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EPIC MICKEY (WII)
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Publisher: Disney.
Developer: Junction Point Studios. Released: November 2010. Genre: 3D Platformer. Posted 9th June 2020. By Tom Clare © 2020 |
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The brainchild of Warren Spector, Epic Mickey would burst on to the scene with plenty of ambition and a lot to live up to. An attractive 3D platformer purpose-built for the Wii in the mould of a Super Mario Galaxy, it draws from a broad swathe of inspirations. Its motion-control painting element draws comparisons with Okami; there’s a detailed, cause-and-effect moral system that’s a logical progression from Spector’s own Deus Ex, and a dark fairytale vibe somewhat evocative of American McGee’s Alice.
Creatively-speaking, Epic Mickey is the most ambitious Disney video game there’s ever been. This is no run-of-the-mill, licensed tie-in, but a grand adventure offering a fascinating portal into the company’s vast archive. For aficionados at least, the attention to detail is a joy. As a 3D platformer, it’s sadly no match for Super Mario Galaxy, as there are too many little issues and frustrations to ignore. However, it should be said that, for a title that’s had to bear the brunt of failing to make good on considerable expectations, it’s still a very, very good game. Junction Point Studios’ adventure is quite unlike any other Mickey Mouse (or for that matter, Disney) outing before it. This long-forgotten Wii exclusive is no classic, but it is a compelling curio that owners would do well to experience.
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Mickey encounters a long list of "forgotten" Disney stars, for whom he can help with the completion of side-quests
When Mickey Mouse steals into sorcerer Yen Sid’s room only to tip paint and thinner all over his Disneyland-esque model for forgotten characters, the world within is transformed into a wasteland, tormented by the giant Shadow Blot and his numerous minions. In a remarkable ode to Disney’s past, you’ll encounter a legion of protagonists from the twenties, thirties and forties cartoons, whilst Mickey’s journey sees him passing through a host of locales directly inspired by these, as well as more prominent Disney fare.
Epic Mickey is perhaps best described as an expansive 3D platformer. This being a 2010 game though, there are also extensive role-playing game elements and a morality system that is deceptively well developed. In the most uncomplicated sense, good and bad are symbolised by Mickey’s use of paint to build and fill-in parts of the damaged wasteland, or thinner, which can be used to erase, dismantle or destroy. Using both is paramount in besting both the game's dastardly (and occasionally quite annoying) foes and fiendish puzzles. Furthermore, you’ll encounter a small army’s worth of captured Gremlins. Free them, and they’ll return the favour in a plethora of different ways, including gifting Mickey e-Tickets (the wasteland’s currency), items and collectable pins. Some will lend a hand with level objectives, whilst others will even show up later on down the road to tilt the scales in Mickey’s favour during a boss fight.
Epic Mickey is perhaps best described as an expansive 3D platformer. This being a 2010 game though, there are also extensive role-playing game elements and a morality system that is deceptively well developed. In the most uncomplicated sense, good and bad are symbolised by Mickey’s use of paint to build and fill-in parts of the damaged wasteland, or thinner, which can be used to erase, dismantle or destroy. Using both is paramount in besting both the game's dastardly (and occasionally quite annoying) foes and fiendish puzzles. Furthermore, you’ll encounter a small army’s worth of captured Gremlins. Free them, and they’ll return the favour in a plethora of different ways, including gifting Mickey e-Tickets (the wasteland’s currency), items and collectable pins. Some will lend a hand with level objectives, whilst others will even show up later on down the road to tilt the scales in Mickey’s favour during a boss fight.
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Epic Mickey’s platforming is neither the most exciting nor the most dynamic you can expect to find. It is however very absorbing, and if you’re a fan of Disney, you’ll appreciate the stunning craft that makes it such a singular experience. The nunchuck provides decent, responsive movement, even if it is possible to come unstuck now and then with some frustrating jump sequences and Mickey now and again getting snagged on scenery. The camera represents the biggest technical grievance. The wandering lens is a less welcome reminder of the genre’s late nineties troubles. You’ll find the perspective regularly going berserk when Mickey gets hemmed in a corner, whilst it has an unhelpful habit of meandering aimlessly as you try to line up a jump or retreat from a powerful enemy. In theory, the D-Pad can be used to readjust the view, whilst a tap of C will centre the camera behind Mickey. In practice, however, both make rather heavy weather of things and are a source of frustration.
FOCAL POINT: LAND OF OS
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Férias Frustradas do Pica-Pau (1996, SEGA Mega Drive)
By far the most interesting character you’ll encounter in the wasteland is Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, the original forgotten star, and leader of the wasteland. His relationship with Mickey is a complicated one, to say the least. The resentment and jealousy he harbours for Mickey’s success are a feature of the landscapes. A reimagined statue depicts Walt Disney walking hand-in-hand with the rabbit, whilst signs about Mean Streets promote Steamboat Oswald. The rabbit cuts an abrasive figure to begin with, but with the wasteland in peril, he comes to appreciate the selflessness and bravery he so envies in Mickey. Oswald develops into a surprisingly empathetic character, a symbol of hope for those whose fifteen minutes of fame has run its course. As well as co-starring in Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, a fleeting appearance in 2013’s Get A Horse! marked his first in a Disney animation for more than eighty years. Interestingly though, Epic Mickey was not his first video game appearance, with that honour instead falling to Férias Frustradas do Pica-Pau (Woody Woodpecker’s Frustrated Vacations), a lamentably poor, mid-nineties platformer for SEGA formats that would never release outside of its native Brazil. Woody frees a radically different-looking Oswald, based on the Walter Lantz design, at the end of the second stage.
Still, in setting a surprisingly leisurely pace for a platformer, it does allow the game to focus on its strengths somewhat. You’ll encounter numerous charming figures from Disney’s heritage in the wasteland, many of whom have tips or errands for Mickey. These include the likes of Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horsecollar and just some of the countless versions of big Pete. Visiting the likes of Mean Streets, OsTown and Bog Easy allows the player to soak in the atmosphere, shop for goodies, engage in some side-quests and enjoy the fitting (if a touch repetitive) music. These towns are a definite highlight, as are the boss fights. Here, EM allows for parallel approaches to each encounter, either taking the redemptive approach with paint, or the renegade, destructive method with thinner. The best example is the pirate ship, fighting Animatronic Captain Hook. You can attack him on the deck, thwacking him into the beams of the ship, or by knocking him overboard. For a more involved but satisfying outcome, the robot can be redeemed by platforming up the rigging in order to release a trapped sprite.
The platforming is sturdy if unspectacular, the combat likewise. Despite visiting fairgrounds, castles and haunted mansions, the dystopian levels, mired in hazardous green thinner, look persistently drab, lacking sparkle and panache, even if the quality of the visual design is consistently high. The paint is a useful tool but can feel a little incidental, there’s no eureka moment as in Okami where your deeds result in a big, revitalising effect on characters or the environments. You’ll enjoy the challenge, even there’s isn’t necessarily much to remember these levels by. It’s a bit of shame, because Junction Point clearly invested a lot in allowing the player more than one solution to most problems. Whilst there are some nice puzzles and tasks to test your joypad dexterity and observation skills, it feels a little dated.
The platforming is sturdy if unspectacular, the combat likewise. Despite visiting fairgrounds, castles and haunted mansions, the dystopian levels, mired in hazardous green thinner, look persistently drab, lacking sparkle and panache, even if the quality of the visual design is consistently high. The paint is a useful tool but can feel a little incidental, there’s no eureka moment as in Okami where your deeds result in a big, revitalising effect on characters or the environments. You’ll enjoy the challenge, even there’s isn’t necessarily much to remember these levels by. It’s a bit of shame, because Junction Point clearly invested a lot in allowing the player more than one solution to most problems. Whilst there are some nice puzzles and tasks to test your joypad dexterity and observation skills, it feels a little dated.
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2D vignettes link the Mean Streets hub to the other levels and are an aesthetic triumph, though only partially realised. Harking back to the cartoon shorts of old, the gameplay itself draws inescapable parallels with Mickey’s slightly less distant video gaming heritage. In particular, the Illusion series and Mickey Mania, which offered it’s own memorable interpretation on Steamboat Willie. These segments reference a considerable number of cartoons, though each stage itself only lasts between half-a-minute and a minute. The trouble is, they’re not all that diverting to play, and can start to grate when you realise how often you’ll have to revisit specific ones in order to travel between towns.
Ultimately, Epic Mickey is a brave, imaginative platformer that would have benefited from a better camera and a modernising of its platforming mechanics. Looking back at it without the weight of expectation, the endless what might have been possibilities, what we’re left with is a decent game. It’s a genuine labour of love, a delight for Disney devotees. It’s gameplay may be rough around the edges, but if sentiment and nostalgia count for something in your book, then Epic Mickey will provide enough cool moments to keep you absorbed for many a rainy day’s gaming.
Ultimately, Epic Mickey is a brave, imaginative platformer that would have benefited from a better camera and a modernising of its platforming mechanics. Looking back at it without the weight of expectation, the endless what might have been possibilities, what we’re left with is a decent game. It’s a genuine labour of love, a delight for Disney devotees. It’s gameplay may be rough around the edges, but if sentiment and nostalgia count for something in your book, then Epic Mickey will provide enough cool moments to keep you absorbed for many a rainy day’s gaming.
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VERDICT
"A brave, imaginative platformer. For aficionados, the attention to detail is a joy, [but] the wandering camera is a less welcome reminder of the genre’s late nineties troubles" OVERALL: 7/10 |