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IGN Review of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is the predictable game tie-in to the animated film that was released this Summer. It played to mostly positive reviews and you can read all about it on our sister site Rotten Tomatoes. Like most tie-ins targeting a younger crowd, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is a simplistic nod to the movie that will temporarily entertain some children.
Gamers take on the roll of Flint Lockwood, a wacky scientist in search of a great invention. His latest creation is a satellite that materializes food and rains the portions down on his hometown of Swallow Falls. When the food generator gets out of control its up to Flint (and you!) to dig his hometown out of the mess and save the day. There are some supporting characters, but the game doesn't bother to elaborate on the story or provide context. In fact, if you aren't familiar with the film, the game will feel extremely random. But since children rarely need a story to make sense to enjoy it, this minor complaint hardly matters.
The game has an extremely short introduction in the style of slideshow. Following the prologue, players are dropped into the ice cream covered town of Swallow Falls with nothing but a modified hair dryer and a white lab coat. Flint has transformed the hair dryer into a heat gun which he then uses to melt obstacles composed of ice cream and other frozen treats. The game starts players with only one tool, but eventually gives them access to a set of tools that each do a different job.
For example, Flint might need to jump up on the roof of a house, but can't reach the ledge. He can use the fork to pick up piece of jello and place it in front the ledge, and then spring up to the platform. Me might need to use the heat gun to melt part of an ice cream cone and then use the boxing glove to smash the rest of it. Not many puzzles get more complicated than this, but Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs does include some remedial problem solving. In short, this one is not for toddlers.
Movement in this game is handled entirely through the stylus. Players simply point where they want to go and Flint walks in that direction. Interaction with items (smashing, or forking) is handled through taps of the stylus and some of the larger food items active one of three food-destroying mini games. One of these involves following an icon around a circle with the stylus, the second requires quickly tapping a target, and the third has the player draw lines in different directions across the touch screen.
These short challenges are easily accomplished and there's no punishment for screwing up, you simply play until you get it right. The repetition is grating after awhile and it would've been nice to see a little more variation. Also, there's hardly any punishment for failure in any section of the game. If Flint is killed by a sentient food item he pops back up in the same location and picks up where he left off. The meat of most levels involves picking up shiny orbs that are used to upgrade Flint's weapons. It is mildly satisfying to upgrade the tools, but their function hardly changes enough to make it worthwhile.
The game's graphics aren't award-winning, but they are attention grabbing enough to keep a youngling enthralled for one of the 5 minute stages. However, they may not take notice the sound effects, which are strictly placeholder.
©2009-10-06, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Gamers take on the roll of Flint Lockwood, a wacky scientist in search of a great invention. His latest creation is a satellite that materializes food and rains the portions down on his hometown of Swallow Falls. When the food generator gets out of control its up to Flint (and you!) to dig his hometown out of the mess and save the day. There are some supporting characters, but the game doesn't bother to elaborate on the story or provide context. In fact, if you aren't familiar with the film, the game will feel extremely random. But since children rarely need a story to make sense to enjoy it, this minor complaint hardly matters.
The game has an extremely short introduction in the style of slideshow. Following the prologue, players are dropped into the ice cream covered town of Swallow Falls with nothing but a modified hair dryer and a white lab coat. Flint has transformed the hair dryer into a heat gun which he then uses to melt obstacles composed of ice cream and other frozen treats. The game starts players with only one tool, but eventually gives them access to a set of tools that each do a different job.
For example, Flint might need to jump up on the roof of a house, but can't reach the ledge. He can use the fork to pick up piece of jello and place it in front the ledge, and then spring up to the platform. Me might need to use the heat gun to melt part of an ice cream cone and then use the boxing glove to smash the rest of it. Not many puzzles get more complicated than this, but Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs does include some remedial problem solving. In short, this one is not for toddlers.
Movement in this game is handled entirely through the stylus. Players simply point where they want to go and Flint walks in that direction. Interaction with items (smashing, or forking) is handled through taps of the stylus and some of the larger food items active one of three food-destroying mini games. One of these involves following an icon around a circle with the stylus, the second requires quickly tapping a target, and the third has the player draw lines in different directions across the touch screen.
These short challenges are easily accomplished and there's no punishment for screwing up, you simply play until you get it right. The repetition is grating after awhile and it would've been nice to see a little more variation. Also, there's hardly any punishment for failure in any section of the game. If Flint is killed by a sentient food item he pops back up in the same location and picks up where he left off. The meat of most levels involves picking up shiny orbs that are used to upgrade Flint's weapons. It is mildly satisfying to upgrade the tools, but their function hardly changes enough to make it worthwhile.
The game's graphics aren't award-winning, but they are attention grabbing enough to keep a youngling enthralled for one of the 5 minute stages. However, they may not take notice the sound effects, which are strictly placeholder.
©2009-10-06, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved