be much more enjoyable and just a much better variety of action.
Graphics
Visually Ape Escape has never been a graphical powerhouse and this trend is not really kept up in Ape Escape 3. The series has always been very colorful but this game brings in a lot of detail and some really creative environments. I was very impressed with the developer's ability to keep things very fresh and original throughout. The game also sports just a good all around feel, and although the game doesn't marvel against some of the other platformers on the market, Ape Escape 3 still is a good looking game.
Fun Factor
The series has always been known for being a fun simple series that basically places you as a monkey catcher and throws a bunch of weird quirks in the mix for fun sake. I must say that I haven't been a huge fan of the series up until now, but it just felt like in Ape Escape 3 that they had all their eggs in the right basket and made a great game. The game isn't the best of the bunch, but it manages to take its light hearted feel and make a fun and entertaining game for all different age groups.
Overall
In the end I have to say that Ape Escape 3 is quite simply a great game, there are no two ways about it. Some of the new features weren't huge additions, but they managed to keep things light hearted, easy going, and just a fun experience. If you have enjoyed the series in the past, you will continue to enjoy this game. For those who were like me and who haven't enjoyed the previous games, the third installment may surprise you.
- Gameplay
8.0 - Graphics
8.0 - Fun Factor
8.0 - Overall
8.0
