Remember when Mickey Mouse was a hero? It's been a while... as the last time I saw the iconic mouse attempt an adventure was 1990's The Prince and the Pauper (very fun movie, give it a watch if you have the time). Believe it or not, Mickey Mouse used to be more than an icon on the Disney Channel, he used to be a beloved character part of a universe filled with a fantastic cast of characters and a multitude of adoring fans (such as myself). And so here we find ourselves with Disney's Epic Mickey, a video game starring the world's most famous mouse. That enough is something to get excited about, but Warren Spector and his team at Junction Point Studios have crafted a world in which many more surprises await the player. So let's get started on this adventure shall we?
Mickey finds himself in Wasteland after The Phantom Blot, his own creation (after messing with Yen Sid’s magic brush), pulls him into the forgotten world. The first thing many gamers will notice is that the area that you find yourself in after this predicament (and all of the areas afterwards) is in some way, shape, or form inspired by either Disneyland, or by Walt Disney’s own cartoon creations. I find this aspect to be one of Epic Mickey’s most delightful attributes. One must first acknowledge Walt Disney’s penchant for creativity and creation, seeing as the game borrows heavily from his ideas, both remembered and forgotten. However, it was the team at Junction Point Studios and Warren Spector that have taken Walt’s creations and melded them together to create the worlds of the game. The Gremlin village, for example, is heavily influenced by the Disneyland ride “It’s a Small World”. But Junction Point Studios did not just cut and paste the elements from Disney. This world is one that has been warped by the Thinner Disaster (also Mickey’s doing) and the constant threat of the Blot. So no world is as tranquil or serene as Walt’s original visions were.
Each area gives the players visions of something that was so much better once upon a time, and I as the player felt a wave of sadness each time I visited a place that was once so lively, vibrant, and full of activity… now as a shadow of itself thanks to the chaos that had taken place. Still, Junction Point’s greatest triumph is that they never took away the sense of wonder and adventure in these battered worlds (and I can’t leave out Jim Dooley, the composer who created such a magnificent score for the world of Wasteland. There are some terrific tracks in this game). These areas still contain that sense of Disney Magic, and that even though they find themselves to be a bit rusty around the edges thanks to the Blot’s doing, the creativity and joy is still there, just waiting for a new coat to make it perfect again.
Just one of the 2D Portal levels that you'll find in Epic Mickey. Each one is based on an old Disney cartoon and are a joy to explore.
Speaking of paint we have the main gameplay draw, Mickey Mouse’s magical brush. With this brush Mickey can either create (paint) or destroy (thinner). Now, I found that this element has two main uses to the player and to the game itself: The first usage of the brush is a tool as a “moral choice” maker. As the moral choice maker, I found the aspect to be disappointingly straight forward. Paint is “good” and Thinner is “bad”. You want to see the happier ending? Use paint as much as possible. Want the not so good ending? Use thinner. Like I said, it’s straight forward, but it does work (my first playthrough was dependent on mostly paint, so I had a mostly “good” ending). However, not every “moral choice” is made with the brush. There are many side quests for Mickey to solve during and in-between his adventures in Wasteland. Still, these side-quests too are rather straightforward with the whole moral aspect, as the easy path is usually the “bad” choice and the harder path to success is most likely the “good” path. I must say though, the game does have a “badge system” (think achievements or trophies) that get you goals based on what you accomplish and how you do it. So in order to get them all, you are going to have to make different choices for different playthroughs (as it’s impossible to have more than one outcome for every choice you make). So in that aspect, the game encourages you to try different “moral choices”, and I found that to be a great choice on part of the developer.
The second use of the brush, and one that I have enjoyed immensely, is as a tool to help you explore the world of Wasteland. When I was growing up, I always wanted to go and just explore Disneyland. The place was full of larger than life areas and attractions that could make a guy smile from ear to ear, but it was also a place filled to the brim with the tiniest of details that gave it that magic that was impossible to replicate anywhere else. As I said before, one of Junction Point’s biggest successes with this game was never taking away the wonder and magic of the worlds you were in. So with that said, Epic Mickey’s worlds are just fantastic to explore, and the aspect of creation and destruction of the brush enhance this exploration immensely. With each new world, it was like I was allowed to be part of that Disney magic and just explore to my heart’s content. I mean, when was the last time any of us just explored a world because it was just so wonderful in itself? There’s really no grand prize for doing so (although there are many nooks and crannies filled with E-Tickets, the currency of Epic Mickey, or other goodies), other than the joy of seeing the areas and attractions that are larger than life and make you smile from ear to ear, and also those tiny details that give each world that magic that is so hard to find now-a-days.
Ventureland is one of my favorite worlds in Epic Mickey. Skull Island is just a piece of a fantastic area to play through.
So I’ve talked about the many ideas and the atmosphere that surrounds and envelops the world of Epic Mickey as well as the player, but what about that Mouse himself? How does he work? Well, the controls are pretty simple and very responsive. With the Wii Remote and the Nunchuck, you’ll use the control stick to move, A to jump, Z for thinner, B for Paint, and you’ll wave your remote to execute Mickey’s spinning attack (very much akin to Mario’s spinning attack in the Galaxy games.). The Wii Remote’s IR pointer is used to show where you will spray your paint or thinner, and I’ve found no problems with that either. In fact, I’ve found the controls in themselves to be accurate and precise. However, something must be said of the automatic camera following you in Epic Mickey. It’s not perfect, in fact it rarely is. Fortunately Junction Point mapped the camera’s controls to the Wii Remote’s control pad (for manual control of the camera), as well as the Nunchuck’s C button (for centering it behind Mickey). I found that unlike the Galaxy games, which are fantastic examples of automatic cameras in 3D Platformers, Epic Mickey’s camera is one that you need to keep an eye on. It has a tendency to go where you don’t want it to, so you’ll find that your thumb will be resting on that Control Pad a lot of the time during your stay in Wasteland. Still, I can say that with practice (and the beginning of the game will give you much time to practice), controlling the camera manually will result in a camera that rarely gets in your way while you jump from platform to platform or engage in an enemy. Even still, there are hiccups from time to time, so you’ll need to keep control over the camera or it will definitely cause some trouble.
So what else is there to say? Epic Mickey is home to a world that is worth exploring. In fact, the exploration element of one of my favorite pieces of gaming this generation. Still, Epic Mickey is more than just exploring worlds. It’s about a Mouse becoming a hero and saving a world that was long forgotten. Using the magic brush, I’ve accomplished so many things, both big and small, but all them a joy to experience. If I were to review this game based on the ultimate goal of perfection, there would be elements of this game that hold it back from achieving such a goal. Things like that pesky camera and those moral choices that are not as fleshed out as they could be hold this game back from that ever unreachable standard. But I have to say that as a gaming experience, this game has to be played to be believed. The game delivered smile and after smile for me, and also delivered a child-like I wonder I haven’t experienced since I was a little boy at Disneyland. Surely that counts for something. Indeed it does, and Epic Mickey was quite the ride. And that’s all I ever wanted with this game. Kudos Mickey, let’s hope we never forget the world of Wasteland ever again.
So in short...
Pros:
- Fantastic level designs inspired by Walt Disney's Creations. Exploring worlds rarely gets better than this.
- Wonderful animation that would make Walt Proud. Many of these characters in Wasteland really feel like their old cartoon selves.
- James Dooley delivered an amazing soundtrack. Check it out on iTunes.
- Gameplay that encourages exploration and creativity. The magic brush is definitely a great addition.
- Oswald the Lucky Rabbit steals the show. Lets hope he doesn't take another 80 years to return to the spotlight.
- The game's ability to put a smile on your face is second to none.
Cons:
- An archaic camera that needs all kinds of manual assistance.
- A moral system that doesn't feel as fleshed out as it should be.
- Having the freedom to explore previous worlds is made difficult by the fact that some of them are closed off after you leave them.
Final Score (Out of 10):
9.3
