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9.24.2003

So somehow or another I haven't slept in two days. It's almost 5am on what is technically Wednesday and I don't feel tired. Something's wrong with me, for sure, since I didn't get a wink last night. Oh well, here's a game mini-review

Simpsons Hit & Run Impressions

Just finished a six hour binge of my new prized posession, The Simpsons Hit & Run for Xbox. For those of you unfamaliar, it's a somewhat Grand Theft Auto-style take on the Simpsons universe, and it's probably the best Simpsons game since that old arcade beat-em-up (although the incredibly difficult Bart vs. the Space Mutants on NES still holds a special place in my heart).

The game is pretty cut-and-dry. There's missions that you can do, which are basically the same idea repeated, but it stays fresh thanks to the sharp controls and complex levels with all the Springfield landmarks you've come to know and love. The missions mostly consist of either a)Picking up items in a vehicle, b)Smashing a car till it blows up, or c) Smashing a car so items fall out of it so you can pick them up. Simple yet effective.

Destroying stuff gets you money with which you can purchase goods like new vehicles and episode-specific outfits for characters. There are also cards hidden throughout levels that have episode summaries and memorable quotes. To make the experience as loyal to the show as possible, the whole gang from the show reprised their voice acting roles, and it's great and really funny. Lots of minor show characters have a major presence, and obscure episode references are throughout Springfield. I even stumbled across the faulty monorail downtown, and, to my amazement, I could hop in and drive the front car off the track. Good stuff for any Simpsons fan.

I'm probably 40 to 50% of the way done with the storyline missions after six hours of gameplay, but there's also a handful of side quests, plus an unlockable multiplayer RC Pro-AM style racing mode when the game is beaten completely. This ain't a skimpy game.

Worth a rent if you like GTA, perhaps to tide you over until True Crime comes out, but if you're a Simpsons fan, this is a must own.

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2003 - 2005
Reverend Hughes