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January 20, 2003
Review: Toe Jam & Earl III
Toe Jam & Earl Three is by far one of the most satisfying games i've played on the XBox for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, the game is funky fresh. That's right. If you can remember that saying from back in the days when hiphop was playful and simple, this game is right there. It's got Bootsy Collins and UTFO appeal complete with breakdancing, complicated dap, and pg-rated street dialog which is right up to date.
Secondly, the game is very clever in its concept of integrating lighthearted funk culture into a theme of integration and redemption. (did I actually say that?) Funky aliens come down from the planet Funkatron to funkify obnoxious earthlings and rescue the 12 vinyl albums which are the source of all funk in the universe from the minions of the anti-funk. There is no killing or anything, it's about using music to transform squares, geeks and a host of hilarious characters (including a demented dentist) into afro sportin' Bootsy sunglasses wearing disco dancers, for a moment anyway.
It was my wife who picked out the game. When I first played it, I had to do a double-take. Funk in a videogame? I kept thinking they're going to screw up something and I'm going to be offended. But I wasn't disappointed, in fact I was inspired. The authors ought to be proud of delivering the bomb metaphysics in a way even George Clinton himself would appreciate. And of course if you are truly funky, you'll be pleased at all the inside jokes and references even if you are not familiar with the earlier Toe Jam titles.
My elementary school kids absolutely love it. They sing the songs, they repeat the dialog (which has some subtle double-entendres on the border of pg-13, but you can turn the characters from 'naughty' to 'nice') and they run to tell me when they graduate from a 'dufus' to a 'poindexter'.
Now here's the kicker. I have never seen a videogame of any sort in which you use musical skills to defeat the enemy. But TJ&E will have you playing your XBox controller like a beat box to infect the earthlings with that irresistible funk fu.
Gameplay is not particularly challenging, it's laidback adventuring capture the goody style without tricky puzzles or traditional boss challenges. But there are plenty enough levels to keep you busy and characters that can render you helpless in novel and frustrating ways. This is another game that even when you die it's funny, and there's plenty fun to be had just roaming through the levels and having your avatar speak to the other characters. I wish there were more avatars to choose from and you run into the occasional glitch where your character gets stuck in some crevice, like between a tree and a lake shore. But on the whole the execution is very smooth and you are totally immersed. Action gets fast and furious like Gauntlet. The voices are excellent and the music is just right.
The levels are bright and fanciful with a kind naive surrealism and you get to run around like Bebe's kids trick or treating and kicking silly rabbits to the curb. It has the same kind of snarky badboy appeal as Conker's Bad Fur Day but in a totally lighthearted way. It's not even as dark as Banjo Kazooie or Blinx. In that way it's really cool for kids and you can play and play and lose and lose without getting angry, which is a lot to say given the state many videogames leave you in.
In the end it's all about the funk, what could be cooler?
Posted by mbowen at January 20, 2003 11:06 AM
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