Pokemon Snap
Reviewed by Rocky
Pokemon has been one of the most famous franchises in video game history.
Of course, there are people who hate them and kids who love them. I
personally don't care. If a game is worth playing, I play it. So I got a
hold of Pokemon Snap, and I have the same the game is a very strange one indeed.
Graphics: 3 out of 5
What can you expect from a Pokemon game? Cheerful and colorful
characters populate the vast 3d worlds of Pokemon Snap. I think
that the Pokemons are animated really well and are all very unique
in look and style. They look just like their animated counterparts.
True, the graphics don't look real, but the game is not trying to
represent a real world, but a cartoon world, and it succeeds very
well in doing the latter. Nothing can be said about the Pokemon
animations, but the Human and environment animations are some
of the worst I've seen ever! Todd, the main character, does not have
a true identity and cannot move in any way! You can see his polygons
sticking out all over the place, and his hands are awfully square...but
it doesn't matter...you don't see much of him anyway...Interesting to
note that the game's frame rate is always on high levels and the classic
fog effect that is present in almost every N64 game is not there. A vast
improvement indeed.
Music and Sound: 3 out of 5
The music is made up of catchy tunes and rhythmic melodies. It's catchy,
but as of quality it lacks something that makes this game's musical
performance valid. The quality of the musical scores is equal to a
regular SNES game, and I think that Final Fantasy 3 has better music
than this! Music left aside, the sound effects are actually pretty good.
Being Todd so close to nature, you'll hear birds screeching and leaves
moving by action of the wind etc... You can even hear some of the Pokemon's
voices throughout the game. Nothing special, but it contributes to the
cartoony and happy-go-lucky disposition of the game.
Game Challenge: 1 out of 5
Come on! It's a Pokemon Photography game! You can't expect to find bosses
or enemies that block your path or traps at every step because there simply
aren't any. In fact, in this game you can never lose! Of course, you can try
and retry a course various times to photograph all the Pokemon, but it
seriously won't take much time or effort for that matter. Definitely
the weakest part of the game.
Game Play-Fun: 3 out of 5
The gameplay is what makes this game unusual. This not an adventure,
action, sport, RPG, or driving game. This is a photography game! Might
sound like a new genre, but it's definitely a photography game. You go
around taking pictures of Pokemon that are present in various areas on
Pokemon Island. Depending on the pose you photograph the critter in,
The Professor will give you a score at the end of the course, determining
your success or failure. This is one of the few games left that still base
the advancing in the game by points and not by anything else. Oak gives
you a score for each picture, and he also tells you how many pictures or
how many species you need to advance to the next course. You are
obligated to replay some of the courses after you gain particular
items to wake up a particular Pokemon or to catch some other shots.
Very fun, but to a limit.
Frustration
No frustration at all. The game is too short and easy to have frustration in it.
Replayability: 2 out of 5
The game is terribly short, maybe the shortest game in video game history!
You can easily beat this game in 30 minutes or less with no hidden features
to unlock! After the first time through, it's hard you'll replay the game, if
not to totalize some great high score, but nothing special...
Game Value: 1 out of 5
This game is not worth its price. I mean, I wouldn't pay 50 bucks for a
game that lasts only 30 minutes with no replay value! If you find it
second hand under 20 dollars, then maybe the deal is a little bit more
convenient. I got it 10 dollars from my local Blockbuster.
Overall: 6.8 out of 10
A nice diversion fro other bland games, unique in the spot, fun to a limit.
Too short and easy to be a real game, maybe kids should give it a look.
This was just a lame excuse for Nintendo to use the Pokemon license to
make...fast money....it won't catch older gamers though.