The A.I. tends to be the biggest drawback to performing team attacks and is perhaps this game’s greatest weakness. Every mini-games includes four players, so if you are playing alone the other three are controlled by the computer. Usually there is one character who is exceptionally good that will be very difficult to keep from winning even when you focus all your efforts on stopping them.

However, the other two characters are often dumber than a box of rocks and can almost be completely ignored. These characters seem to wander aimlessly, not really attempting to complete the current mini-game’s objective. On a few occasions, I’ve actually witnessed said characters walking into walls for over a minute at a time. The combination of one insanely good enemy and two complete duds makes playing through mini-games an immensely unbalanced affair.

Nowhere in the game are its flaws more visible than in its campaign mode. The single-player campaign consists of several levels, each focusing on a specific candidate. Every level is made up of groups of three to nine mini-games, with the winner being determined by the total amount of votes collected from all of the events. Since you are required to finish in first to proceed to the next level, battling with your one unnaturally excellent adversary quickly becomes frustrating. There is virtually nothing more painful than finishing in a very close second in a level and having to replay through the same nine mini-games again in hopes of victory.

Fortunately, the multiplayer does fare slightly better in this title. Every arena and mini-game is selectable, allowing you to avoid your least favorite objectives and backdrops. Players are also able to play against human opponents both online and locally, eliminating the immense frustrations caused by the game’s terrible A.I. controlled foes. Regrettably, even with these slight improvements, Hail to the Chimp’s gameplay is still far too similar and repetitive to really enjoy.

With its appealing cartoony visuals, funny political satire, and collection of humorous unlockable videos, Hail to the Chimp isn’t a complete bust. If it didn’t suffer from overly repetitive gameplay, ridiculously unbalanced A.I., and had a bit more variety, this game honestly could have been a lot more fun. As it stands though, Hail to the Chimp is fairly disappointing. If you think you can cope with this game’s many issues and find political satire humorous, then perhaps this game will appeal to you. However, for everyone else I would strongly suggest looking elsewhere for your mini-game fill.

By Adam Brown
CCC Freelance Writer

Game Features:

Party game that delivers exciting gameplay, lush interactive environments, and a comical look at politics.

Players use the game’s unique team-up mechanic, mixing cooperation with competition, to claw their way to victory.

Played by four friends on one TV, online against distant challengers, or single-player against advanced A.I.

Offers endlessly replayable party fun for gamers of all stripes.