If you have seen the new Wallace and Gromit movie about were-rabbits threatening beautiful British produce, then you will definitely have a bit of a leg up with this game over those that have not – in addition to experiencing a very fun theater experience suitable for all ages.
The Curse of the Were-Rabbit game follows the lovable heroes Wallace and Gromit as they attempt to unravel the mystery of the vegetable-eating were rabbit, as well as fix many other problems in their dynamic, non-linear town. People move around and go about their daily lives as you do, and you really get the feel that the town is alive. Wallace politely says hello to everyone he passes in the streets, so you get to know the town’s people without even trying.
If you don’t know who Wallace and Gromit are, well, go out and see their hit movie right now. Also rent their videos to see their previous work, all lovingly crafted in clay by the geniuses at Aardman Animations. But as a quick tutorial: Wallace is the human and Gromit is the dog. Wallace is an inventor and makes some amazing inventions, though they often go haywire at the wrong moments. Gromit does not talk, but many people feel he is actually smarter than Wallace, and he is often called on to pull his master out of trouble after one major malfunction or another. Other than not talking, Gromit can do just about everything else including driving a car, flying an airplane and working as Wallace’s business partner.
In the game, like the movie, the two’s latest job is humanely disposing of rabbits that are threatening to consume melons, pumpkins, turnips, onions and other vegetables the town grows for a big vegetable competition. Disposing is kind of a harsh word for what they do. They suck them into their vacuum truck where the rabbits float around in a big tank of air till they get home. Then they are put into pens and fed and cared for by Wallace and Gromit. There really is no real long term plan as to what to do with the rabbits, other than perhaps release them after the show.
The problem is that space is running out in their home. So Wallace decides to brainwash the rabbits into not eating vegetables. This of course backfires and this is the major plot of the move and also the game.
However, the game focuses mostly on what Wallace and Gromit do from day to day in their pest control business. Basically you walk around town and people will ask you to perform favors for them. Some of them involve capturing a certain number of rabbits within a time limit and others, like delivering barrels to people, don’t really have anything to do with pest control but are fun nonetheless. And Wallace and Gromit are happy to help people in need.
The graphics in the game are amazing. While not strictly claymation, the graphics mimic the clay world and properties of the movie perfectly. When you have Wallace jump onto a roof for example, he flops onto it and his legs dangle behind him for a while. He just looks like Wallace would from the movie.
The sound is pretty good as well, with your vacuum gun going off and pulling in different objects, as well as full voices for every character you meet in the game. Some of the actors from the movie also voice the same role here including Peter Sallis as Wallace and Helena Bonham-Carter as Lady Tottington.
The game is rated "E" for everyone, but I would caution parents on two points. First, some parts of the game are a little bit scary. Especially when the scene turns into nighttime, you will sometimes find yourself alone and facing some comical monsters, but ones that could nonetheless seem a bit scary to very young children. Secondly, some of the tasks are fairly difficult to complete, so again, young children might find it troublesome.
One of the best strengths of the game is that it is a one or two-player title. If you are playing by yourself, you can switch between Wallace and Gromit depending on what skills you need. But two people can play at the same time as Wallace and Gromit, working together to complete tasks. It is a lot more fun to play with a friend, and it is nice to see some quality two-person games that can be enjoyed by almost the entire family other than the dog, who if he is like Gromit, will probably be pretty good at it anyway.
The one negative aspect of the game is that some people will find the gameplay a bit too repetitive. Many of the tasks you are assigned are just different variations on the same basic themes.
In total, Wallace and Gromit have done it again. As a companion to the movie, this is one of the best tie-ins we have seen. And as a standalone title it’s not too bad either. And playing with your children or your family at the same time in such a fun, animated environment is not something you want to miss.