Intro
With a catchy name like Cel Damage, the title was easily recognized. One of the first games on the console itself, but it was also the first transition of an XBOX game to Nintendo's prime console. The real "hook" of the game is the flopping of cel-shading. This technique has found a home in few games, but the most successful attempts rotated around the Jet Set/Grind Radio series.
The game was produced in January, so I expected to see prices on the game come down dramatically. I played the game initially at its release; but it wasn't until last month when I picked up the game for a measly $5 at a yard sale...
Flaming spit balls!
To be quite honest, I'm a kart freak. I've always loved the kart racing games, starting with the classic Mario Kart to more recent games like Disney World Magical Racing Tour. So, to see a kart based game (port or no port) was a welcomed relief to race-hungry Nintendo fans.
While the games main focus is on giving the player a real "cartoon" experience, to make a successful racing game the bottom line is fun. The attempt by Pseudo Interactives developing team was quite valiant. The basic controls are simplistic and could be played by any age group. Hoping for a success by trailing off of the buzzword of "cel-shading", one would think the game could have been better constructed. The game was basically developed by newbies Pseudo Interactive, but the game was "publicized" under super-giant Electronic Arts… fyi.
For non-kart players, here is the skinny. Pick a wacky character jump in their customized wheels and race to the finish line and use whatever means necessary to win. Great concept, but Pseudo Interactive misses the mark. As lively and fun as the characters are, I was fully unimpressed by the total lack of fluidity of the controls. The physics were too stiff at times, but other times (power sliding) seemed totally sloppy. The excitement of racing around corners at breakneck speeds and shooting red turtles (ooops... wrong game) is what makes kart games so enjoyable. The simplistic controls were a bit oversimplified, leaving the games depth nothing more than "cel" deep.
The game is broken down into four areas that total 12 courses to race on. I think the developers try to focus more on the demolition aspects; it's still your run of the mill kart game. Although a bit limited, the power-ups tote some pretty coolioso moves. Falling into the classic "cartoon" mode, you expect wacky antics and every time you lose you wait to hear Porky the Pig say: "Th-Th-Th-That's all folks..." But, the real kicker when it comes to leveling and acquiring new weapons; is the fact that you must get in first place to unlock these items/levels. Argh. Plagued with the "rubber-band" syndrome; cruising along in first for 2.75 doesn't mean you are going to finish up in first. Many times, I "magically" lost control and had someone fly in to cherry pick the lead; leaving me stranded or in third place. The AI is nothing more than cartoon Borg going in circles. I've yet to play the XBOX version of the game, but I heard the AI is even more frustrating than the GC's. I couldn't imagine playing the XBOX version. It's good to see they toned down the game a bit.
I do have to hand it to the creators. My initial experience was memorable, and the first thirty minutes of game time was fabulous. The fun ended soon thereafter, and I looked around for someone to race against. This is the biggest flaw within Cel Damage. The single player mode is not only shallow, but also non-challenging and ungodly boring. Without the myriad of options and an array power-ups, I felt like I was playing an old NASCAR game going around in circles... However, what saved the game from being nothing more than a fancy earring, is the light multiplayer action. With up to four players, the game is a bit more fun, and should accompany any GameCube party one might have.
Cel out...
Games that coin the entire "cel shading" thing really drive me crazy. Few games have incorporated it, but you will start seeing more of this technique in the future. I honestly think that little known developer Pseudo Interactive is just trying to make a name for themselves; trying to lure The Big Three in with future cel-shading games. Heck, if you like cel-shading you will love the visuals in Cel Damage.
Everything runs extremely smooth, crisp and at a solid 60-FPS the game really plays like a cartoon. Everything from the backgrounds to blades of grass seem hand-drawn. The edges wrap nicely, and give a nice pseudo 2D/3D effect. The lighting effects are still geared towards cartoons, but overall the games graphics were a nice change of pace. The visuals (and gameplay) did remind me of an older Dreamcast game called Looney Toons Space Race. Cel-shading was lightly used, but the comedy and slapstick was it's staple...
The bottom line here is that the developers achieved exactly what they wanted. The details are amazing, and as much as I love cel-shading; after a while it can become an annoyance (kind of like in the old Dragons Lair arcade game.... Oh, and for you HDTV owners; the game does sport a progressive scan if you hold down the "B" button...
Again, this game is the ultimate 30-minute game. For 30-minutes, you think this is the greatest game ever created. The same goes for the audio. I absolutely loved the catchy tunes and cartoon-styled sound effects. Everything you could want for a game like this was here. The bad part is, is that the game loses is luster quickly and the soundtracks were heavily overused. With only one track per level, the game seemed to go on forever. Voice-overs and one-liners were great; but again, became overused.
66 Says:
Rent. The game is a blast... for thirty minutes. The single player mode is dismal and as good as the graphics were, the multiplayer still lacked depth. As excited as I was to see a port from the XB to the GC, and to have a kart game, I was equally as disappointed. The game is a bottom line promotional tool for the developer. It was a rushed, unpolished game that loses its flavor quicker than Bazooka Joe bubblegum.
