GamersInfo.net

I start the game as Roddy, the supremely spoiled pet mouse. The initial tutorial was very helpful. At each juncture I was given an explanation of which keys, or key combinations, to use to continue onward. I think my complaint with the tutorial is that some of the sentences were broken up very illogically. I think the text could have been spaced a little better to make it easier to follow. I have to say, from the initial exchange between Roddy and Sid (the interloper), Roddy probably deserved to get flushed down that loo (otherwise known as toilets to the US market).

After Roddy embarked on his ‘circle tour’ I had the chance to play the plucky Rita. Some of the same controls applied to Rita, such as the jump. I found out the hard way, even after being warned, that it’s a baaaaad thing to let Rita jump over the edge of a drop-off. Sorry, Rita. I tried (and failed) repeatedly to get Rita onto the first platform. I finally gave up and asked the child to help. Of course she got it on the first try. While I think the amount of text in the tutorial is somewhat over her head (she’s 6), she has awesome skills at maneuvering through the world of Flushed Away. In just a few short minutes she has shot past the point that I so painstakingly struggled to reach – and she only killed poor Rita once in the process.

II can see over her shoulder and Roddy and Rita are now together. They appear to be on some manner of inflatable raft at this point. She was kind enough to let me play for a minute. I enjoyed targeting the little critters (henchrats, it seems) riding hand-mixers and lobbing artillery at them. Unfortunately, I did get us killed twice more before successfully making it across the fetid waters. The vicious little rats were lobbing stuff back at us the whole time. I would have enjoyed some way to tell how much progress we were making, but it was a relief as the other side of the area came into view.

I think if I did know the movie, the cut scenes probably would make more sense. At this point Roddy is supposed to catch up to Rita so he can escape with her. I don’t have a particularly good feel for which way I’m supposed to be going. I know I’ve fallen off the same wide chasm twice now. It’s possible there was a hint on how to get over this wide of an obstacle while the child had her turn, but she’s not saying. I’ve handed the game back over to her. If anyone can get us past this obstacle, she can (and, of course, she did).

I think the look of the characters is very true to what I’ve seen of the movie. The scenes were so detailed and 3d looking that I would occasionally forget I was basically in a 2d sidescroller. The view moved nicely with the characters and really has kept Flushed Away from feeling ‘flat’. The music has a nice adventurous pulse to it. It really is in keeping with the mood of action, adventure and (mild) peril.

I think the action component is very kid friendly. Even when Roddy or Rita attacks the bad guys, they’re only stunned. I didn’t see any flying blood. The reading needed will probably make the game harder for a younger child, unless someone were to read over their shoulder and fill them in on the tips. We seem to be moving through the content at a pretty good clip, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing with a younger child.

I don’t know that Flushed Away would stand completely on its own as a game. I do know that my daughter is doing a good job and having a lot of fun in the process.