REVIEW : Pinchcliffe Grand Prix (PC)
The Pinchcliffe GP from Ravn Studio is so charming that it makes you feel as if you’re indulging in childhood vices like it’s nobody’s business. That sounds weird, if not just frightening, but this is a unique title regardless of the wording. The game is based on the famous Norwegian film Flklypa Grand Prix, the highest-grossing stop-motion film until Jack Skellington came along. To become a successful F1 driver, Gore-Slimey has copied Theodore Rimspoke’s designs. To counter this, Theo and his team construct the Il Tempo Gigante, which will challenge Slimey to a race to the finish line. It’s ok as a driving game. However, as a whole, it was a great experience.’
I’m a sucker for a nice paradox. Allow me to attempt to explain. I’ve watched The Pinchcliffe GP on VHS countless times. There was no internet when computers came with cassette decks, and knowledge was gained through hands-on experience or the library. Like Heidi, Laputa, and The Cities of Gold before it, I assumed this was an English story as a kid. The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix is… uplifting, and it also features some unique sounds.
The game is primarily discovery-based, with the player turning the camera about to find and interact with various inventions, characters, and fact-finding delights in 3D scenes from the film. Instead of collecting an item and going on, you’re rewarded with a mini-game or, more crucially, the components to make the Il Tempo Gigante. While the game has a goal, there isn’t a sense of urgency to complete it. Instead, you’ll investigate the surroundings as if it were one of those Spot the Dog books, lifting the flaps to reveal hidden surprises. The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix is likely to appeal to a younger audience, with less resistance for thrill-seekers even though the car is outfitted with jet engines.
There has been a lot of negative feedback on the game, and it’s all fair because we’re all allowed to have our opinions. This was a joy to play with my four-year-old as someone who had never played the game for 20 years ago. If it was a remake of my favourite Jet Set Radio, I’m sure I’d be more abrasive. I envision this as a game geared at families, focusing on younger players and nostalgia for fans of the original or even the film. I couldn’t compare it to the last game because I hadn’t played it yet. While there are difficulty levels, there isn’t much to challenge more experienced players. Jigsaw puzzles are an exact digital reproduction, and they serve the purpose here, but the fundamental gaming feature of driving and even soaring is underwhelming. The people and their eccentricities, the camera nods, what’s going on in the background, and Easter Eggs or facts you may find are all highlights. It’s known as edutainment. Bring me my bucket.
The figures and their settings are brilliantly rendered, and the graphic style manages to be both fresh and modern while remaining true to the source material. These are still odd puppet creatures, and the game does a good job of rendering them. They float across the screen as though controlled by a puppet master, and most of the animations are delightfully fluffy.
The characters likewise deliver well-known lines, but this time with fresh voices. Again, this is something that people who played the original game as much as I did as a kid will immediately notice. It’s distracting enough that I consider it numerous times during the quest, but the replacement actors do an adequate job. The game resembles a little unusual point-and-click adventure in which you must follow simple pathways to help the main characters progress. Solan is the gang’s most active member, and he needs assistance with a variety of tasks, including finding his binoculars and driving down the mountain, to mention a few.
Exploring the different nooks and crannies of the universe is also rewarded. Fun, factual information about items you see, puzzle pieces you can put together in a separate mode, and a variety of unusual mini-games are among the prizes. The latter was the most enjoyable aspect of the original game, providing hours of repeating and enjoyable entertainment for both children and adults. I recall several mini-games with great enthusiasm and nostalgia, so it’s a delight to find that the new edition’s producers have done an excellent job with many of them. In addition, the developers have readily prioritised the racing portion of the game.
This is now in full 3D graphics, with Mario Kart-like objects to pick up and just a few hundred vast and magnificent courses to choose from. The automobiles are also incredibly well-modelled, and with support for up to two players at once, this should be a fun diversion for the kids.
With many amazing mini-games, a fantastic setting, and charm in every nook and cranny, the game is visually pleasing and authentic to the original. I was immediately intrigued by the aura surrounding this edition of Flklypatoppen, and the game’s short three-hour duration provides an amazing amount of entertainment. Even though the game is no longer than that, the undersigned receives a small line in the bill. Although the original game was not that long, it felt that way at the time. So when I sit behind the wheel of Il Tempo Gigante almost completely out of the blue and glide across the finish line with no ifs or buts, it feels extremely good.
REVIEW : Little Bug (XBOX Series X)
