Do you remember the Dreamworks movie Over The Hedge? My assumption is that you probably do if you're reading this review. But we’re not here to talk about the movie, we're here to talk about its video game counterpart. I’ll admit that even though I liked this movie very much as a kid, as an adult I find the movie to be just okay. It’s far from a bad movie but it just didn’t click with me like Dreamworks best. The video game though I have a major liking for probably more for nostalgia reasons but maybe also for other reasons as well.
Unlike most other video game based movies, this game actually doesn't go through the exact same story beats as it does in the movie. There are a few levels that are movie based but for the most part, the story itself is completely original from its movie source material. The game takes place one year after the events of the movie and it turns out the exterminator is back and is out for revenge. He has managed to kidnap a bunch of innocent animals and hyponistid them to do his dirty work. Yeah it’s insane but i'd be lying if i didn't say I wasn’t invested.
You can either play this game by yourself or with another player. You switch between playing Verne, RJ, Hammy or Stella. All of them have the same attack features and depending on which characters you play as, you can also hear their own personal dialogue depending on the level which makes replayability all the more encouraged. The difficulty of the game can vary depending on how easy of a level you set the game to in the options menu. The levels keep in spirit to the rules of the Over the Hedge movie and there are many places to visit that are either familiar or completely new. My only big complaint in the entire games is that the mini games are not that good and they don’t control as well as in story mode and the game would have been better without those features.
Graphically it looks good for it’s time and the levels are nicely laid out. The character designs are great and the environments are expansive despite the limited amount of exploration you are able to do. The game also has many animated cutscenes that showcase many visual gags and funny antics. The music has a very early 2000’s suburban feel and sometimes the tunes can change from rock n roll to overthetop cartoonish orchestral sounds.
Over the Hedge the game is a nice and breezy game that I'll be sure to return to a few times more. It’s quirky but likable tone, pretty good graphics and simple but effective gameplay results in an overall fun experience for you and a friend. I may have grown out of watching the Over the Hedge movie, but I'll never grow out of playing its video game counterpart.
(Final Grade: B)