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Rango Review for PlayStation 3 (PS3)

Rango Review for PlayStation 3 (PS3)

Reptile-style Cowboys vs. Aliens

I’ve played a couple of games based on movies in the past, and therefore approached the video game version of Rango with low expectations. In this case, I was pleasantly surprised. Rango is only a little below average, and that’s in comparison to all video games. Compared to the newest Harry Potter “game,” Rango is like if Call of Duty: Black Ops had the writers from BioWare and epic flying mounts instead of helicopters.

One of the biggest surprises about this game was that it was actually fun a good deal of the time. The gameplay was simplistic and not terribly imaginative, but it worked well enough to be satisfying. Rango shoots enemies with simple auto-targeting and knows a grand total of three melee moves, including normal punch and uppercut. There is also a standard slam move which I never used for combat, but someone might.

Rango Screenshot

The game offers three power ups for the gun: an automatic rifle, a shotgun-like “spread shot,” and a gun that shoots dynamite. These are somewhat useful, but not really creative enough to be interesting. The baddies are more varied than you would expect, with multiple versions of shooters, punchers, tanks, and one type of rabbit that leaps into the air and attempts to slam onto your head.

The developers made a smart move by rewarding melee fighting with more sheriff stars (the game’s currency) in order to encourage players to not just run around mashing buttons. Stars can also be found in various containers, and a good number of upgrades can be purchased, which motivates the collection of the stars. All in all, the gameplay seems balanced and well thought out—at least enough to keep me going without feeling bored. The game’s length, however, is a valid complaint. I beat it in only five hours.

Rango Screenshot

The game also handled better than I expected. Games based on movies are notorious for camera issues, but Rango contained few. The only issues were found in the rail grinding sequences, during which the angle of the camera made it difficult to determine the distance of obstacles that had to be jumped over. Otherwise the camera was responsive, obeying my commands like a loyal sidekick and never getting stuck or confused, which can happen even in genuinely good games. Platform puzzles were occasionally frustrating, with depth perception once again being a problem. I had to draw upon the trick I used from my days with the original PlayStation—using Rango’s shadow to determine where he would land.

The simple combat and platforming are broken up by a few very fun sequences in which you get to ride a roadrunner, bat, or flying saucer. The roadrunner is the best of the three, since it’s much easier to shoot at things while you only have to steer right and left. Trying to control a flying thing with one joystick while moving the aiming cursor around with another is not something the human brain can handle, even when it’s fully developed. Another fun bit is when Rango finds some golf clubs and you get to hit a little exploding bug into things like obstacles, Lars’ head, or, in my favorite part of the game, a crowd of advancing zombie rodents.

Rango Screenshot

I have to admit that I didn’t actually see the Rango movie before playing the game, and therefore I assumed that the plot of the game followed the film, so I wouldn’t have much to say about the game’s writing. Upon taking a peek at the movie’s Wikipedia page, I found out that the video game has a completely separate plot. Apparently there are no zombies or aliens in the movie. The game’s plot is a little hard to follow (being rather rushed), but the writing is somewhat clever—another thing that I don’t expect from these types of games.

Rango Screenshot

It starts with Rango telling the story of how he collected mysterious rocks in an effort to solve the mystery of the disappearance of Beans’ father. As the scene of Rango’s tale is shown, his audience will interrupt by pointing out flaws in the story. As one character reminds him that there are bones to the north instead of a canyon, bones fall from the sky before Rango to complete the landscape that the player will traverse. The dialogue is as quirky and humorous as we’ve come to expect from anything involving Johnny Depp, and on occasion made me laugh. During the part where you learn how to walk while crouching, Rango narrates: “This part was hard on the quadriceps.” Also, the trophy earned for successfully flying on the back of a bat is titled “This is bat country!” Well done, Behaviour Interactive.

The game’s sound is perfectly adequate. The music is pretty much one song the entire time, but it’s a decent song, especially if you enjoy the fiddle. It is occasionally interrupted by the only song that the mariachi band knows, which they play from their random perches throughout each level while they offer up some amusing quips. Sound effects are fine, and at times appropriately exaggerated. You can’t have a Western without the sound of ricocheting bullets, after all. I would even say that the voice acting was above average. Johnny Depp didn’t voice Rango in the game, but his impersonator did a bang-up job. Graphics are about what you’d expect—not bad, but nothing like the next-gen experience.

In terms of controls, fun, and general wackiness, Rango reminded me of the old Spyro the Dragon games, except not as refined. It’s a sub-Spyro game, but again, for a game that was based off a movie, it is quite good. This would be a great gift for a kid who really liked the movie, provided you’ve got enough spare money lying around to pay $50 for ten hours of entertainment. Otherwise, remember that it’s only good for a movie video game, and you should probably spend your cash on something else.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 2.5 Graphics
They’re not up to the PS3’s standards, but they are up to the standards of a game based on a movie. 3.5 Control
Very workable, with a few hiccups here and there. However, innovation is just as rare in these parts. 3.5 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Whoever did Rango’s voice can really imitate Johnny Depp, but couldn’t we have more than just one song? 3.0 Play Value
Though I was surprised that I didn’t hate playing it, I was also surprised when it was over in five hours. 3.2 Overall Rating – Fair
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 – 1.9 = Avoid 2.5 – 2.9 = Average 3.5 – 3.9 = Good 4.5 – 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 – 2.4 = Poor 3.0 – 3.4 = Fair 4.0 – 4.4 = Great 5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

  • Continue Rango’s Journey – Play as the quick-thinking chameleon Rango, the best Sheriff the town of Dirt has ever known, as you embark on the new adventures and explore new environments beyond those seen in the film.
  • Ride Roadrunners and Desert Bats – Speed through the desert atop these unconventional chariots as you engage in extraordinary feats of acrobatic gunplay and more.
  • Be the Golden Bullet – Hone your Sheriff shooting skills and literally guide your shot to the bull’s-eye in unique third-person golden bullet sequences that really change up the fun.
  • Wild West Shootouts – Battle enemy rodents as you show the town who’s boss in good, old-fashioned shootouts where the fists are flyin’ and the spurs are shinin’.
  • Wide Variety of Environments – Rango is an actor and a teller of tall tales, so his adventures take him beyond the world of Dirt! Encounter zombie rodents, alien spaceships, and even experience an 8-bit shootout inside an arcade machine.

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