
<MAP NAME="boxmap-p6"><AREA SHAPE="RECT" COORDS="1, 140, 83, 150" HREF="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" ><AREA COORDS="0,0,10000,10000" HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/thearmchairem-20" ></MAP><img src="http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/rcm/120x150.gif" width="120" height="150" border="0" usemap="#boxmap-p6" alt="Shop at Amazon.com">	Platform Playstation 2 Genre Platformer Publisher SCEA Developer Disney Interactive ESRB E (Everyone) Released Q2 2002

- Downright entertaining game - Like an ‘old school side scrolling adventure game in 3D - Beautifully rendered levels - Great usage of the DVD-ROM application

- That camera is pure evil… prepare to get yourself killed often - Rated E??? Who are they kidding? Why do they even have a rating system?

Review: Super Mario Sunshine (Gamecube) Review: Ratchet and Clank (Playstation 2) Review: Blinx: The Time Sweeper (XBox)
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Stitch: Experiment 626

Score: 8.8 / 10

The latest “game based on a movie” from Disney Interactive Stitch: Experiment 626 (E626), the number referring to Stitch’s lot number from when he was genetically engineered… as I’m sure you all know.

You control Stitch. He’s a nigh-invulnerable 6-limbed powerhouse that is adorably cute (you can’t help but go “Aww” when you see him saunter around in his orange flight suit) and spouts catchphrases quicker than a Teddy Ruxpin doll hooked up to a car battery. Anyway, I digress.

The basic premise of the game is a 3-D pseudo-shooter and jumping puzzle game where your goal is to collect DNA for your master Dr. Jumba. Trying to stop you from your goal of collecting DNA for Jumba is the nefarious Dr. Habbitrale (don’t laugh… that’s really the name of the evil lagomorphic scientist trying to stop you) who is unleashing his personal mutant army to stop Stitch. The game utilizes a 3^rd person view where you view Stitch from the center of your screen (no matter what direction he’s standing in) with you being able to move the camera in any direction (up to 90 degrees of rotation or so) using the right analog stick. The camera is a major source of frustration, especially in some of the more dangerous jumping areas where it insists on giving you a terrible camera view and you have to make a timed jumps totally blind.

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The game pretty much boils down to Twitch traversing some area to collect the 50 DNA chains available. To entice you to spend more time searching to find everything, you also can find movie reels that can be sold to unlock the movie clips available on the DVD-Rom disc. (Damn those clever marketing geniuses, once again they find a reason for me to play more of the game and now eventually go see that movie!) To make the collection of the movie clips more infuriating some of them can only be attained by playing a game of tag with a

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squid-bot that is capable of flight (on the earlier levels, the bot doesn’t move too much but be prepared to sprint, climb, and fall on the later levels trying to keep up with these guys). Although this game is designed for kids, the level of difficulty in some of the jumping puzzles and in finding the hidden areas where the movie reels are hidden are downright insidious and only the expert gamer or person who despises leaving the house is going to find everything.

Blocking your goal of collecting goodies are a variety of opponents – most of which are nothing more than cannon fodder for the multiple laser guns that Stitch sports (which are upgradeable to blow opponents away quicker… but then again, most opponents fall down unconscious after four quick bursts of the regular lasers anyways). Also in Stitch’s arsenal is the “Slow-Mo” technique where you can slowdown the action for a moment while you move at a “slightly faster than the world speed” – this technique becomes important when you are following Squid-bots to get a movie reel especially when they sprint un-godly distances.

The action is intriguing, because of Stitch’s all-terrain nature (put him near most walls and pillars and he’ll climb right up them) the game really showcases its jumping puzzles and strange places to hide objects. You can multiply this effect by a factor of about 20 once the grappling gun is introduced (think giant swing). Using both Stitch’s triple jump technique (he can jump a second time in mid-air to gain additional height and distance) and the grappling gun the levels open right up. The jetpack levels are even more fun, but frighteningly difficult when you have to decide whether to grab a piece of DNA or get more fuel when you’re running on fumes. Don’t worry about dying though, you have an unlimited number of lives and are re-born on the most recent check-point, which are thankfully plentiful when you have to sacrifice a life to get a nastily placed DNA piece or movie reel.

The visuals of E626 are downright impressive. All of the worlds have some sort of clay-animation/Disney movie hybrid look to them; they are colorful, over the top, and frighteningly detailed (definite style points for the animators on E626). The sounds are reminiscent of a cheesy ‘50s style science fiction movie, which are well implemented considering the subject matter and the general look of all of the ships and characters. Both the sound effects and the music play clearly and unwaveringly through the course of the game almost to the point where you forget that you’re playing a game, not watching a movie.

Playing this game sort of reminded me of Duck Tales on the ‘ole Nintendo Entertainment System – despite the fact that you’re the cause of widespread destruction and death, the game still has that “cute factor” and is way more of an updated adventure/side-scroller than a shooter. My only other complaint is going to be with the ESRB rating.

I can’t agree that it's rated "E". Parents, be warned that the game does include gunplay and although it is “cute” and handled in that sort of manner, some people wouldn’t appreciate that kind of game for their young children. All in all, I found Stitch: Experiment 626 to be an enjoyable game and I give it a high recommendation.

- Tazman

(August 11, 2002)

"That rainbow grabbed Shake!"

"That's awful... Hey, let's get some ice cream."

- Frylock and Meatwad (Aqua Teen Hunger Force)